Until 08 march 2026
Exhibition “Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia” open until 8 March 2026
Casa da Arquitectura (CA) - Portuguese Centre for Architecture is preparing to host, from 4 October to 8 March, the exhibition ‘Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia’, dedicated to one of the most renowned names in contemporary architecture worldwide. The exhibition is the result of a co-production and co-organisation between CA and the office of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, promising an immersive experience that spans the senses and continents.
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Based on a retrospective exhibition previously presented in cities such as Venice, Bonn, and Athens, the Portuguese version takes on a unique character by incorporating projects developed or underway in Portugal. The scenography and exhibition design will be handled by Kengo Kuma's own studio, which will adapt the content to the Casa da Arquitectura Exhibition Hall, reusing and reinterpreting previously existing supports in an exercise of sustainability and creative dialogue with the space.
The exhibition presents some of his most significant buildings and will consist of 22 models and 67 photographs relating to 19 projects, as well as 13 drawings and texts dedicated to the onomatopoeias selected for the Portuguese edition. The exhibition also includes 7 installations and 21 publications available for consultation, providing a comprehensive overview of Kengo Kuma's work.
‘Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia’ promises to be one of the highlights of the autumn cultural calendar, offering the Portuguese public a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in the creative universe of one of today's most influential architects.
See the entire schedule for the inaugural weekend: https://casadaarquitectura.pt/en/programacao/eventos/inauguracao-da-exposicao-kengo-kuma-onomatopeia-com-conferencia-do-arquiteto-japones-2025-10-04/
The exhibition will be accompanied by a parallel programme of activities that invites the public to immerse themselves in different expressions of Japanese culture. Between visits, workshops, performances, concerts and traditional ceremonies, each moment offers an encounter between visual arts, music, body and ritual:
The exhibition presents some of his most significant buildings and will consist of 22 models and 67 photographs relating to 19 projects, as well as 13 drawings and texts dedicated to the onomatopoeias selected for the Portuguese edition. The exhibition also includes 7 installations and 21 publications available for consultation, providing a comprehensive overview of Kengo Kuma's work.
‘Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia’ promises to be one of the highlights of the autumn cultural calendar, offering the Portuguese public a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in the creative universe of one of today's most influential architects.
See the entire schedule for the inaugural weekend: https://casadaarquitectura.pt/en/programacao/eventos/inauguracao-da-exposicao-kengo-kuma-onomatopeia-com-conferencia-do-arquiteto-japones-2025-10-04/
The exhibition will be accompanied by a parallel programme of activities that invites the public to immerse themselves in different expressions of Japanese culture. Between visits, workshops, performances, concerts and traditional ceremonies, each moment offers an encounter between visual arts, music, body and ritual:
22 NOV 2025
3pm – Performance Bodies in Onomatopoeia · Companhia Instável (choreography by Ana Figueira)
7pm – Taiko Performance (Japanese drums) · Taiko Portugal
23 NOV 2025
11:00 a.m. – Guided tour of the exhibition*
12:00 p.m. – Tea Ceremony · Tomoko Higuchi
5:00 p.m. – Performance Bodies in Onomatopoeia · Companhia Instável (choreography by Ana Figueira)
17 JAN 2026
Guided tour of M-odu / Old Slaughterhouse (Sold out)
7 FEB 2026
Guided tour of the New Wing of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (more information coming soon)
7 FEB 2026
Guided tour of the New Wing of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (more information coming soon)
14 FEB 2026
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Sumi-e Workshop (Japanese painting). The art of capturing nature with ink and brush / Espaço Caleidoscópio
This workshop provides an authentic introduction to Sumi-e, traditional Japanese ink painting that seeks to capture the essence of the natural world. With an emphasis on representation techniques, participants will learn the ‘Art of the Brush’, reproducing classic motifs such as bamboo, stones and landscapes. We will explore how traditional brushwork can express the different textures identified in Kengo Kuma's philosophy: from the Zara Zara (roughness) of ancient tree bark to the Sara Sara (fluidity) of a mountain stream.
€15
Registration at casadaarquitectura.pt (limited to 15 people. Children aged 5 and over may participate accompanied by their parents: €8)
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Watoji Workshop — The art of traditional Japanese bookbinding / Espaço Caleidoscópio
Watoji is a traditional Japanese bookbinding technique that has been practised for centuries, characterised by its elegant visible stitching and the use of needle and thread, without any glue. In this workshop, participants will learn the Yotsume-toji method (four-hole binding) to develop their own handmade notebook, using Japanese paper and focusing on the structural beauty and craftsmanship of grouping individual sheets into a solid and functional book — a process that reflects the fundamental principles of architectural construction.
