CHAPTER 5 Creativity within a Geographical-National Framework: From Modern Japanese Design to Pevsner’s Art Geography

A geographical-national framework remains a valid and insightful approach for studying art, architecture, and design historiography, despite its historical association with racialist nationalism. This study demonstrates that such an approach can effectively explore human creativity within specific cultural, social, and political contexts, even in today's globalized society. Using modern Japanese design during the Meiji era (1868–1912) as a case study, it highlights how Westernization was perceived as a means to achieve contemporary global standards, leading to innovative architectural styles like Gi-Yo architecture, which creatively combined Western and traditional Japanese elements. The research employs historical analysis and architectural comparison, including the Tomioka Silk Mill (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), to illustrate the dynamic interplay between cultural adaptation and national identity in design.

Kondo, A. (2016). CHAPTER 5 Creativity within a Geographical-National Framework: From Modern Japanese Design to Pevsner’s Art Geography. Designing Worlds, 93–107. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781785334467-007