[Exhibition Report] Mori Art Museum: "Sou Fujimoto: Futures of the Future"

[#267, approx. 5,200 characters, approx. 75 photos] I went to "
Sou Fujimoto: Futures of the Future" currently being held at the Mori Art Museum. I will write my impressions and review here.Forest" I went to. I will write my impressions and review.

▶︎ Summary

For someone like me who knew almost nothing about Sou Fujimoto, this was a highly satisfying exhibition! This is mainly because 1) I was able to understand not just Sou Fujimoto's actual works, but also his way of thinking, and 2) I was impressed by the Mori Art Museum's friendly approach that allows you to enjoy the art while viewing it. I am certain that Sou Fujimoto will become an architect who leaves an even greater mark on the world in the future. Also, if you experience the Osaka Expo's Grand Roof Ring in advance, I think you will enjoy the exhibition three times as much!

▶︎ Reason for visiting

The reason for my visit was that I became interested in Sou Fujimoto after seeing the "Grand Roof Ring" at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai (hereinafter referred to as the Osaka Expo).

▼ Impressions of the Osaka Expo Grand Roof Ring

▼ Previous exhibition I visited at the Mori Art Museum (Total: 59,030 views)

I purchased my ticket online in advance. On the day, the line to enter was the same as for people buying tickets on the day. This was inefficient, so I thought it would be better to separate the lines.

▶︎ Impressions of "Sou Fujimoto: Futures of the Future"

This exhibition is Sou Fujimoto's first large-scale solo exhibition. The subtitle includes "Primitive, Future, Forest," but I think "Forest" is the main theme.

Also, I thought the animals drawn with a gentle touch on the main visual, such as squirrels and owls, were misleading.

Sou Fujimoto considers "the essence of architecture = something forest-like." This "forest-like" quality does not mean full of nature and full of animals! I think many people who only see the visuals will misinterpret it, thinking, "Is Sou Fujimoto an architect with a strong nature-conservation personality?"

This exhibition is divided into eight sections. I walked through the whole thing quickly after entering, and then viewed it again from the beginning. By doing this, in addition to being able to add variety to viewing the works, I was also able to manage my time well, knowing "how much longer until the end."

▼ Books I used as a reference for how to view the exhibition

1) Forest of Thoughts

In Section 1, past projects are reviewed by dividing them into three lineages: "Primitive Future," "Undifferentiated," and "Many Many." This exhibition method was an interesting idea that aligns with Sou Fujimoto's architectural concepts. It was my first time having a viewing experience so surrounded by exhibits.

Looking at the models of Sou Fujimoto's architecture, I was surprised by how many unconventional designs there were, which I could only think of as playful. They had a fairytale or fantasy look that seemed like it belonged in an anime or game world. Sou Fujimoto is also a University of Tokyo graduate like Kengo Kuma, but there was no snobbish impression at all.

▼ A book where you can catch a glimpse of Kengo Kuma's snobbishness

I wondered to what extent such architecture is established by sacrificing functionality.

I didn't know until now that this store was by Sou Fujimoto. It wasn't mentioned in the press release either. This is a wonderful place that I have also visited.

Seeing these exhibits, I thought, "Sou Fujimoto is a kind-hearted person". Also, because his individuality is so well-established and reliable, I felt that clients would find it easy to entrust him with work.

Also, because it was such a large volume right from the start, a huge number of people gather in this space (after that, it was relatively smooth). From an operational perspective, I thought it would be better not to create too many highlights in the introductory part of the exhibition.

2) Forest of Trajectories - Chronology

In Section 2, a chronology of Sou Fujimoto and interview videos were on display. The chronology also included a section on architecture that influenced Sou Fujimoto. I felt that there was relatively more architecture by Tadao Ando there.

Sou Fujimoto was born in Hokkaido in 1971. Until he was in high school (Hokkaido Asahikawa Higashi High School), he used to play around in the forest near his house, and it seems that this is deeply ingrained in his physical senses. In the interview video, the following words left an impression on me.

I once heard Tadao Ando say, "Children must be children". Through the exhibits and videos, I realized that the core of Sou Fujimoto's way of thinking is "the forest scenery he played in as a child".

Turning back to my own children, I wondered what they are cultivating from their current environment.

3) Awai Library

In Section 3, 40 books selected by Yoshitaka Haba based on Sou Fujimoto's ideas are lined up. The space itself also had a "forest-like" spatial design, with chairs facing this way and that.

Recently, I have been reading Osamu Tezuka's books and bought the entire "Phoenix" series.

4) Forest of Shimmering

In Section 4, moving figures were mapped onto models of works previously designed by Sou Fujimoto. It was designed not just to look at the models, but to encourage the imagination of human activity within them.

5) Open Ring

Section 5 consisted of a 1/5 scale exhibit of the 'Grand Roof Ring', along with explanations and interview videos related to it.

