Space for Well-being: Chrysanthemum Show Opening Lecture at Smith College

Yoko Kawai was invited to talk on “space for well-being” to open the Chrysanthemum Show at the Botanic Garden of Smith College. It was an honor and excitement to address the enthusiastic audience of 200 people! The Fall Mum Show has been the popular tradition at the Botanic Garden since the early 1900s. Yoko used […]
Water in Japanese Gardens: Lecture at Stony Brook University

Takaya Kurimoto gave a talk “Water in Japanese Gardens” at the Japan Center at Stony Brook University on December 2nd, 2019. Many enthusiastic students and faculty members attended this event! Water has been one of the most important elements of Japanese gardens. Takaya introduced its three different characteristics and background that make it so unique. […]
Self, Space, and Beyond: Where and How Do We Experience Mindfulness?

Connections between the mind, body, and environment Imagine you are walking through an outdoor path in Kyoto, surrounded by bamboo. While you walk, your blood pressure happens to decrease. Is it because you are taking in the smells of the bamboo as you walk? Is your mind communicating a positive reaction to the space to […]
“Clouds, Bubbles, and Waves” of Japanese architecture

What are “clouds, bubbles, and waves”? They suggest impermanence of Japanese architecture, but also resiliency of it. At the symposium on this very curious subject at Yale School of Architecture, Yoko Kawai of PED had a pleasure to moderate one of the sessions. Japanese architecture is known for its respect to the impermanence of life […]
Designing Mindfulness: Spatial Concepts in Traditional Japanese Architecture

On May 31st, Yoko Kawai is going to talk “Designing Mindfulness: Spatial Concepts in Traditional Japanese Architecture”, at TALKS+ of New York Japan Society. Please join this event!


