 Introduction
 Access Map to the AIJ Building, Tokyo
Major Activities
Research Promotion (Research Committees, Annual Convention)
Information Services (Journals & Transactions,
Publications, Library Services, AIJ Home Page)
Cultural and Educational Projects (Symposia, Field Studies and
Exhibitions, Lectures, Design Competitions,
Exhibition of Graduation Design Work)
Prizes (AIJ Prizes)
Others (International Exchanges, Proposals
& Statements, Management of the AIJ Building)
Organization (Officers,
Secretariat & Chapters, Research Committees)
Annual Budget
Basic Documents
Code of Ethics
Constitution
Proposals & Statements
Architects and Building
Engineers related to AIJ
Architects and Building Engineers in Japan
Civil Engineering and AIJ
Architects and AIJ
Introduction to the Architectural Institute of Japan
Founded in 1886, the
Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) has promoted the
advancement and development of science, technology and
art concerning architecture, with the mutual
collaboration of its members. It was originally
established as an institute for architects, with 26
founding architects. Mr. Josiah Conder, a British
architect invited to teach at the Technical College in
Tokyo (present the University of Tokyo) as a Professor of
Architecture by the government, was elected as Honorary
President of the Institute. The Institute was authorized
by the Ministry of Education and changed its name to the
Architectural Institute in 1905 and to the Architectural
Institute of Japan in 1947. AIJ celebrated its centennial
in 1986.
AIJ is an academic association with about 35,000 members.
It is not a governmental organization but a non-profit
organization for architects, building engineers and
researchers in every field of architecture. AIJ publishes
results of research and studies and spreads architectural
culture through its programs such as exhibitions,
symposia and distributes architectural information to the
public. The main purpose of the Institute is to cultivate
its members' abilities and to heighten architectural
quality in Japan. Front-line researchers, officers of
other architectural associations and officials of
government and other public offices also are members of
AIJ. AIJ liaises with universities and other research
institutes. As the sole integrated institute in the field
of architecture, AIJ has made an important contribution
to the development of science, technology and art. There
are many associations for architects, building engineers,
general contractors, and building materials and equipment
corporations in Japan. Among these associations, AIJ has
been the most prestigious academic association.
AIJ organizes nationwide activities for its members. AIJ
has nine chapters by dividing Japan into the following
nine regions -- Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Tokai, Hokuriku,
Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu -- for activities to
meet the detailed needs of each chapter. AIJ owns its
head office building equipped with a library, a hall and
conference rooms for members at the center of Tokyo.
Access
Map to the AIJ
Building, Tokyo
Holistic research
activities
AIJ has conducted cross-sectional front-line research and
studies covering broad areas of the field of architecture
and building engineering because of its consisting of
researchers of every sector and reflecting their whole
range of expertise. This is one of the strong points of
AIJ and also shows our policy. In other words, AIJ aims
to study architecture synthesizing the knowledge of broad
areas of the field of architecture and building
engineering such as building structures and materials,
architectural planning and design, environmental
engineering, and architectural history and theory. AIJ
recognizes that global and local issues of our
environment and sustainable development require a
holistic approach. Thus AIJ aims to conduct holistic,
integral and collaborative research learning from
experience and emphasizing architecture, which balances
design and technology, and natural environment and city
design and planning as a sole integrated institute in the
field of architecture.
Activities for the
public
A reconnaissance team consisting of specialists of
various fields is organized when damage investigation is
needed in the case of disasters, and the results are also generally
released widely and proposals for disaster mitigation for
the future are submitted to the government. High concern
has been shown also in the preservation of historical
buildings over many years. The Modern Architecture :
Inventory of pre-1945 Cultural Properties in Japan
was published. If demolition of those buildings becomes a
problem, preservation requests have been submitted. Many
buildings are saved and there are also buildings later
specified as important cultural properties of Japan. AIJ
strives for such buildings. AIJ also conducts the
following activities for the public:
- Encourage policies
and practices that promote environmental
responsibility and awareness and the principles
of conservation and sustainable development AIJ
in June 2000 enacted the "Architectural
Charter for a Global Environment."