I basically went to the Osaka Expo just to come to this exhibition. By deepening my understanding of the 'Grand Roof Ring' in this section, I felt more empathy for Sou Fujimoto.

I believe the great success of the Osaka Expo is largely due to Sou Fujimoto's achievements. Sou Fujimoto was appointed as the venue design producer for the Osaka Expo in 2020. It wasn't a competition; he was approached unilaterally, and after much deliberation, he accepted.

Back in 2020, the world was in lockdown due to COVID-19, and the future of society was uncertain. Furthermore, since Donald Trump became president in the U.S., 'division' had become a theme both domestically and internationally.

Sou Fujimoto believed that ' architecture is about creating a place where people gather.' That is why he felt a special value in the Osaka Expo, where people from about 80% of the world's countries would gather in one region, in person, for six months.

Therefore, he arrived at the concept of the 'Grand Roof Ring,' which has a strong message that anyone can understand in an instant, whether they see it on-site or just on a poster.

Furthermore, there was an underlying theme that it became the 'Grand Roof Ring' by expanding the circle of the 'Grand Roof' created by Kenzo Tange at the Osaka Expo (1970). Since the theme of the Tower of the Sun was 'life,' there was also an affinity with this Osaka Expo.

The concept of the Grand Roof Ring is ' unity in diversity.' By learning about Sou Fujimoto's thoughts on forests and boundaries through the exhibits so far, my understanding of the meaning and depth of the Grand Roof Ring has deepened. The 1/5 scale exhibit is nice, but I definitely want you to experience the real Grand Roof Ring!

Watching the interview video, I felt that Sou Fujimoto is a good speaker and consciously chooses easy-to-understand words. Sou Fujimoto is a really great person.

6) The Murmuring of the Forest of Stuffed Toys

In Section 6, stuffed toys of representative buildings are having a conversation (with Japanese and English subtitles). You can review the exhibits up to this point and deepen your understanding with more simplified expressions.

This was my first time seeing an exhibit like this. I felt that this exhibition was particularly visitor-friendly.

7) Many, One Forest

Section 7 features a 1/5 scale model of Sou Fujimoto's latest project, the "Sendai City (tentative name) International Center Station North District Complex" (scheduled for completion in 2031), along with related materials and an interview video.

In 2024, there was a competition for a multi-purpose hall focused on music and a memorial hall for the earthquake, with Jun Aoki and Ryue Nishizawa serving as committee chair and members.

Sou Fujimoto realized that because each disaster victim has their own thoughts, and music also takes various forms—from solo performances to philharmonic orchestras—they are essentially the same. Based on this idea, he entered the competition because he wanted to attempt a new fusion and architectural challenge. He was selected as a candidate for the contract.

The following video (from 25:50 onwards) includes Sou Fujimoto's presentation and Q&A session. I felt that the concept of a "forest" was naturally incorporated into this design as well.

8) Future Forest, Primeval Forest—Resonant City 2025

Finally, regarding the future of architecture as envisioned by Sou Fujimoto (and Hiroaki Miyata). In terms of the exhibition planning, it felt a bit tacked on.

Now that AI is fully integrated into our daily lives, thinking that such a world might actually be realized in a few decades made me a little excited.

◾️ The Mori Art Museum is excellent!

Including the forest of thoughts and the rustling of the stuffed animals' forest, I thought the Mori Art Museum (and the consulting behind it) was wonderful for not just arranging Sou Fujimoto's ideas chronologically, but for providing an exhibition experience that is easy for visitors to grasp.

• Curation that embodies Sou Fujimoto's ideas

• Visitor-friendly features that show a conscious effort to communicate

• Exhibits that look great from any angle and have high PR impact

The three interview videos in the gallery were all of a comfortable length, so I was able to watch them easily. Including those, my viewing time was about two hours.

Photography was allowed for over 90% of the exhibition. A unique point was that video recording was permitted if it was under one minute. I think this is an initiative with social media in mind, but why do many museums prohibit video even when photography is allowed? (Is it because of other visitors appearing in the frame or interfering with the viewing experience?)

Also, the Mori Art Museum uses dynamic pricing, where ticket prices change depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend, and whether purchased in advance or on the day. It was my first time seeing a two-tier pricing system.

Perhaps it is because they have a relatively large budget, but I felt it was impressive how the "museum business" was thoroughly executed from various perspectives.

▶︎ Summary

What did you think? I was ignorant about Sou Fujimoto, but along with the actual examples, I gained a good understanding of Sou Fujimoto's philosophy, and in addition, the exhibition methods were full of ingenuity, so my understanding of Sou Fujimoto deepened significantly, and I would like to visit many more of his buildings in the future! Also, visiting in conjunction with the Osaka Expo is highly recommended.

▶︎ Today's Museum Meal