WRITINGS ON THE WALL

Architect Tadao Ando speaks at Nakanoshima Children’s Book Forest, the exterior of which is seen below.

SAKA — The Nakanoshima Children’s Book Forest is a library in Kita Ward, Osaka, that was designed, built and donated to the city by architect Tadao Ando.

The world renowned designer has said that although he grew up in an environment where there were not many books, the experience of seeing the futuristic city depicted in Osamu Tezuka’s famous manga “Astro Boy” may be what motivated him to become an architect.

Similar library projects are underway in Kobe East Park, where there is a monument commemorating the Great Hanshin Earthquake, and in Tono, Iwate Prefecture, where volunteer activities were based after the Great East Japan Earthquake. The openings of these buildings are scheduled for around the spring of 2022 and in July 2021, respectively.

The facility in Kobe will be a new two-story reinforced concrete building. In Tono, an old-fashioned two-story wooden house in the city center will be renovated to house a library. Both facilities will be donated to the cities.

Ando established the Momo-Kaki Orphans Fund, a scholarship to support children who lost their parents in the two quakes.

“Post-disaster recovery starts with developing human resources. I want to help children in the disaster-hit areas to be able to study on their own and live positively by looking to the future.”

Ando said he realized once again that “the world is one” after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. In addition to overcoming the pandemic, there are

“Post-disaster recovery starts with developing human resources. I want to help children in disaster-hit areas to study on their own and live positive lives” — Tadao Ando