Masashi Kajita, b. 1974

 

BSc (Hons), M.Arch, Architect MMA

 

 

 

 

 

EMPLOYMENTS:

 

Academic:

 

2008-                   Ph.D.-fellow, Institute of Planning, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture

 

Under the title of Spatial Inclusiveness, the PhD research analyses Access Space in housing, aiming to unfold its potentials that not only provides basic means of access, but also enhances everyday interactions amongst residents and relations to context, while it organises and defines the form of a building. The investigations of access space unfold the relationship between individuality and forms of assemblage in search of architectural forms of commonality. Accordingly it aims to discuss architectural contribution to achieve an inclusive and diverse society based on everyday life.

 

2005-08                  Senior Lecturer, University of East London

 

[2006-08]Unit Master: Diploma Unit 10, University of East London with Kristian Garrecht 07/08 and David Buck 06/07

 

[2005-08]Assisting Tutor: Degree first year Unit X, University of East London with Jim Ross 07/08 and Kristina Hertel 05-07

 

[2005-06] Assisting Tutor: Degree Unit E, University of East London with Jonathan Dawes

 

2002-                   Guest critique on several occasions for design units in London Metropolitan University, University of East London and The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture

 

 

 

Practice:

 

2010-                  Editor: Dear…Magazine, an independent architectural and spatial practices publication

 

2000-06                  Own works

 

[2006]                   Outdoor Space for Play at Hastings and St Leonards SureStart and Greater Hollington Children’s Centre, Hastings.

 

Concept, brief development and outline design of outdoor play spaces for 3 nurseries along with integrated participatory strategy and art strategy.

 

[2005]                   Impact Art Project ‘Big Bench’, a space for play at Halton Estate, Hastings.

 

A public art project funded by Arts Council England South and South East. Aims and objectives are to promote safe inclusive outdoor play, to develop children’s imagination and aspirations and to encourage positive social interaction.

 

[2000-01] General private construction job - Mile End and West Ham, London.

 

2005-07                  Other works

 

[2007]                   Detail design of urban landscape project, Barking Town Centre, London for muf architecture/art.

 

[2005]                    Roof extension for dwelling purposes, Tottenham Street, London for Campbell-Lange Workshop Limited.

 

2002-03                  muf architecture/art 

 

Projects include: Rudolph Road ‘Home Zone’ at West Ham for London Borough of Newham, Mounding over the Greenway for West Ham and Plaistow NDC, Whitecross Street Market and Open Spaces Strategy for London Borough of Islington, Corporation of London and EC1 NDC, Office refurbishment for South and South East Arts Council in Brighton, “The Hat Factory” for Luton Borough Council and Arts Council England East.

 

2001-02                  Penoyre and Prasad Architects

 

Projects include: The Charles Darwin Forum at Downe for The Charles Darwin Trust, Trinity Hospital at Greenwich for The Marcer’s Company, The Charter School at Dulwich for Southwark Education, Tower Hamlet College Poplar Centre Atrium for Tower Hamlet College

 

 

 

 

 

LECTURES + WORKSHOPS: 

 

2010                  A lecture ‘Spatial Inclusiveness’ and 2 half-day workshop ‘Drawing Workshop’ for a seminar in Universal Design: design for human diversity at Bergen School of Architecture, Norway

 

2008 ‘Line / Surface / Mass’, 7 days Summer Workshop for AVA + ELC at University of East London

 

2008                   ‘Fragility and Imperfection’, 3 days workshop at Vantan Institute of Design, Osaka, Japan (with M. Hayduk)

 

2007                   ‘Art of Inhabitation’, 8 days workshop for Institute 1, Aarhus School of Architecture, Denmark (with H. Svenningsen Kajita)

 

2007                  ‘Workshop’, 5 days workshop for University of East London in Tokyo, Japan (with M. Roelofsma)

 

2007                   ‘Silence and Light’, 3 days workshop at Vantan Institute of Design, Osaka, Japan (with M. Hayduk)

 

2006                   ‘2 x 909 x 1818’, 5 days workshop for University of East London in Tokyo, Japan (with M. Roelofsma)

 

2005                   ‘Adding’, 4 days workshop at Vantan Institute of Design, Tokyo, Japan (with H. Svenningsen Kajita and C. Kraft)

 

2005                   ‘Adding’, 2 half-day workshop at Bunsai Art College, Tokyo, Japan (with H. Svenningsen Kajita and C. Kraft)

 

 

 

The workshops appreciate process of design as much as final pieces. The programme encourages ‘thinking through drawing/making’. Students are challenged to develop architectural ideas and space making skills through exploration of accurate drawings, material properties and 1:1 scale intervention, both construction/installation and communication with users, responding to given contexts.

 

 

 

 

 

Awards and grants:

 

2011                  Statens Kunstfond for Dear…Magazine, an independent architectural and spatial practices publication

 

2005                   The runner-up of the KPF / AF Public Space Travel Scholarship

 

2005                   MA Architecture design project: Highly commended Helen Hamlyn Award for creativity, design for our future selves awards

 

2004                   RIBA Educational Fund for Master Degree at Royal College of Art

 

 

 

 

 

PUBLICATIONS:

 

2011                  Atelier Bow-Wow DELIGHTS: Interview med Yoshiharu Tsukamoto

 

                  Kajita, M. & Svenningsen Kajita, H. 2011 In: Arkitekten. 113, 6, p. 35-41. 7 p.

 

2010                  Kærlighed til mennesker: Interview med Takaharu Tezuka

 

                  Kajita, M. & Svenningsen Kajita, H. 2010 In: Arkitekten. 112, 7, p. 61-66. 6 p.

 

2010                   Ligeværdige oplevelser men ikke ens ('Equivalence of experience, not equal experience')

 

Kajita, M. 2010 In: Arkitekten. 112, 4, p. 84-85. 2 p.

 

 

 

 

 

EDUCATION: 

 

2003-05                  MA in Architecture & Interior, RIBA part 2 - Royal College of Art

 

The studies focus on social and physical inclusiveness in design, including:

 

• Design Project: ‘Action-Rooms’, the proposed health education facility focuses on nutrition to improve the health and lifestyle of residents. Forming part of a new health infrastructure that crosses statutory boundaries, utilising the Regent’s Canal where it penetrates the hard landscape of Hackney, London. Operating as an interface, the building brings urban amenities right to the edge of the estate/canal articulating inclusive necessities.

 

• Dissertation: ‘For Slow Architecture’, the research investigates the meaning of being slow in the city, how being slow effect the experience of the city through the change of scale, rhythm and space also discuss how these investigations should inform the development of the design.

 

1998-01                  BSc (Hons) in Architecture, RIBA part 1 - University of East London

 

Gr                                                                   Graduated with First Class Honours and Distinction in History and Theory

 

                                                                        • Design Project: Sustainable Village in Lucainena, Spain.

 

                                                                        • Dissertation: ‘Study of the space, DOMA, with Walter Benjamin’.                 

 

2000                   Exchange student - TVB School of Habitat Studies, New Delhi

 

1997-98                   Diploma in Interior Design - Cavendish College, London

 

1993-97                   BA in Economics - Tokyo International University