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Koiwa Lab
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A lab that traces the history of architecture from Japan to Asia and the West.
AboutAbout the lab
Reading classics, measuring buildings, and tracing the history of architecture.
As part of the architectural history lab, the Koiwa Lab studies the history of architecture from Japan to Asia and the West.
Reading classical architectural treatises and conducting measured surveys of temples, shrines, and farmhouses in Japan during summer vacation have been passed down through generations as joint work of the whole lab.
In addition to surveys in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and elsewhere, the architectural history lab also plays a central role in the Japanese government's project to restore and preserve the Angkor monuments in Cambodia.
Key terms
- Measured survey
- A survey in which each part of a building is actually measured and recorded as drawings and records
- Kiwari
- Rules used in traditional Japanese architecture to determine the dimensions of members such as columns and beams
- Kuzushiji
- A cursive style of writing with simplified strokes, used in documents up to the Edo period
NewsLab news
The Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor, to which Associate Professor Koiwa belongs, clarified the significance of the founding of the Bayon
A master's student received a Young Researcher Excellent Presentation Award in the Architectural Planning section at the 2023 Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Meeting
A master's student received a Young Researcher Excellent Presentation Award in the Architectural History and Design section at the 2023 Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Meeting
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies the history of architecture from Japan to Asia and the West, from ancient to modern times. While the whole lab continues reading classical architectural treatises and conducting measured surveys of temples, shrines, and farmhouses in Japan, members pursue individual research in lab seminars and study groups organized by field.
*Illustrative imageLiterature Lab Seminar
This is a large lab seminar attended by everyone in the lab, from faculty to doctoral and master's students. Participants read classical architectural technical books from Japan and Asia, deciphering them from the cursive kuzushiji script.
*Illustrative imageJapanese Architectural History Lab Seminar
This lab seminar covers Japanese architecture from ancient times to the early modern period. Through themes such as temple and shrine spaces, urban spaces, housing and sukiya-style architecture, and kiwari, students repeatedly read the literature and give presentations.
*Illustrative imageModern and Contemporary Architectural History Lab Seminar
This lab seminar covers architecture since the Meiji era. It takes up a variety of modern and contemporary themes, including housing, theaters, studies of individual architects, British architecture, and cross-regional perspectives.
*Illustrative imageAngkor Lab Seminar
This lab seminar covers the architecture of Southeast Asia, starting with Cambodia. Its themes include temples, cities, housing, decoration, and dimensions, and the lab also works on the project to restore and preserve the Angkor monuments.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Koiwa Lab consist of faculty; researchers, lecturers, and assistants; doctoral and master's students; and undergraduates working on graduation theses.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorMasaki Koiwa
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Kyoto Ginkaku-ji Blick auf Togu-do 1” Zairon / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Literature Lab Seminar: “Antique samurai books” Vokabre / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Japanese Architectural History Lab Seminar: “Cloud-Shaped Bracket Arms (Kumohijiki), Middle Gate of Horyu-ji” あずきごはん / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Modern and Contemporary Architectural History Lab Seminar: “Morioka - Morioka7624” lumoplank / CC0 (cropped)
- Angkor Lab Seminar: “Bayon temple 02” Krzysztof Golik / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Nakatani Lab): “Takasaki Monomizuka ancient tomb” スーパーソーダ / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Watanabe Lab): “Mangrove roots in the Laguna de La Restinga” Wilfredor / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Miyamoto Lab): “Government Center Study models ( )” City of Boston Archives from West Roxbury, United States / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Koshiishi Lab): “FinishedEPDMcoveredRoof” KVDP / Public domain (cropped)
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