The exhibition Kenzo Tange & Kengo Kuma: Architects of the Tokyo Games, presented at the Maison de la Culture du Japon in Paris in 2024, examined the architectural legacy of two stadiums that symbolize different moments in Japan’s modern history. Through photographs, models, and archival materials, the exhibition explored the dialogue between the Yoyogi National Gymnasium designed by Kenzo Tange for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games and the Japan National Stadium designed by Kengo Kuma for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

By placing these two landmark projects in conversation, the exhibition revealed how architecture reflects the social and cultural contexts of its time. Tange’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium, with its dramatic suspended roof structure and monumental concrete form, embodied the spirit of postwar reconstruction and the optimism of Japan’s period of rapid economic growth. The building became an international symbol of modern Japanese architecture, demonstrating how advanced engineering and expressive form could redefine the possibilities of large-scale public architecture.

In contrast, the Japan National Stadium designed by Kengo Kuma reflects the values of a contemporary society shaped by environmental awareness and changing demographic realities. With its horizontal composition, integration with the surrounding landscape, and extensive use of natural materials such as timber, the stadium presents a more restrained and ecological vision of national architecture. By juxtaposing these two projects, the exhibition highlighted how each architect translated the aspirations of his era into architectural form.