Reiko Tomita Architectural Collection, 1970-2019

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
Newman Library
Virginia Tech
P.O. Box 90001
560 Drillfield Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24062-9001
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (540) 231-6308
Fax: (540) 231-3694
Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Permission to publish material from the Reiko Tomita Architectural Collection must be obtained from the Special Collections and University Archives at Virginia Tech.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication.

Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Preferred citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Reiko Tomita Architectural Collection, 1970-2019, Ms2025-034, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Summary

Extent:
0.2 Cubic Feet 2 oversize folders of materials
Abstract:
The Reiko Tomita Architectural Collection consists primarily of sketches (27 total), made with various media applied to different substrates. Other materials include a design printed on a hand-dyed piece of fabric and a curriculum vitae.
Language:
Japanese .
Preferred citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Reiko Tomita Architectural Collection, 1970-2019, Ms2025-034, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

The Reiko Tomita Architectural Collection consists of 27 sketches, primarily design development sketches and conceptual studies, 1 towel design printed on fabric, and an annotated curriculum vitae. Sketches were made using a variety of media and supports: pencil, ink, crayon, and marker on tracing, heavy construction or multimedia paper, and cotton.

The towel was designed to commemorate Tomita's 80th birthday; close to 100 were made, each hand-dyed, as gifts for friends.

Biographical / historical:

Reiko Tomita was born on September 24th, 1938, in Shinjuku, Tokyo. During World War II her family fled to Saitama, roughly 20 miles north of Tokyo's city center. While her father died during the war, she and her mother eventually returned to Tokyo (Asagaya) following its end.

Tomita attended Tokyo University and was the first woman to enroll in and graduate from the university's department of architecture in 1961. In 1963 she completed her master's course in architecture in Kenzo Tange's atelier (also part of Tokyo University's architecture department).

From 1963-1971 she worked at U Atelier (U-Ken), an architectural office headed by architect Takamasa Yoshizaka. In 1971, she and two other members of U Atelier, Hiroyasu Higuchi and Koichi Otake, left to start their own design practice, Atelier Zo, originally a pun on THO (the first letters of the founding members' last names), "Zo" means "elephant" in Japanese. In the 1980s Atelier Zo evolved into Team Zoo, a cooperative of loosely connected studios, each with its own animal iconography.

Reiko Tomita has taught at Tokyo University, Waseda University, and served as a visiting lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Pennsylvania University. Tomita continues to work at Atelier Zo in her 80s.

On her curriculum vitae she notes the following major projects for Atelier Zo on which she worked:

Domo Celakanto (1974) [residential]

Domo Arabeska (1974) [residential]

Domo Kinyana (1992) [residential]

Shinshukan Community Center (1980) [public/institutional]

Nago City Hall (1981) [public/institutional]

Kasahara Elementary School (1982) [educational]

Taiwan Iiran County Hall (1997) [public/institutional]

Kutaniyaki Porcelain Museum (2001) [public/institutional]

Tsuyama Archives of Western Learning (2009) [public/institutional]

Acquisition information:
Collection was donated to Special Collections and University Archives by Reiko Tomita via IAWA Board Member Junko Matsukawa in March 2025.
Processing information:

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Reiko Tomita Architectural Collection was completed in May 2025.

Arrangement:

Materials in this collection are arranged into two series:

I. Personal and biographical materials

II. Project designs

Items are arranged chronologically by creation date in their respective series.