Herwig Baumgartner introduces Jun Sato, currently conducting a workshop at SCI-Arc with Elena Manferdini’s design studio, noting his parallel professional work at Jun Sato Structural Engineers, and his research work at the Jun Sato Laboratory, University of Tokyo.

Jun Sato characterizes his interest in engineering structures with slender elements as derived from nature, especially the effect captured by the term komorebi (sunlight filtering through leaves).

He describes a series of collaborations with architects, including
•Park Groot Vijversburg, Netherlands visitor center, with architect Junya Ishigami (2017)
•Extreme Nature greenhouses for the Venice Biennale, Junha Ishigami (2008)
•Kawatana Onsen Community Center, Shimonoseki, Japan, with Kengo Kuma (2010)
•Cloud Arch , Sydney, with Junya Ishigami (2019)
•House NA, Tokyo, Japan, with Sou Fujimoto (2010)
•New Hakushima Station, Hiroshima, Japan, with Kazuhiro Kojima / Cat (2015)

Sato discusses a series of projects with Kengo Kuma employing modified traditional kigumi woodworking techniques: Prostho Museum Research Center (2010), Sunny Hills in Aoyama Tokyo (2013), and Carved Tower, Vancouver (2017).

Sato describes his research projects at various universities in terms of effects found in nature. Not only komorebi, but also sazanami (ocean ripples within the total seascape), and seseragi (quiet river stream in a natural setting). He attempts to reproduce these effects using spectrum analysis and optimization software he has developed. He describes workshops including:
•Nebuta tree house, University of Tokno (2015) lightweight structure of washi paper and steel string
•Transparent structure as perceptual filter, Stanford (2015) with high strength glass panels
•Komorebi Pavilion, Harvard (2017)