Satoyama Village project -Housing block development for a sustainable future

摘要

Satoyama Village project initiated as a competition entry for developing a block in Kitakyushu Science and Research Park. After winning the competition, the block was designed for realization and was partially completed in 2008. Akagawa Laboratory of the University of Kitakyushu has collaborated with a developer in the design of the block and design of the model house. The main concept of the block is to regenerate a "Satoyama"(communal forest) in the block development. This was made possible by carefully planning individual private houses at the periphery of the block, and retaining an area for a communal forest. The communal forest is co-owned by the residents of the block. In order to make the development financially feasible, individual plots were carefully designed so as not to intrude other residents, and maximize exposure to the communal forest at the same time. Rules for Openings such as windows were established in order to maintain privacy even in close distances between the houses. Internal roads within the block was eliminated at the planning stage so as to increase permeable surface to avoid temperature increase by paved roads which also dedicates to increase of areas which can be planted for absorption of carbon emissions. In this paper, The design principles of the housing development, the model house, and vegetations are delineated as a practice for sustainable development under conventional urban planning regulations which could be applied to other Asian countries in the future for lower carbon emission.