Gomi Island: A small archipelago about 120 km south east of Vladivostok. Occupied by Japan from 1938-1944. After WWII it became a Russian territory. During Japan and Soviet's negotiation in the mid 50's it was bought by a Japanese architecture corporation called Shito corp. Shito was funded by world renowned architect Hiroi Inuunko - an pioneer of Metabolism architecture. It was then used for several experiments to see how concrete could endure extreme climates in various shapes.
Cortical Column: Shogo Sakurai - PHD from Kyodai - Kyoto University in neuroscience- graduated at the mere age of 17, and then became a professor in Artificial Intelligence (mentee of Masahiro Mori) at Sapporo University from 1988-2011. Deceased in 2014. Her unorthodox methods of combining AI and neuro science with Feng Shui's philosophical system made her one of the most prominent researchers in these particular fields. The so called '6-layer cortical column' technique also became popular by interior designers and architects.
Absence of appropriate affect: Impressions from yorishiro and Ikebana. Stand alone organic entities in a brutalism environment. Man constructed; but assembled by natural impacts in urban environments. Highly exposed to human interference will make them subside and eventually vaporize.
