Group X

Advanced building design studio, spring 2022 — Introduction to metaxography in architecture: A hybrid building in Toyosu, Tokyo

The Advanced Building Design Studio in Toyosu, Tokyo, explored metaxography, focusing on designing architecture through relationships, interaction, and human experience.

Modern building with large glass windows, people walking and cycling. Trees with green foliage and pink blossoms.

Introduction

ARK-E2014 Advanced Building Design Studio, Spring 2022 was organized in collaboration with the Architecture Department of Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT), Tokyo, Japan.

The assignment was to design a new building complex with two main purposes in the Toyosu area, Tokyo. The floor area of the new complex is approximately 20,000 sqm.

This year the course focused on the development of metaxography in architecture—design based on relationships. What if architecture was not only about the design of objects but also about designing relationships?

Student works Toyosu HYBRID (2022) include Peiyao Xu, Jenna Hukkinen, Xinghe Guo, Qi Qi, and Yue Zhang and Tuan Phan.

The normative design in the built environment has traditionally focused on buildings as products rather than on experience and interaction, which are central to ontographic anthropology. An anthropological perspective in architectural design offers a unique way to describe current practices meaningfully and supports progressive change in the conception of architecture.

Course information:

Term III-IV; 11.01.2022–05.04.2022
Remote teaching and live teaching on Tuesdays from 09:15 to 12:00
A design course for max. 20 students

Responsible teachers:

Professor Antti Ahlava, Professor of Emergent Design Methodologies, Department of Architecture, Aalto University. Email: antti.ahlava@aalto.fi
Architect Selina Anttinen, Anttinen Oiva arkkitehdit Oy. Email: selina.anttinen@aoa.fi
Architect Eero Lundén, Architect & Founder, Lundén Architecture Company. Email: eero@lunden.co

A 3D building model featuring a green area at its core, surrounded by various meeting spots and pathways.

Detailed architectural floor plan of a conference centre and library complex, with curved building sections and layout details.

Aerial view of a grey building with circular and irregular shapes surrounded by paths, trees, and adjacent infrastructure.

3D abstract shapes including red circles, yellow blocks, and pink rings interconnected.

3D geometric shapes, some red and some white, interconnected in an abstract arrangement.

A pattern of red shapes with circular tops and square bottoms, arranged in a grid on a white background.

Thumbnail of A 3D building model featuring a green area at its core, surrounded by various meeting spots and pathways.

Thumbnail of Detailed architectural floor plan of a conference centre and library complex, with curved building sections and layout details.

Thumbnail of Aerial view of a grey building with circular and irregular shapes surrounded by paths, trees, and adjacent infrastructure.

Thumbnail of 3D abstract shapes including red circles, yellow blocks, and pink rings interconnected.

Thumbnail of 3D geometric shapes, some red and some white, interconnected in an abstract arrangement.

Thumbnail of A pattern of red shapes with circular tops and square bottoms, arranged in a grid on a white background.

Jenna Hukkinen

Modern white building with curved roofs beside a river on an overcast day, skyscrapers in the background.

Four pairs of shapes represent independence, dominance, aggression, and integration.

Futuristic architectural design with cone-shaped structures and elevated railway with a train. Bird flying near railway.

Modern, white, curved architecture with large circular skylight, abstract sculptures, and the text 'Integration' on the left.

A modern, circular library interior with a spiral staircase. Text 'Independence' and abstract shapes are on the right.

Modern architecture with curved seating and large columns. People gather in the background. Text: Dominance.

Modern building interior with circular sky opening. A man sits, and another person walks. Text: Aggression.

Thumbnail of Modern white building with curved roofs beside a river on an overcast day, skyscrapers in the background.

Thumbnail of Four pairs of shapes represent independence, dominance, aggression, and integration.

Thumbnail of Futuristic architectural design with cone-shaped structures and elevated railway with a train. Bird flying near railway.

Thumbnail of Modern, white, curved architecture with large circular skylight, abstract sculptures, and the text 'Integration' on the left.

Thumbnail of A modern, circular library interior with a spiral staircase. Text 'Independence' and abstract shapes are on the right.

Thumbnail of Modern architecture with curved seating and large columns. People gather in the background. Text: Dominance.

Thumbnail of Modern building interior with circular sky opening. A man sits, and another person walks. Text: Aggression.

Peiyao Xu

Three stages: define coloured blocks, adjust them in space, and merge into complex 3D structure.

Floor plan showing rooms: lobby, library, exhibition hall, conference rooms, cafe, office and toilet.

Modern building with large glass windows and curved structures. People are walking and standing in a grassy area with trees.

Architectural diagram of a modern building with curved structures and multiple floors. Tiny people figures are shown.

Diagram showing components: mosaic floor slab, mosaic wall, glass wall, and core tube, all labelled with their materials.

Thumbnail of Three stages: define coloured blocks, adjust them in space, and merge into complex 3D structure.

Thumbnail of Floor plan showing rooms: lobby, library, exhibition hall, conference rooms, cafe, office and toilet.

Thumbnail of Modern building with large glass windows and curved structures. People are walking and standing in a grassy area with trees.

Thumbnail of Architectural diagram of a modern building with curved structures and multiple floors. Tiny people figures are shown.

Thumbnail of Diagram showing components: mosaic floor slab, mosaic wall, glass wall, and core tube, all labelled with their materials.

