Process of Changes with Renewal/Loss of Tenement Houses in densely built-up areas of wooden buildings

Abstract

Urban regeneration is key to restoring areas damaged by natural disasters. The research of Professor Toshiya Yamamoto, Department of Architecture, Meiji University, Japan, encompasses the promotion of the renovation of rows of houses called Nagaya, urban planning and transformation, housing reconstruction and regional revitalisation. His research is conducted in the urban area of Kyojima, Sumida Ward, Tokyo, which is a traditional Japanese living environment. A key concern in the restoration of Nagaya is ensuring that the buildings are as safe as possible so that the impact of earthquakes can be minimised. Another important element of the work is to promote a symbiotic relationship between residents and the community, with strong links between art projects and restoration. Yamamoto and the team's work will include performing analyses of the reconstruction project underway in the area of the Great East Japan Earthquake, analysing map data and the creation and categorisation of an original database constructed from building information and registration data. This data will then be repeatedly analysed in different relevant contexts. The goal of the research is to improve the structural understanding of recent urban transformation and evaluate the urban policies and plans that have strongly influenced it. The team also developed a manual for producing so-called 'evacuation maps'.