Introduction
IASS members in Japan organized the 2016 IASS Symposium in Tokyo to provide the opportunity to think about and discuss "Spatial Structures in the 21st Century." Many developed countries are confronting how aging populations and decreasing birth rates affect the development of infrastructure. Moreover, most of the spatial structures constructed in 20th century are now reaching the need for maintenance and renovation. Energy efficiency, environmental affinity and global climate change have become key issues in the world. In such time of change, Tokyo will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, developing new venues as well as re-purposing some facilities from the first Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964.
This edition contains 356 papers arranged by theme into 23 sessions. Most of the IASS Working Groups organized technical sessions on topics of their focus; but in several cases papers from one or more general sessions with the same theme as a WG session have been appended accordingly and as noted. Papers from distinguished plenary speakers are collected into the first session and include the following contributions:
- Lectures by IASS honorees: new Torroja Medalists and Honorary Members
- Papers on the design of the National Stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Games
- The Challenge of Modern Architecture: A homage to Y. Hangai by Toyo Ito
Ken'ichi Kawaguchi
Chairman of the IASS 2016 Symposium
