Josiah Conder (architect)
| Josiah Conder | |
|---|---|
Josiah Conder
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| Born |
28 September 1852 London, England |
| Died | 21 June 1920 (aged 67) Tokyo, Japan |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | University of London |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Awards | Order of the Sacred Treasures |
| Buildings | Rokumeikan |
Josiah Conder (28 September 1852 – 21 June 1920) was a British architect who worked as a foreign adviser to the government of Meiji period Japan.
Conder designed numerous public buildings in Tokyo, including the Rokumeikan, which became a controversial symbol of Westernisation in the Meiji period. He educated many award-winning Japanese architects (notably Tatsuno Kingo and Katayama Tōkuma), earning him the nickname "father of Japanese modern architecture."
Conder was born in Brixton, Surrey, London to Josiah Conder, a banker, and his wife, Eliza. Conder was educated at Bedford Modern School. After studying at the South Kensington School of Art and graduating from the University of London, Conder worked for the Gothic Revival architect William Burges for two years. In 1876 he was awarded the Soane Medal.
Recruited by the Japanese government to become Professor of Architecture at the Imperial College of Engineering, 24-year-old Conder arrived in Tokyo in January 1877 and quickly established a reputation as a dedicated and highly skilled teacher. His curriculum included not only extensive training in architectural practice but also drawing, technical draftsmanship, and architectural history and theory. Conder taught five of the most famous Meiji-era Japanese architects: Tatsuno Kingo, Katayama Tōkuma, Sone Tatsuzō, Satachi Shichijirō and Shimoda Kikutarō, who were among the first Japanese architects to build western-style buildings in Japan.
Conder was charged with transforming the Marunouchi area into a London-style business district by the Ministry of Industry on a five year contract. Despite residing in Japan, he kept up a professional affiliation with the Royal Institute of British Architects, becoming an Associate in 1874 and a Fellow in 1884. He became a part-time lecturer until he set up his own practice in 1888. Some of his former students set up the Architectural Institute of Japan and made Conder its first honorary president. He was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasures (3rd class) in 1894.
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