The camp barracks handed him a legendary philosophy

A Japanese American architect is interned when his country turns on him. What philosophy can emerge from injustice?

The camp barracks handed him a legendary philosophy

This episode explores the life of George Nakashima, a renowned woodworker and architect, and the profound impact of his internment during World War II. It delves into how a period of profound injustice shaped his unique approach to furniture design and his vision for peace.

Person: George Nakashima Date: 1942 Location: Camp Minidoka, Hunt, Idaho Event: Executive Order 9066

- George Nakashima studied architecture at the University of Washington and MIT, then traveled to Paris and Japan, working with influential figures like Le Corbusier and Antonin Raymond. - He designed the Golconde Dormitory in Puducherry, India, a modernist landmark, and made his first pieces of furniture there. - In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, leading to the forced removal and internment of Japanese American. - Nakashima, despite his credentials and accomplishments, was sent to Camp Minidoka in the Idaho desert due to his ancestry. - While interned, Nakashima was taught traditional Japanese carpentry by Gentaro Hikogawa, learning a new way of seeing and working with wood.

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