TOKYO -- Kengo Kuma realized architecture was his calling when he saw at age 10 the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, a 1964 Summer Olympics venue designed by renowned predecessor Kenzo Tange. More than half a century later, he took part in designing the Japan National Stadium, to be used for the summer games next year.
The stadium is a hybrid structure of reinforced concrete and lumber designed to match the adjacent Meiji Jingu Gaien park, echoing Kuma's vision for architecture that blends in with the surrounding environment and culture.
