USJ revealed the very anticipated film documentary “YAGI” about the acclaimed Japanese Architect Koji Yagi who designed USJ’s Green Campus
USJ revealed the very anticipated film documentary "YAGI" about the acclaimed Japanese Architect Koji Yagi who designed USJ’s Green Campus
20
May
20/05/2025
USJ hosted the Macao premiere of “YAGI” – a documentary exploring the visionary work of acclaimed Japanese architect and scholar Koji Yagi. The event coincided with the 8th anniversary of USJ’s Ilha Verde Campus.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) hosted the Macao premiere of a documentary exploring the visionary work of acclaimed Japanese architect and scholar Koji Yagi. The event coincided with the 8th anniversary of USJ’s Ilha Verde Campus and drew an audience of around 200 attendees, including honorable guests and members of the university community.
Directed by Prof. João Brochado from USJ’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities and produced in collaboration with architect and scholar Thomas Daniell, the documentary titled “YAGI” sheds light on Yagi’s groundbreaking educational methodology, innovative design processes, and his pivotal role in shaping the Green Campus. Yagi led a team of international architecture students in Tokyo two decades ago to create the campus design, which has since become emblematic of intercultural and intellectual exchange.
Vice-Rector Prof. Álvaro Barbosa, the film’s executive producer, emphasized the significance of Yagi’s engagement with Macao as a model for higher education – witnessing Yagi’s work with his students inspires the exploration of intercultural engagement as an operational model for universities, particularly in this time of profound intellectual and multicultural change.
The documentary not only dives into the architectural concepts and intentions behind the unique design of Ilha Verde Campus but also chronicles the history of its creation and the cultural influences that shaped it.
Koji Yagi himself attended the screening in Macao, accompanied by some of his former students and notable guests, including Mr. Cheang Kun Wai, Member of the Administrative Committee at FDCT, Dr. Eduardo Velasco Galiano, Consul-General of the Republic of Angola in the Macao SAR, and Mr. Aurélio de Jesus Chiconela, Acting Consul General of the Republic of Mozambique in Macao.
The film will continue to be showcased at international film festivals and cultural events throughout 2025, further highlighting Yagi’s legacy as a pioneer in architectural education and intercultural engagement.
This premiere marked a meaningful celebration for USJ, honoring both its architectural heritage and its commitment to fostering global collaboration.
You can listen to the soundtrack music, which is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube:
Film Synopsis:
Twenty years ago a group of architecture students in Tokyo designed a new university campus under the mentorship of architect Koji Yagi, for the students of the former Portuguese concession of Macao in China.
Yagi traveled back to Macao to see how his work came to life, while in Tokyo his former students reunited to celebrate his achievements. This documentary explores the idea of intercultural engagement in universities, and the importance of architect Koji Yagi in promoting a platform for intellectual and multicultural human development.
