TANGE ASSOCIATES

Biography

Paul Noritaka Tange, Master of Architecture
Paul Noritaka Tange began his architectural career upon receiving his Master in Architecture from Harvard University, Graduate School of Design in 1985. That same year he joined Kenzo Tange Associates, the architectural firm headed by his father, well known international architect, Kenzo Tange. Paul became President of Kenzo Tange Associates in 1997 and founded Tange Associates in 2003. Tange Associates, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, has worked worldwide and offers a full range of architectural and urban design and planning services. At this time, Tange Associates has close to 40 on-going projects in ten countries. The firm’s extensive international experience enables it to work effectively in all cultures. Its long standing associations with local architectural firms and its familiarity with local building practices is invaluable to Tange Associates’ ability to efficiently undertake small to large scale projects in urban as well as rural areas in all parts of the world. Paul himself exemplifies the international element of his practice. Born in Tokyo, Japan, and educated in Japan, Switzerland and the US, he is a registered architect of both Japan and Singapore.

Philosophy

The history of Tange Associates began in the post-war period of Japan, when Kenzo Tange Studio was founded in 1946. One of the studio's first projects was the design of the Hiroshima Peace Park, to commemorate the rise of a new era of peace. After more than 60 years, the Tange legacy continues with over 350 projects in 33 countries.

The firm is now headed by Paul Noritaka Tange, President and Senior Principal Architect. Tange Associates offers a full range of architectural and urban design services, with project experience in a vast variety of sectors which include government, office and retail, residential, hotel and resort, hospital and health care, educational, cultural, sports, transportation, and production and R&D plants. Tange Associates takes pride in each and every one of its designs. They are the result of a creative passion.

The company not only draws on its extensive experience, but continues to explore developments in societal and environmental issues to keep ahead of its time. Through its endeavours, Tange Associates has come to understand that satisfying the collective needs of society is not enough to produce perfect results for urban planning and architectural design. A society is after all a group of individuals.

The key to a successful physical environment is the human element. Listening to the voice of the individual is to respect the foundation of society. Cities will work better and will have more flexibility to adapt to future changes if they can truly accommodate individual comfort.

Although buildings vary in size and complexity, Tange Associates' global teams dedicate the same high quality design ethos and service delivery to each client, to each project, to each community. Tange Associates has worked successfully in many countries, and has formed associations with architectural practices in each location, bringing the right skill base, knowledge and track record for the project at the local level.

Tange Associates does not simply refer to established styles for ideal architecture and urban form. It develops the individual aspirations of its clients into optimum structures that will also address the needs of society, and inspire all who enter. Tange Associates listens before it creates - it listens to create, and it has made its commitment to assist more people in making their architectural and urban dreams come true.