Finding Home, with The Tōhoku Manor
ALEX ZENG AND SERENA BOMZE
Acknowledgements We wish to thank our incredible families, who of course have been providing support to what is ultimately the degree-culminating project, within the realms of a COVID-19 lockdown - we’re very grateful. Thanks Ma and Pa. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our tutor, Sebastian Tsang, for the invaluable insight to our thesis and project.
Alex Zeng
Serena Bomze
BDesArch, 2018
BDesArch, 2017
MArch, 2021
MArch, 2021
alex.zeng.arch@gmail.com
sbomze97@gmail.com
CONTENTS
THE STORY
S TA G E 0 1
S TA G E 0 2
MOMENTS
Overview Our project investigates the rebuilding of identities and moments of the people affected by the events of the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami. Our culminating architectural response imagines an animated and dynamic dwelling that traverses the coasts and inlands of the Japanese landscape, to assist the collectively displaced in order for them to physically, spatially, culturally and emotionally rebuild and rekindle their lost “webs’’ of spatial memories and qualities that uniquely define their home. The re-forging of the moments within this residence is something truly special. Our project culminates in the physical form of a highly unique dwelling - its architecture takes on specific elements from each town it passes through, shrinking and growing along the journey. It is tailored to its people, both spatially temporal and permanent, strongly inspired by Japanese cultural customs and living. The dwelling seeks to give hope, and ultimately, rediscover home.
In response to the studio brief, we began by looking into the Lefebvre-Deleuze approach to displacement, where the spider is a metaphor of oneself; and the web is an extension of oneself.
The web is the home, you spin webs to create spatial qualities unique and familiar to you. Displacement is a disruption to this web; it’s a sense of loss of home.
If we define displacement as any change in our Lefebvran web, we’re always in some constant state of displacement, and therefore always searching for home.
This is most noticeable when the change is drastic - eg, in natural or manmade disasters.
Therefore our focus is on the Tohoku disaster specifically; it is both a natural+man induced event, which means return to home may not be possible.
March 11, 2011 - an underwater earthquake triggered a tsunami which eventuated the meltdown of the nuclear reactors located at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant. Over 400,000 were forcibly displaced.
As a result, how do we help these groups reconnect to their sense of home?
Our response is to create an architectural entity that is able to animate and take onboard displaced groups; it physically expands and contracts as needed, per residents’ requirements - travelling across Japan to help those in need, displaced by disasters.
Our project does not aim to criticise the efforts made in the recovery of these disasters across the globe. Rather, we seek to envisage our critical role as architects, through a shared mutual responsibility, to recreate and reconnect the displaced to their sense of ‘home.
I.
III
V
The magic manor, animates and takes form
The manor also consumes and incorporates elements as it travels through Japan.
Continuing along, the manor navigates to disaster prone areas, picking up the collectively displaced.
II.
IV.
VI
Crawling to begin its journey, the manor serves its duty to pick up those displaced.
Conversely, the manor also expels and dismantles parts based of individuals’ needs, especially of those who choose to voluntarily leave when they feel they’re ready.
As they come and go, the manor will continue the cycle and go on, picking up and dropping off those in need or who are ready, respectively.
,œ The story
I
II
Tsunami
Remnants
III
IV
Hope
Magic
V
VI
Repair
Help
VII
VIII
Start
Reconnection
IX
X
Localise
Welcoming
XI
XII
Journey
Goodbyes
XIII
XIV
Warning
Onward
and the journey continues ...
The overall journey starts in Kamaishi, one of the areas where the tsunami first hit. The journey moves through the affected areas to Sendai, before proceeding to the mudslide in Okaya. Our narrative ends here, but the manor will go on.
K A M A I S H I
S E N D A I
OK AYA
M U LT I S C A L A R D R AW I N G The manor moves through villages and cities, establishing unique urban relationships with its context.
E L E M E N T S C ATA L O G U E As the manor travels along its journey, it picks up elements from its surrounding context and attaches to the dwelling, an process of form-making to suit residents’ needs.
H Stage
01
OBt¢, ]
Stage 1: Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture The initial pickup point and the start of the journey. A small quaint fishing town that centred around the 2011 disasters
Stage 1 investigates the architecture behind the journey between the more traditional country mountainsides of Kamaishi and Sendai, prior to reaching the city of Sendai. F¢,v]
Stage 2: Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
,i,œ]
The second stage of the pickup/ drop of point of the journey
Stage 3: Okaya, Nagano Prefecture The last stage of the pickup/drop of point of the journey
+ S E A
O F
8 J A P A N
P A C I F I C
O C E A N
S TA G E 0 1 Stage 01 focuses on the architecture at a point in time within the first leg of the trip, somewhere between Kamaishi and Sendai.
Yu k io His a s h i, 5 5 .
Aika His a s hi, 50.
Uncle Ya ma mo to , 80.
You ng Cou pl e, 22 & 24.
A hard w ork er of al l s or ts , op timis tic , pla yf ul , an d s teadf as t.
