Based round an interview with Tadao Ando, this book explores the influence of the Buddhist concept of nothingness on Andos Christian architecture, and sheds new light on the cultural significance of the buildings of one the worlds leading contemporary architects.
Specifically, this book situates Andos churches, particularly his world-renowned Church of the Light (1989), within the legacy of nothingness expounded by Kitaro Nishida (1870-1945), the father of the Kyoto Philosophical School.
Linking Andos Christian architecture with a philosophy originating in Mahayana Buddhism illuminates the relationship between the two religious systems, as well as tying Andos architecture to the influence of Nishida on post-war Japanese art and culture.