Human in the Dunes

DREAMS AND VISIONS OF RECONSTRUCTION – STUDIO ASSIGNMENT

The coastal area in the city of Sendai was hugely damaged by the Tsunami in March 2011. An approximately 50 km² area between the city of Sendai and the Pacific Coast was almost entirely devastated and only few buildings, among them a school that had been designated as an evacuation zone, withstood the force of the wave. Being aware of the fact that Japanese are always living together with potential of natural disasters, the studio works in the spirit of Metabolism’s vision. The studio approaches the current disaster not just as an occasion for pragmatic solutions in reconstruction, but also as an opportunity to fundamentally rethink future urbanism in disaster areas.

HUMAN IN THE DUNES

The decision of inhabiting natural endangered zones is a sign of mental strength, but staying there or even returning to such zones is another one. Returning to a devastated landscape and in the same time bonding it even stronger together with the back land is a well-considered intention. There is neither single family housing constructed by chance, nor the risk of individual harm.

Escape – Refuge – Memorial – Rethinking of Construction and Infrastructure – are the main issues in the project.

Escape is guaranteed by the main walls, named «Spines», anchored in the back land and leading into the mountains. Being nourished in the mountains, they provide a certain supply of freshwater and transport it to the Sendai Coast Area.

Refuge is assured by elevated landscape zones, dune ridges, pathways inside massive walls and simply by always accessible building-tops.

Memorial manifestation is drawn by a collective line between the cities hit by the Tsunami in March, 2011, named «Memorial Line». Passing in time and space this train project commemorates the devastation and harm of the people.

Rethinking Conventional Construction, the intervention comprises massive concrete walls with «plug» like openings which ensure a «waterproof» habitat. Openings serve as windows as well as plug-in components for suspended light structures.

Rethinking Conventional Infrastructure, the site is equipped with local and regional transportation lines, served with non-stop-trains heading to Sendai City and is tied to the New Shinkansen train that passes the port area as well as the airport.

Dense and vertical agglomerations are facing vast and unbuilt dune fields, water reservoirs and wetlands. Habitation Units, community program, social services are packed into the walls, which are slicing the dunes in perpendicular direction. Pathways link the secondary walls to the main wall to Sendai, in the air as well as underground. A continuous flux is activating the far-reaching circulation network.

LANDSCAPE PASSES INTO SEASCAPE

The aim is to work on the continuum of seascape and landscape zones. They work together – seasonally, annually, periodically – to establish a continuous process for overcoming hazards. The flooding potential evolves from the presence of low slopes and poorly drained soils. These potential flooding zones are recreational areas and leisure parks. Water reservoirs, salt marshes and wetlands, inundation zones and safe dune ridges are part of an integrated system.

Team: Julien Ngao, Anaël Poveda, Martha Müller