Nobuko Nakahara

• Name — Nobuko Nakahara • Native Name — 中原暢子 • Born — January 5, 1929 • Birthplace — Urawa, Saitama • Died — 5 July 2008 • Education — Musashi Institute of Technology

Nobuko Nakahara was born in Urawa, Saitama in 1929. When she was 12 years old, she entered a girls' high school, but was not able to finish because of the Pacific War which turned the school turned into a factory. During the war, she stayed in Urawa. Many houses survived but people were under restricted control of using light. After getting used to living in the dark, Nakahara "felt how bright the world was." She claimed the experience initiated her interest in light and Shadow.

In 1945, she matriculated to Kasei-Gakuin Special School in home economics program, educating women to be a good housewife and a good mother. After graduation, Nakahara found herself dissatisfied with her course of study and resolved to pursue architecture at Musashi Institute of Technology, the current Tokyo City University in 1951. Her effort and work were approved by Kiyoshi Ikebe. Between 1952 and 1958, she pursued postgraduate education at the Institute of Industrial Science University of Tokyo, where she actively contributed to Kiyoshi Ikebe's research topic, "the cubic minimum house" (Japanese: 立体最小限住居の設計).

Nobuko Nakahara died on July 5, 2008, at age 79.

In 1955, Nobuko Nakahara worked at Kenji Hirose, Architect & Associates, gaining valuable professional experience in the field. In 1957, she achieved a significant milestone by acquiring the Class 1 architecture license in Japan, becoming one of the first women in the country to obtain this license. In 1958, she co-founded the firm Hayashi-Yamada-Nakahara, Architects and Preservation, where she dedicated her expertise to architectural and preservation projects. In 1985, Nobuko Nakahara was appointed as an associate professor in the Faculty of Home Economics at Tokyo Kasei Gakuin University, and her commitment to academia led her to become a professor in the same faculty in 1988. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to advancing the field of architecture and promoting the significance of home economics in education and practice.

1962 - Chokakuin Buddhist Temple in Saitama, Japan (Japanese: 長覚院) • The temple located in a quiet residential area. Its large free interior space was achieved by combining four HP shells. The most advanced technology derived from post war society was adapted to present traditional Japanese architecture as a modern construction. 1964- Kimuraya Villa (Japanese: 木村別邸) • Scholars believed it is a combination of Structural Functionalism and Japanese Style. The villa exposed the interior structure but thoughtfully designed a harmonious Japanese-style decorated space with traditional elements. 1968 - Fan-shaped House/Tsuji Villa (Japanese: 扇形の家/辻別邸) 1972 - Maeda Villa (Japanese: M氏別邸) 1985 - Chashitsu no aru ie (Japanese: 茶室のある家, lit. 'Tea House')