€15
Registration at casadaarquitectura.pt (limited to 15 people. Over 12 years old)
6 p.m.
Singing and piano recital with Mieko Kamiya and António Luís Silva — The four seasons of Japan and onomatopoeia / Exhibition Hall
Free event
50 min
15 FEB 2026
11:00 a.m.
Guided tour of the exhibition Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia. Portugal Exhibition
Free event. Tickets can be collected 30 minutes before at the Ticket Office (limited to 50 people)
12:00 p.m.
Tea Ceremony, by Tomoko Higuchi / Exhibition Hall
The Japanese tea ceremony, or Chadō (‘the way of tea’), is a cultural practice that integrates architecture, design and the spirit of hospitality.
The experience takes place inside the Tea House installation, designed by architect Kengo Kuma, in a serene environment where every element — the space, the materials and the gestures — is carefully balanced to express harmony, simplicity and precision. This demonstration offers a glimpse of the Japanese aesthetic ideal, where beauty is revealed in restraint and mindfulness.
Free event
7 March 2026
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Introductory workshop on carpentry — Japanese joints, by Diogo Amaro / Espaço Caleidoscópio
This workshop offers a practical introduction to carpentry, focusing on traditional Japanese joints — a core technique in Japanese carpentry and architecture. Through the construction of a small wooden object, participants will be guided through the basic principles of carpentry, learning how to use tools, prepare wood and execute joints with precision. The object proposed for the workshop is a serving tray, made entirely with joints, without the use of nails, screws or glue.
Programme
• Introduction to woodworking: tools and materials.
• Sharpening: routine and methodology.
• Joints: different types, different uses.
• Construction of the object: marking and execution of joints, dry assembly and adjustment, sanding and finishing.
€40
Registration at casadaarquitectura.pt (limited to 15 people)
4:00 p.m.
Conversation Ritual and Architecture (speakers to be announced)
8 March 2026
11:00
Guided tour of the exhibition Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia. Exhibition Portugal / Exhibition Hall
Free event. Tickets can be collected 30 minutes before at the ticket office (limited to 50 people)
12:00 p.m.
Tea Ceremony · Tomoko Higuchi / Exhibition Hall
The Japanese tea ceremony, or Chadō (‘the way of tea’), is a cultural practice that integrates architecture, design, and the spirit of hospitality.
The experience takes place inside the Tea House installation, designed by architect Kengo Kuma, in a serene environment where every element — the space, the materials and the gestures — is carefully balanced to express harmony, simplicity and precision. This demonstration offers a glimpse of the Japanese aesthetic ideal, where beauty is revealed in restraint and mindfulness.
Free event
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Drawing Experience Room Onomatopoeia Library / Kaleidoscope Space
Marking the closing of the exhibition Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia. Exhibition Portugal, the multipurpose space of the Casa da Arquitectura's Educational Service is transformed into a large white canvas, where participants are invited to experiment with drawing through sound. Using unexpected techniques and collective processes, participants explore new forms of visual expression, developing their imagination and artistic sensibility.
An engaging and accessible proposal that invites you to draw with your body, your ear and your emotions.
Free event for audiences of all ages.
Digital Media
Kengo Kuma Onomatopeia Visita Guiada por Rita Topa
Kengo Kuma | Conferência na Casa da Arquitectura
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17 January 2026
Guided tour of the M-odu (Former Slaughterhouse)
Parallel Programme of the exhibition Kengo Kuma: OnomatopoeiaA guided tour of the M-odu (Former Slaughterhouse) in Campanhã will take place on 17 January at 11:30, as part of the Parallel Programme of the exhibition Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia, currently on view at Casa da Arquitectura. -
7 March 2026
Introductory woodworking Workshop —Japanese Joinery by Diogo Amaro
As part of the parallel programme for the exhibition Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia, dedicated to the creative universe of one of today's most influential architects, an Introduction to woodworking — Japanese Joinery workshop will be held on 7 March 2026, led by Diogo Amaro, at Espaço Caleidoscópio.
Institucional Partner
Portuguese contemporary art network
Strategic Partner
Main sponsor of Casa da Arquitectura
Sponsor of Casa da Arquitectura
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