A circle of friends connected by gootouchi! The “FIST BUMP” corner of the radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features people who live and enjoy Tokyo in a relay format.
On September 4, Toshihiko Takayama, a bricklayer and representative of Takayama Brick Architectural Design, will appear. In this interview, we asked him about how he became a bricklayer, the nature of his work, and the appeal of brick architecture.
INDEX
Fateful encounter with a bricklayer at Fuji Rock
Celeina (MC): First up for the week is the program’s nominee, and Takano’s nominee, Toshihiko Takayama, bricklayer and head of Takayama Brick Architectural Design.
Takano(MC): Nice to meet you.
Takayama: Hello, I am Toshihiko Takayama. Nice to meet you.
Takano: First of all, I would like to explain to the listeners that there was a sort of dice roll project for “Fuji Rock,” and that is how we decided on our mission.
Celeina: Yes, something we have to do, so….
Takano: One of the missions was to find a guest for “FIST BUMP,” and I was wandering around the Fuji Rock venue with my eyes peeled for someone interesting. Then I met him at DAY DREAMING.
Takayama: Yes, on the mountain.
Takano: Yes, we met on the mountain. We happened to have a mutual acquaintance, and he connected us.
Celeina: Doesn’t today’s weather feel a bit like DAY DREAMING?
Takano: It does! It reminded me of many things.
Takayama: It was a fateful encounter.
Takano: I mean, we really met by chance.
Celeina: I’m so glad. First of all, let me give you a brief profile of Mr. Takayama. He has been a bricklayer for three generations, starting out at the age of 18, and after succeeding to the third generation, he has been involved in various brick constructions from contemporary architecture to restoration and preservation, including the Shinanomachi Brick Building, the Harumi Triton Redevelopment Project, and the Hakodate Central Library. In 2014, he established Takayama Brick Architectural Design Co. You are also involved in a variety of activities, such as producing artwork using bricks, giving lectures, and participating in symposiums on the theme of the restoration of craftsmanship and this area.
Takano: Yes. So, when I first met Mr. Takayama, he told me he was a bricklayer, a bricklayer! I asked him if he would be my guest.
Takayama: You must have been quite surprised.
Takano: Yes, I was very surprised. I didn’t know anyone around me who worked with bricks.
Celeina： There aren’t many people around me either.