Xinghe Guo

A digital model of a riverside urban area showing buildings and pathways with some structures coloured brown.

A modern architectural model with brown buildings connected by grey pathways, viewed from above and the side.

Modern building complex with large brown and white structures, surrounded by trees and a grey sky.

Modern interior with curved white walls and a central column. Open spaces and minimalistic design.

A minimalist room with wooden steps, two wall shelves, and light filtering through a slatted ceiling.

Thumbnail of A digital model of a riverside urban area showing buildings and pathways with some structures coloured brown.

Thumbnail of A modern architectural model with brown buildings connected by grey pathways, viewed from above and the side.

Thumbnail of Modern building complex with large brown and white structures, surrounded by trees and a grey sky.

Thumbnail of Modern interior with curved white walls and a central column. Open spaces and minimalistic design.

Thumbnail of A minimalist room with wooden steps, two wall shelves, and light filtering through a slatted ceiling.

Yue Zhang

Modern building with unique architecture, people walking and cycling in a plaza with green and pink blossoming trees.

Diagram with two-dimensional shapes turning into a three-dimensional building structure in red and white.

Diagram showing core tubes, slabs and columns in a building's structure. Text explaining flexibility and elasticity of the interior space.

Modern building with large glass windows, surrounded by blooming trees and a circular water feature in front.

Modern art gallery with people observing sculptures. A large portrait and abstract sculpture dominate the scene.

Thumbnail of Modern building with unique architecture, people walking and cycling in a plaza with green and pink blossoming trees.

Thumbnail of Diagram with two-dimensional shapes turning into a three-dimensional building structure in red and white.

Thumbnail of Diagram showing core tubes, slabs and columns in a building's structure. Text explaining flexibility and elasticity of the interior space.

Thumbnail of Modern building with large glass windows, surrounded by blooming trees and a circular water feature in front.

Thumbnail of Modern art gallery with people observing sculptures. A large portrait and abstract sculpture dominate the scene.

Qi Qi

Modern building design with abstract geometric shapes, split into two contrasting halves, people walking nearby.

Diagram showing buildings in a city block, with two red structures highlighted among grey and beige buildings.

A 3D diagram with two red buildings and three beige structures surrounded by grey terrain.

A diagram showing several buildings in a grey area, with a prominent red building near the centre.

Two sketches: left shows a traditional Japanese automaton; right shows Gaorangers warriors around a large robot.

Comparison of Nakagin Capsule Tower's demolition and future Metabolism architecture sketches.

Architectural ground floor plan with abstract shapes and surrounding circular elements on a black background.

Architectural layout of a ground floor plan featuring curved white structures on a black background

Architectural ground floor plan with two white building structures surrounded by circular treetop outlines on a black background.

Architectural floor plan of a complex building layout with labelled sections including library, cafe, lounges, and exhibition hall.

A diagram showing a red building surrounded by grey structures and roads in a simplified urban layout.

Diagram showing a cluster of abstract red structures along a road with surrounding grey buildings.

Diagram of a city layout with several buildings, roads, and highlighted areas in red and beige.

Modern architectural design of a waterfront building with layered, overlapping structures and large glass sections.

Architectural rendering of a modern multi-level building with sharp angles and large windows, labelled 'Street Elevation'.

Modern, abstract multi-storey building with angular design and large windows. Grass in the foreground.

Modern architectural building with angular grey exterior and red accents, surrounded by people against a cloudy sky.

Three architectural floor plans of a building showing the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors with various rooms and structures.

Thumbnail of Modern building design with abstract geometric shapes, split into two contrasting halves, people walking nearby.

Thumbnail of Diagram showing buildings in a city block, with two red structures highlighted among grey and beige buildings.

Thumbnail of A 3D diagram with two red buildings and three beige structures surrounded by grey terrain.

Thumbnail of A diagram showing several buildings in a grey area, with a prominent red building near the centre.

Thumbnail of Two sketches: left shows a traditional Japanese automaton; right shows Gaorangers warriors around a large robot.

Thumbnail of Comparison of Nakagin Capsule Tower's demolition and future Metabolism architecture sketches.

Thumbnail of Architectural ground floor plan with abstract shapes and surrounding circular elements on a black background.

Thumbnail of Architectural layout of a ground floor plan featuring curved white structures on a black background

Thumbnail of Architectural ground floor plan with two white building structures surrounded by circular treetop outlines on a black background.

Thumbnail of Architectural floor plan of a complex building layout with labelled sections including library, cafe, lounges, and exhibition hall.

Thumbnail of A diagram showing a red building surrounded by grey structures and roads in a simplified urban layout.

Thumbnail of Diagram showing a cluster of abstract red structures along a road with surrounding grey buildings.

Thumbnail of Diagram of a city layout with several buildings, roads, and highlighted areas in red and beige.

Thumbnail of Modern architectural design of a waterfront building with layered, overlapping structures and large glass sections.

Thumbnail of Architectural rendering of a modern multi-level building with sharp angles and large windows, labelled 'Street Elevation'.

Thumbnail of Modern, abstract multi-storey building with angular design and large windows. Grass in the foreground.

Thumbnail of Modern architectural building with angular grey exterior and red accents, surrounded by people against a cloudy sky.

Thumbnail of Three architectural floor plans of a building showing the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors with various rooms and structures.

Tuan Phan

Updated: 5.11.2025
Published: 1.11.2025