Tadao Ando

Acclaimed Japanese architect Tadao Ando (b. 1941) bases his work on a strong personal design philosophy that joins Japanese design traditions with modern Western expression. Born in Osaka, Japan, Ando’s interest in design began early on as an apprentice with a local carpenter at the age of 10. He learned to explore wood’s many possibilities by building model airplanes and ships. His approach to learning was unusual in that he preferred to work independently, without input from his mentors.