- Set committees on
international exchange as Japan's contact points
for international architectural academic
exchanges
- Spread Japanese
architectural culture to the public
- Distribute outcomes
of research and studies and architectural
information to the public
- Organize open
symposia, seminars and lectures about
architecture for citizens in general and set up
committees for them
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Major
Activities
Research
Promotion
Research Committees
Research Committees of AIJ, about 600 sub-committees and
working groups under the 16 standing research committees,
promote research activities, and more than 8,000 members
participate in committee activities. About 2,500
committee meetings are held annually. Special Research
Committees carry out research contracts awarded to AIJ by
municipal governments, public corporations and
enterprises. The results of the research and work are
published in the form of reports, technical standards,
specifications and textbooks and presented in symposia
and lectures not only to its members but also those who
are related to architectural professions and members of
the general public interested in architecture.
AIJ provides 10 meeting rooms for various committee
meetings within the AIJ building, but it is not equipped
with any testing or research facilities of its own. The
technical activities, such as the publication of design
standards and guidelines, as well as research reports,
are strictly based on the voluntary research efforts of
individual members. AIJ provides some funding to each
technical committee. A major part of the funding is
normally used to pay nominal travel expenses for out-of-town
committee members. Committee members are not paid for
their contributions to committee activities.
Annual Convention
The Annual Convention is held for three days in autumn and is hosted by
local chapters in turn. During the convention, over 6,000 technical papers are presented.
More than 9,000 members and non-members generally
register at each convention. At the Annual Convention the
latest studies, findings and information are exchanged
through technical sessions, panel discussions, lectures
and exhibitions.
Events organized by AIJ
under joint auspices of other related organizations
AIJ holds symposia and other various events under joint
auspices of other related organizations both in and
outside of Japan.
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Information
Services
Journals &
Transactions
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Journal
of Architecture and Building Science: a
monthly publication of about 140 pages AIJ monthly issues the Journal
of Architecture and Building Science for
members to spread its stock of knowledge and
information to all of the members. The journal
has been one of the most prestigious integrated
architectural journals with various topics and
articles in the Japanese architectural society.
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Transactions
of AIJ: monthly issues containing technical
and research papers AIJ publishes three kinds of
transactions monthly. Journal of Structural
and Construction Engineering, Journal of
Architecture and Planning, and Journal of
Environmental Engineering. The Editorial
Committee on Research Transactions together with
a group of experts strictly reviews each paper
presented in the transactions before publication.
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Selected
Architectural Designs of the Architectural
Institute of Japan: an extra issue of the Journal
of Architecture and Building Science The Selected
Architectural Designs of the Architectural
Institute of Japan contains information on
about 100 architectures recently constructed in
Japan and selected by the Editorial Committee on
the Selected Architectural Designs of AIJ
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AIJ
Journal of Technology and Design: The AIJ Journal of
Technology and Design contains information on
architectural technology recently developed in
Japan and selected by the Editorial Committee on
AIJ Journal of Technology and Design
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Summaries
of Technical Papers of Annual Meeting: The Summaries of
Technical Papers of Annual Meeting contain the
proceedings of more than 6,000 technical papers presented during
the Annual Convention and available in both print and DVD.
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Journal
of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering (JAABE): JAABE is a biannual
international journal, serving researchers in
academic and research organizations and all
practitioners in the building sector. The journal
is published by the Architectural Institute of
Japan, in cooperation with the Architectural
Society of China and the Architectural Institute
of Korea.
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Publications
AIJ publishes technical standards, specifications for designing and
constructing professions, results of the Research Committees' studies, terminology
dictionaries, textbooks for school, slides, videotapes,
and even books for the public.
Library Services
AIJ offers complete library services exclusively to
members. The library has a stock of some 50,000 books and
100,000 magazines and journals of more than 1,000 kinds
in the architectural field. It is the largest collection
in the architectural field in Japan. It is equipped with
a video library and various collections of videotapes are
available. AIJ has provided database information of
scientific and technical papers presented at AIJ for the
NACSIS-IR database system of the National Institute of
Informatics (former National Center for Science
Information System) since 1991. All papers in our
journals and proceedings have been registered since 1991.
The total number of the papers is more than 86,000. Copy
service and Database search through the Internet are also
available.
AIJ Home Page
To disseminate the information in an electronic format
AIJ provides its Home Page not only for members but also
for people around the world. It provides members with
access to the most recent particulars.
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Cultural
and Educational Projects
Symposia, Field Studies
and Exhibitions
Many committees and chapters of AIJ organize symposia,
field studies and exhibitions. Overseas study tours to
Asian countries are held every year for members to study
specific topics by the Asian Architecture Cultural
Exchange Committee.
