OVerview

Jun Sato

Excerpts from an Interview with Jun Sato, one of the forefront structural engineers in Japan.

(continuing a previous dialogue about collaborating with engineers)

Jun: 
There is a technique to develop structural ideas with architects. We calculate in real time time the sizing of beams for almost any kind of form or shape. We can calculate this in ten minutes without computer analysis or calculation. We use only a calculator. This way, we can talk with architects more smoothly and share the image of structure accurately. This is a very important technique to communicate with an architect, which I learned when I was in Toshihiko Kimura's office.

Anran:
In a Moma exhibition titled Japanese Structural Lineages, you were listed under Kimura.

Jun:
That's why we are called Kimura's family. I learned from Kimuara the technique. He didn't tell me how to do the calculations, but instead it has to be developed myself. What he showed me is how to communicate with architects.

When I discuss with Junya Ishigami, it takes a lot of time [laughs]. For example, five hours a day when we have meetings every two weeks, we discuss and develop the idea of structure. That is because Junya asks me a lot about dynamics. Sometimes he develops or discusses some dynamics or physics theories, asking "is there anything that does this?" or "does this dynamics principle exist in real world?" In many cases, it is a kind of fantasy [both laugh]. And so I tell him the accurate theory of dynamics, physics, or geometry, and then we can discuss... Sometimes I can develop the idea. You know when people explain something like dynamics or mathematics, they can "rearrange" those ideas in their brain. Sometimes we can get a new idea from thinking calmly or by "rearranging." So sometimes a new idea is generated from those discussions.

Masao Saito

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