Su cce s s fu l p oe t , li t e ra tu re p rofe s s or, a n d lov i n g m othe r.
Fu ll of b a n te r, t he hi m on o c h ief, a nd t he b e a t i n g he a r t of the m a no r.
Qu iet , res er ved , l ov ing, a nd res il ient .
Chiyo His a s h i, 1 5 .
Da is uke His a s hi, 17.
Ya ta i O wner, 40.
Iwate Chi l d, 10.
An as p irin g p oet, adep t in arc her y an d t h e c r af ts .
A p la y fu l b u t u n con t rolle d ch a ra ct e r. W hi m s i ca l p e rs on a li t y, love s s occe r.
For t hri g h t, ha rd-w ork i n g, h igh l y i n t rove r t e d.
As p ir ing s p o r t s s t a r, b eginnings o f a s t ro ng a nd s h a r p - w it t ed ind iv id u a l .
O C C U PA N T S AT T H I S S TA G E These occupants have been picked up from the areas surrounding Kamaishi.
S TA G E 0 1 P H Y S I C A L M O D E L C O L L A G E A culmination of many different elements from Kamaishi, as seen in the catalogue, and is clearly built from the inside out, tacking parts on as the space inside changes and grows.
… External Balcony Parts of external elements fixed to the sides of the manor for external access and circulation.
·
(t
The Kotatsu Room Japanese-style built-in raised seating with a central heater fixed to the underside.
Toilet/WC Attached from the exterior and unified to the wall for ease of access to those near the kotatsu
+ KŁ
Open Dining Area Multifunctional communal eating area; strong Japanese cultural focus on eating together as one.
Shower/Bath Centred around the staircase. Includes an integrated seated shower area commonly seen throughout Japan
Ft Main Kitchen With direct access to the open dining area.
U Laundry Connected to an externally attached balcony to hang clothes
0F Attached Yatai Area Yatais are a staple focus in the Japanese street food scene; essentially portable timber carts which house all basic goods and items for the perfect Japanese street food station, set with table and seating.
/ R E L AT I V E G RO U N D F L O O R
łŁ The Young Couple’s (22, 24 y.o.) Bedroom
łŁ The Hisaishi Parents (50,55 y.o.) Bedroom łŁ The Iwate Child (10 y.o.) Bedroom
łŁ Yatai Chef (46 y.o.)Bedroom
łŁ The Hisaishi Children (15, 17 y.o.) Bedroom łŁ Uncle Yamamoto (80 y.o.) Bedroom
+¸
/ SECOND FLOOR
Æ,œ Himono (Dried Food) Area Japanese dry foods have been a strong staple for Kamaishi. Especially the case for food preservation during disaster periods. The most prominent himono goods are dried fish.
»3Ł/{+Ł Semi-external shodo (calligraphy) and kogei (crafts) room. Japanese longstanding traditions of arts and crafts are best embodied in such both forms, seen widely around Japan regardless of prefecture
+ Upper, Middle and Lower Gardens The teiens are formalised into a stepped terrace. Each area can be utilised to cultivate vegetables for dinner downstairs, from external sites, or used as an area for exercise and leisure, all of which are traditional functions of Japanese teiens.
+ Semi-external shodo (calligraphy) and kogei (crafts) room lawn Japanese longstanding traditions of arts and crafts are best embodied in such both forms, seen widely around Japan regardless of prefecture
~,0˝
/ THIRD FLOOR (ROOFTOP)
˜I˝
/ SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE
H+¸ Stage
02
OBt¢, ]
Stage 1: Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture The initial pickup point and the start of the journey. A small quaint ffshing town that centred around the 2011 disasters
Our culminating scope investigates the architecture of the journey between Sendai and Okaya, as the building travels through the city of Sendai.
,i,œ]
F¢,v]
Stage 2: Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture The second stage of the pickup/ drop of point of the journey
Stage 3: Okaya, Nagano Prefecture The last stage of the pickup/drop of point of the journey
+ S E A
O F
8 J A P A N
P A C I F I C
O C E A N
S TA G E 0 2 Stage 02 builds on the initial stage, at a point between Sendai and Okaya.
Yuk io Hisashi; 55 .
A ika Hisashi; 50.
Un cle Yamamoto; 80.
Youn g Couple; 22 & 24.
Bu s in es s Ow n ers ; 29 & 31.
El d erl y Wom a n 1; 75.
A h a rd w o rk e r of a l l s or ts , opti mi s ti c, p l a y f u l , a n d s t e a d f a s t.
Succes s f ul poe t, l i te r ature p ro f e s s o r, and l ovi ng moth er.
Fu l l o f ban te r, th e h i m o n o c h i e f, an d th e be ati n g h e ar t o f th e m an o r.
Qui e t, re s e r ve d, l ov i n g, an d re s i lien t .
Pro u d, sheer w ill t o c o n t in u e t heir love fo r t heir kit e- c ra ft in g bu sin ess.
Joyfu l, ext rover t ed, a n d o pt imist ic fo r t he fu t u re.
Chiyo Hisashi; 15.
