The name YUGENING holds layers of meaning:
- Yūgēn (幽貞) – A Japanese concept describing the profound, mysterious beauty that words cannot capture. The feeling of awe when gazing at the stars or standing before an ancient tree.
- The Dark Side of YUGEN – But there’s another layer : the shadow within us all. The side we hide, fear, or deny. YUGENING embraces both light and dark, because without the shadow, we wouldn’t recognize the light.
To be whole, you must walk through both.
Primary Principle : A profound awareness of the universe that evokes powerful, indescribable emotions—a sense of deep beauty that transcends words.
Secondary Principle : Meaning “dark” or “obscure,” Yugen captures beauty that is only partially perceived and deeply felt, embracing the mysterious and unseen.
Just like a tree with a beautiful crown : without deep roots, there can be no flourishing canopy.
Yugen reminds us that what is hidden and foundational often supports what is seen and admired.And since yugen has no equivalent in English or any other language, it made us wonder:
What if “Yugen” became a verb—a process of continuous growth : YUGENING.
Yugen would become YUGENING, the art of embracing the beauty and wonder of life with timeless grace and a childlike curiosity. It’s a never-ending quest, tapping into diverse disciplines outside the world of architecture, to discover even better ways to enhance human life.