Yo Shimada founded Tato Architects in 1997 upon graduating from Kyoto City University of Art, where he completed a number of designs and built architecture projects at the school.

Based in his hometown of Kobe, Tato Architects undertakes projects throughout various locations in Japan. The projects are mainly private houses, however, in recent years the office has taken on assignments for interior and installation work as well. The ideology of the practice is to formulate positive outcomes through understanding the subtle conditions and constraints of everyday life, which exist within notions of place, culture, and the ongoing history of architecture. These ideas have been further discussed in publications such as 7iP #04 YO SHIMADA (7inchproject, 2012) and Everyday Design Everyday: Yo Shimada (Contemporary Architect’s Concept Series 22, 2016).

The name Tato is derived from the decomposition of the kanji character “outside,” which can be read in multiple ways. Tato Architects is interested in the process of continuous exploration in order to achieve a kind of ambiguity in its architecture, an architecture that renews itself through the perspective of people’s everyday experiences. Furthermore, the practice aims to create an architecture that quietly alters consciousness.

Lecture made possible by the Jean Labatut Memorial Lectures in Architecture and Urban Planning Fund. The School of Architecture, Princeton University, is registered with the AIA Continuing Education System (AIA/CES) and is committed to developing quality learning activities in accordance with the AIA/CES criteria.

Register