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YOGOH Revival Project -Mie Modern Industrial Heritage Center-

Part 1 Project 2002
Tokuei Sato
Mie University Tsu City | Japan
Modern industrial buildings are considered industrial heritage in Japan, it is why the theme of this work regards the preservation and use of those modern industrial structures. In the development of such buildings the traffic and civil engineering of the modern and contemporary history -from the end of Edo period until World War 2- has definitively influenced, becoming the basis of Japan's present development.

However, the importance of this modern industrial heritage has not been properly valuated as a responsible for the technical improvement after World War 2. Many buildings have been demolished without considering them suitable for being sufficiently investigated. One of the structures yet remaining is the "Kameyama Spinning Company", now with strong possibilities to be demolished. Public opinion demands the preservation of at least the main building but this does not seems to be powerful enough to maintain the building.

This work revives the building with new facilities so that the factory site could not only be understood as an example of modern industrial heritage but also as a useful resident for the Yogoh area and for the people from beyond too. Since it conforms part of the historical atmosphere in Yogoh such a complex should be preserved and used.

Tokuei Sato


The work of Tokuei was awarded with the highest distinction on his final career design project 2001. In Japan, since the economy growth of the 1960s, the belief of "scrap & build type develops a city" has been so strongly adopted that many historic buildings regarding the industrial field have disappeared. Therefore, to utilize and preserve the still existing ones as modern industrial heritage becomes an important agenda in the contemporary city planning.

The city of Yokkaichi -which is the ground of this work- being an industrial city represents Japan's effort for development. It contains several modern factories by the center of Yogoh area where Kameyama Spinning Company's building is already a symbol but as the factory closes down its demolition is being considered.

For this situation we have proposed: (1) A permanent proposal for the revitalization and use of the Kameyama Spinning Company building as "Mie Center of Modern Industrial Heritage" to become the headquarters for the investigation and preservation of modern industrial heritage of the area. (2) Revaluate the facilities tasks also to provide communitarian space so that citizens can be motivated to develop partnership among them. (3) Propose the repairing and maintenance of a historical atmosphere in Yogoh area centering on Kameyama Spinning Company. We expect this proposal to influence public opinion so that the spur begins for the sake of preservation and utilization of the modern industrial heritage in Yogoh area.

2002
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