Revitalizing Japan: Architecture, Urbanization, and Degrowth

This book features innovative and productive responses, in the form of architectural design and thinking, to the shift in Japan’s social condition under demographic changes that are evident in regional cities. These responses also demonstrate the new wave of architectural practice in Japan, focused on the challenges of degrowth. The shrinking and aging of the population is exacerbating the social decline in the regional cities of Japan. While excluded from the market-driven metropolitan areas, architects of the young generation are beginning to build ways of revitalizing regional cities through innovative design or new ways of practicing. This book features works by seven named or unnamed younger architects in Japan that preempt architectural responses to the post-growth condition, a gripping essay by community designer Ryo Yamazaki, and a captivating photo documentation by Kenta Hasegawa. Keynote essay by Toyo Ito.