Daisuke Hisashi; 17.
Yatai Own er; 40.
Iwate Child; 10.
You n g Fa m il y; 32, 35, 2.
El d erl y Wom a n 2; 73.
A n a s p ir i n g p oe t , a dept i n arch e r y and t h e cr a f t s .
A pl ayf ul b ut uncontrol le d c h ar ac te r. Wh i ms i cal per s onal i ty, l ove s s o c c e r.
Fo r th r i gh t, h ard- wo rk i n g, h i gh l y i n trove r te d.
A s p i r i n g s p o r ts s tar, be gi n n i n gs o f a s tro n g an d s h ar p - wi tte d i n di v i du a l.
Ho pefu l, det ermin ed, a n d g ra t efu l. Tr yin g t heir best t o c a re fo r t he c hild.
Qu iet , reser ved, in t rover t ed, c a t - lover, t he c a rer fo r t he g ro u p, a n d g rea t c hef.
O C C U PA N T S AT T H I S S TA G E There have been 7 additional occupants that have been picked up between Stages 01 and 02.
S TA G E 0 2 P H Y S I C A L M O D E L C O L L A G E A large proportion of the stage 01 architecture has been kept, with parts shifting, and many elements from Sendai being attached.
… External Balcony Parts of external elements fixed to the sides of the manor for external access and circulation.
· The Kotatsu Room Japanese-style built-in raised seating with a central heater fixed to the underside.
+ Open Dining Area Multifunctional communal eating area; strong Japanese cultural focus on eating together as one.
(t Toilet/WC Attached from the exterior and unified to the wall for ease of access to those near the kotatsu
Ft U
Main Kitchen With direct access to the open dining area.
Laundry Connected to an externally attached balcony to hang clothes
KŁ Shower/Bath Includes an integrated seated shower area commonly seen throughout Japan
0F Attached Yatai Area Yatais are a staple focus in the Japanese street food scene; essentially portable timber carts which house all basic goods and items for the perfect Japanese street food station, set with table and seating.
/ R E L AT I V E G RO U N D F L O O R
+ Fenced garden A fenced-in yard consisting of a vegetable garden łŁ The Young Couple’s (22, 24 y.o.) Bedroom
łŁ The Iwate Child (10 y.o.) Bedroom
łŁ
łŁ
Young Family (32, 35, 2 y.o.) Bedroom
The Hisaishi Parents (50, 55 y.o.) Bedroom
łŁ Yatai Chef (46 y.o.) Bedroom
łŁ
»3Ł/{+Ł
The Hisaishi Children (15, 17 y.o.) Bedroom
Semi-external shodo (calligraphy) and kogei (crafts) room. Japanese longstanding traditions of arts and crafts are best embodied in such both forms, seen widely around Japan regardless of prefecture
łŁ Uncle Yamamoto (80 y.o.) Bedroom
łŁ Elderly Woman (75 y.o.) Bedroom
+¸
/ SECOND FLOOR
!| Playground Multi-purpose kids’ play area for all types of sports and games
Æ,œ Himono (Dried Food) Area Japanese dry foods have been a strong staple for Kamaishi. Especially the case for food preservation during disaster periods. The most prominent himono goods are dried fish.
0 Izakaya Japanese-style bar. It is common to congregate at these areas after work hours to relax
,œ0 Garden Shed Attached garden shed to faciliate the needs for the upper/middle/ lower teien gardens.
łŁ Business Owners (29, 31 y.o.) Bedroom
+
łŁ Upper, Middle and Lower Gardens The teiens are formalised into a stepped terrace. Each area can be utilised to cultivate vegetables for dinner downstairs, from external sites, or used as an area for exercise and leisure, all of which are traditional functions of Japanese teiens.
Elderly Woman (73 y.o.) Bedroom
~
/ THIRD FLOOR
+
\a Garden Garden balcony frontage to the kite-crafting production area
Lower Kite-Crafting Room The kite production room where the business owners craft the basic structure of a kite. The kite-crafting process starts here on the lower level
łŁ Guest Bedroom
/ FOURTH FLOOR
\a Upper Kite-Crafting Room The kite production room where the business owners paint and finish kites. The kite-crafting process ends here on the upper level
/ FIFTH FLOOR
S TA G E 0 2 P H Y S I C A L M O D E L C O L L A G E
˜I˝
/ SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE
˜I˝
/ SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE
‘ Moments
F t + 0 F
/ K I T C H E N + Y ATA I
·
/ KOTAT S U A R E A
…
/ EXTERNAL BALCONIES
0 ˝
/ ROOFTOP
U
/ L AUNDRY
/ U P P E R E N G AWA
! |
/ P L AYG RO U N D
+
/ GARDEN
⁄
/ OPEN FOR BUSINESS
æ b
/ DROP - OFF
PAPER MODEL / Stage 01
PAPER MODEL / Stage 01
PAPER MODEL / Stage 02
PAPER MODEL / Stage 02
PAPER MODEL / Stage 02
PAPER MODEL / Stage 02
Thank you.