Finding a New Commons: Architecture's Role in Cultural Sustainability for Japan's Shrinking Regions

Abstract

Media representations of Japan's dynamic cities belie a growing national phenomenon. Urban migration, a declining birthrate and an aging population have transformed Japan's countryside over the past thirty years. These demographic changes have resulted in socio-economic decline, abandoned buildings and loss of regional culture. This paper explores architecture's role in facilitating cultural sustainability, education, and community connections to landscape. Despite the impacts of depopulation, some rural communities are embracing shrinkage and attempting to preserve their regional cultures. This poses a challenge for architecture, a profession dependent on urban and economic growth. In the unfamiliar context of degrowth, architects need to leverage existing buildings and resources. Among the leftover buildings in Japan's depopulated areas, the public school is becoming increasingly prevalent. These structures are imbued with collective memory, and this history creates interesting opportunities for reuse. Additionally, the architectural flexibility of these schools makes them compelling sites for interventions, often central places in their communities. My research studies how the re-use of the buildings could generate new micro-economies and lifestyles. The research studies the potential outcomes of re-using a building type influenced by its country's social, political, and economic forces. The research presents emerging methodologies for designers working in depopulated communities, including ethnographic and participatory strategies. Ultimately, the research questions how architecture can reassemble communities on the verge of cultural decay.