Eclectic Classicism of Japanese Court Architecture | Alfred B. Hwangbo

Jan 14 | 2 to 3:15 p.m. | ART 220, ASU Tempe Campus

Sponsored by the Art History Faculty and the Asia Center, Arizona State University

This talk is an empirical evaluation on the use of classical language in the making of early modern architecture in Japan. A prominent court architect, Katayama Tokuma (1854-1917), designed over fifty notable buildings during the Meiji and Taisho periods. His works embody eclectic classicism, embracing both Western classical style and Japanese wooden building traditions. Katayama employed western classicism for political reasons to present authoritative images of the Meiji government, yet Japanese carpentry tradition was equally significant to ensure structural stability and pragmatic necessities. 

Alfred B. Hwangbo is Professor of Architecture and Provost for External Affairs at Seoul National University of Science and Technology in Seoul, Korea. His research interests include the historiography of modern architecture and its impact on global architecture.

Image: Nara National Museum, Japan (1894). Photo by A. Hwangbo (2025).