ACTUAL USE OF ROOMS OR SPACES DEVELOPED FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY'S ACTIVITIES IN "COMMUNTY SCHOOLS" IN JAPAN

Abstract

This paper aims to verify the actual condition on the use of the rooms or spaces in “Community Schools” (CSs) in Japan which have been developed spatially in order to activate the community support to children's learning in a school, and to encourage the communitybased development with a school. Based on the analyses on nationwide trends regarding CSs, six samples were selected and analyzed in terms of the relations between the developed rooms or spaces and actual use condition of them by communities. It can be found that there are some gaps between the spatial policy at the stage of planning and the actual use in six samples respectively. In order to resolve these problems, it can be suggested that the trial to use in an existing school building according to an assumed programs before renovation can become an effective measure as well as to fully comprehend the characteristics of spaces that are needed to realize the goals of CSs.