ArchiteXt no. 0, Summer, Tokyo

ArchiteXt is both the name for a Japanese avant-garde magazine and for the group of five architects who published it: Takefumi Aida, Takamitsu Azuma, Mayumi Miyawaki, Makoto Suzuki and Minoru Takeyama. The capitalized letter “X” in ArchiteXt signals a dual meaning: literally denoting architecture-text and denying the conventional notion of an architect, as the “X” emphatically crosses out the “c” in “architect.” The magazine ran five issues from 1970 to 1972 as ArchiteXt-0 (summer 1970), ArchiteXt-1 (winter 1971), ArchiteXt-00 (spring 1972), ArchiteXt-Extra (fall 1972), and 2 (winter, 1972). Each was designed as a series of five posters (one for each member of the group) 21 cm square and connected as “posteresque statements.” The posters were then folded and put in a specially designed envelope for mailing. ArchiteXt was circulated mainly among friends and for free, except for ArchiteXt-Extra which was published as an insert in the magazine 都市住宅 (Urban Housing). In contrast to most avant-garde architectural groups, the members of ArchiteXt did not share a common philosophy; instead they emphasized individuality and advocated pluralism. The only collective work of the group is the publication of the magazine itself. LH

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