The Numazu Shopping District is distinct as it is the first and only shopping district to enact the Aesthetic Area Law. However currently redevelopment plans of the shopping district are being discussed due to aging buildings and decline in business demand. Therefore, it is essential to review the influences of the enacted Aesthetic Area Law upon shopping districts, especially from the point of view of the spatial changes in commercial and living space.
The following three objectives will be clarified: 1) The historical construction process and changes in commercial demand within the shopping district. 2) The changes in space utilization influenced by the commercial demand. 3) The changes in the view of Aesthetic Area Law of building owners. In order to clarify these objectives, the lifestyle between building owners within Numazu Arcade Shopping District will be documented.
First, the Aesthetic Area Law was enacted upon the Numazu Arcade Shopping District as a deregulation measure to construct buildings over the sidewalk. Through the review of commercial demand within the shopping district, it has been identified that there were three main phases that had an impact on the spatial transformation of the shopping district buildings. These changes were especially seen from the 1960s to the 1980s during the "Period of Commercial Peak", when many shop owners have expanded their buildings using their backyard space. This backward expansion was mainly cased by the regulation of the Aesthetic Area Law, as construction and expansion along the street side was restricted.
Next, in order to look into detail of the transformation and spatial utilization within the Numazu Arcade Shopping District, a fieldwork survey was carried out. As a result, during the "Period of Commercial Peak", there was a demand for stockrooms and living space for employees, and many shops expanded their buildings. Yet, when the shopping district hit the "Period of Commercial Decline", large portions of the expanded space became unused, and it was also identified that there was a shift in the social occupancy of the buildings.
Finaly, a hearing survey was conducted to identify the changes in view of Aesthetic Area Law between building owners. During the construction period, the building owners had maintained the townscape and took the Aesthetic Area Law into account. However, due to aging of the building and owners, it is becoming difficult to maintain the building facade and townscape. As a result, the importance of the Aesthetic Area Law had faded out within the building owners minds. On the on contrary, there are movements to improve the townscape of the shopping district, such as the installation of street furniture and plantation of flowers along the sidewalk. This act shows that building owners are raising consciousness of the townscape beyond the restrictions of the Aesthetic Area Law.
