Essay by Professor Yoshinori Hiroi Published on the “Japan Story” Website, A Project in the Harvard University Graduate School of Design

An essay by Prof. Yoshinori Hiroi was published on the “Japan Story” website, a project in the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. This site discusses the current state and prospects of architecture and urban design in Japan from a wide range of perspectives, including the future of cities, the role of design, the conflict between urban and rural areas, and the meaning of technology.

The title of Prof. Hiroi’s article is “Designing for an Aging, Depopulating Society,” and he discusses the following: Unlike the image of “Japan as Number One” that was once advocated in the 1980s, today Japan is “Number One” in terms of “aging and depopulating.” However, when seen from a different perspective, it contains various positive possibilities. Prof. Hiroi discusses this theme in relation to the “shuttered streets” in regional cities during the period of rapid economic growth, and the increase in the “community-oriented population” in recent years.

2021/09/29