Lectures
The lecture tours are organized in major cities
throughout Japan to present the results of research and
studies carried out by the research committees.
Design Competitions
The Design Competition Committee of AIJ holds design
competitions every year.
Exhibition of
Graduation Design Work
Exhibition tours are organized every year in 34 major
cities to exhibit the best graduation design work chosen
from each university.
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Prizes
A: The Grand Prize of
Architectural Institute of Japan
Grand prizes are presented to individual members whose
achievements contribute to the advancement of
architecture and building engineering.
B: Prizes of
Architectural Institute of Japan
(1) The Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan for
Research Thesis
(2) The Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan for
Design
(3) The Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan for
Engineering
(4) The Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan for
Specific Contribution
AIJ awards prizes to
individual members for remarkable achievements made in
the categories of research theses, architectural design,
and specific contributions in architecture (e.g., town
development, preservation of old architecture, technical
development).
C: The Prize of
AIJ for Education
The Prize of the AIJ for Education is awarded
for excellent achievements concerning architectural
education by its members, which have contributed to the
advancement of architectural education. It consists of
the Award for Distinguished Achievement for work which
bore fruit following years of activity, while making an
outstanding contribution to the advancement of
architectural education as well as society (one work),
and the Award for Outstanding Practice for work
concerning educational programs/instructional materials (four
works).
D: The Encouragement
Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan
These prizes are presented for excellent research done by
regular members under 40 years old.
E: Annual Architectural
Design Commendation of the Architectural Institute of
Japan
These commendations are presented for excellent
architectural designs selected from the Selected
Architectural Designs of the Architectural Institute of
Japan.
F: The Appreciation
Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan
AIJ gives these prizes to non-members for excellent
contributions to architecture.
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Others
International Exchanges
The Managing Committee on International Affairs is
responsible for international activities of AIJ. The
Committee promotes international exchanges and joint
activities with architectural organizations around the
world. AIJ has concluded Agreements of Cooperation with
counterpart international societies to exchange
technical, scientific, and professional information to
better serve not only its membership but also the
architectural and building engineering profession.
Overseas study tours are held every year for members to
study specific topics.
To advance architectural
quality and share greater information among architects
and building engineers in and outside Japan, AIJ pursues
collaboration with architectural organizations around the
world.
AIJ, the Architectural Institute of Korea and the
Architectural Society of China concluded the Joint Statement to confirm the importance of integrating
science, technology and art into education, qualification
and research in the field of architecture at the "Second
International Symposium on Architectural Interchange in
Asia" in September 1998. We agreed to embark on
dissemination of this conception to Asian nations and to
the world. Based on this agreement, the three
institutions hold the International Symposium on
Architectural Interchanges in Asia biennially and publish the Journal
of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering.
Proposals &
Statements
A reconnaissance team consisting of specialists of
various fields is organized when damage investigation is
needed in the case of disasters, such as the Hanshin-Awaji
Earthquake (1995). The results are also generally
released widely and proposals for disaster mitigation for
the future are submitted to the government.
High concern has been shown also in the preservation of
historical buildings over many years. The Modern
Architecture : Inventory of pre-1945 Cultural Properties
in Japan was published. If demolition of those
buildings becomes a problem, preservation requests have
been submitted. Many buildings are saved and there are
also buildings later specified as important cultural
properties of Japan. AIJ strives for such buildings.
AIJ encourages policies and practices which promote
environmental responsibility and awareness and the
principles of conservation and sustainable development.
AIJ in June 2000 enacted the "Architectural Charter
for a Global Environment."
Management of the AIJ
Building
Construction of the AIJ Building in 1982 was the largest
event of its centennial celebration. The construction
fund was raised through donations from members and loans
from banks. The seven-story building, which includes one
basement level, was constructed from reinforced concrete.
The total floor area is about 11,000 square meters. The
design of the building was selected through a competition
of 523 proposals by members. The winner was Mr. Kazuo
Akimoto.
The building houses offices, meeting rooms, a hall, a
bookstore, small exhibition spaces, a library,
restaurants, and an open space for events, and a museum.
(AIJ Architectural Museum )
AIJ occupies half of the total floor area of the building.
The rest is rented to private and public corporations
related to the building industry and computer services.
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Annual
Budget
The main income of AIJ
comes from membership fees, sale of publications and rent
from tenants. Total annual income is about 1,700,000,000
Yen (approx. US$ 15,000,000).
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