Okada Shinichirō


Okada Shinichirō was a prominent Japanese architect who practiced in the early twentieth century. Okada taught at Waseda University and Tokyo School of Fine Arts. While he was well-known for tendency for European styles, he also produced work in the Imperial Crown style. One example is the Biwako Otsukan in Yanagasaki Lakeside Park, Shiga Prefecture.

Biography

On November 20, 1883 Okada was born in Tokyo. In 1900 he graduated from a middle school attached to the Normal School, which is now Tsukuba University secondary school/high school. He graduated from Daiichi High School in 1903 and entered the Tokyo Institute of Technology Technical University. He graduated from university in 1906.
After graduation Okada became a lecturer at Tokyo School of Fine Arts. In 1911 he became a lecturer at Waseda University, and became a full professor a year later in 1912. In 1923 he became a full professor at Tokyo School of Fine Arts.
Okada won the first prize in a design competition for the Osaka City Central Public Hall in 1917. He designed the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, a European classicist building with entrances on all four sides, which opened on 1 May 1926. He also designed Meiji Seimei Kan, which was completed in 1934.
Okada died on April 4, 1932.

Selected works