“Azabudai Hills architect to give lecture in Japan (November 20th)! [Soshisha] Event commemorating the publication of the Japanese version of “HUMANISE” by Thomas Heatherwick”
Kusashisha Co., Ltd. Press Release: October 31, 2025 To Members of the Media “The architect of Azabudai Hills will be visiting Japan to give a lecture (November 20th)! [Soshisha] Event to celebrate the publication of the Japanese version of “HUMANISE” by Thomas Heatherwick” Soshisha Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hajime Kubota) will be hosting a special lecture by the author of “HUMANISE: Building a Humane City” (by Thomas
Heatherwick, translated by Haruki Makio) at Azabudai Hills on Thursday, November 20th. ■A publication commemorative event will be held at Azabudai Hills, featuring the author’s visit to Japan! Why have modern cities become so homogenous and flat? And how can we regenerate cities through humanized, personable architecture? Thomas Heatherwick, renowned for his design of Azabudai Hills, will speak at this very venue. This is a rare opportunity to experience his design philosophy firsthand. Architect Kozo Kadowaki will moderate the event, delivering an inspiring presentation based on his books and actual projects. In addition, a limited number of copies of Heatherwick’s new book, signed by him, will be available at the venue prior to the book’s release. ■Event Details Thomas Heatherwick Lecture to Commemorate the Publication of the Japanese Edition of “HUMANISE: Building Humane Cities through Architecture” [Date & Time] Thursday, November 20, 2025 Doors open 6:30 PM, show begins 7:00 PM (ends around 8:30 PM) [Venue] Azabudai Hills Hills House Grand Staircase [Price] Ticket with signed book: ¥7,150 (tax included), ticket only: ¥2,200 (tax included) https://www.books-ogaki.co.jp/post/63820
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/10712/8/10712-8-66292f6a42efe607dd354fec7af5b6c6-1181×1813.jpg Book title: “HUMANISE” “Creating Humane Cities through Architecture” ■Bibliographic Information Author: Thomas Heatherwick, Translated by Haruki Makio Release Date: December 1, 2025 Format: A5 variant Number of pages: 498 Price: 4,950 yen (tax included) Publisher: Soshisha Co., Ltd. (https://www.soshisha.com/) Publication bibliographic database: https://www.books.or.jp/book-details/9784794228086 ■Book Contents A visual manifesto from a unique architect who has captivated the world with designs such as Azabudai Hills and the British Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo! Heatherwick discusses how to recapture “humanity” through the lens of architecture. This book passionately explores why we are surrounded by buildings that make people unhappy and harm the planet, and how to transform them into spaces where everyone can feel comfortable. ■Author biography Thomas Heatherwick One of the world’s most renowned designers, his diverse body of work, from architecture to furniture, is characterized by originality, ingenuity, and humanity. Heatherwick Studio strives to make the physical world around us more enjoyable and engaging. His design examples include London’s Routemaster buses, the 2012 Olympic cauldron, Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, Google’s first land-based campus, Bayview, New York’s Little Island, a floating park on the Hudson River, the British Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo, and Azabudai Hills. ■Moderator Profile Kadowaki Kozo Architect and architectural scholar. Professor at Meiji University and partner at Associates. PhD in Engineering. Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1977. Completed a master’s course at Tokyo Metropolitan University Graduate School in 2001. Served as an assistant at Tokyo Metropolitan University and assistant professor at Tokyo Metropolitan University before assuming his current position. Founded the architectural design firm Associates in 2012. Currently serves as editor-in-chief of Meiji University Press and a part-time lecturer at Tokyo University of the Arts. While specializing in architectural construction methods, he is also active in architectural criticism and architectural design. His recent publications include Chains of Action: Trajectories of Elements (TOTO Publishing, 2020), works such as Kadowaki Residence (2018), exhibitions such as Co-ownership of Action: Trajectories of Elements (Japan Pavilion exhibit at the 17th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition, 2021), and awards such as the Architectural Institute of Japan Award for Selected Works (2020).
