Abstract
Sakaide Artificial Ground in Sakaide, Kagawa prefecture (built 1963-1978) is a known example of the combined applications of Modernism and Metabolism in post-war Japanese Architecture. It was developed as a high-density complex for commercial use and public housing. The ground floor is for retail spaces, theaters, restaurants and parking and the second level artificial ground was built for public housing. At present, the structures are partially deteriorating, outdated, and are used by a community composed of aging residents. The pedestrian traffic and circulation within the area is affected by the lack of elevators, narrow paths, and steep stairs. While Sakaide Artificial Ground was a frontier development during the post-war era, its design is no longer relevant with its present use and is expected to hugely affect the living situation of the residents. For example, on the second-level artificial ground, the privacy of the residents are noticeably different from public housings that are built on natural ground. Residents in Sakaide Artificial Ground use the public area like they own the open spaces privately. This paper aims to clarify the influence of the interaction of residents on the community formation of Sakaide Artificial Ground, focusing on how to use the public area of public housing.
The measures devised to obtain data are: (1) surveys to investigate the occupation and utilization of the public areas that are affected by the residents' perception of personal space, (2) the time sampling procedure to record behaviors of residents in relation to time-patterns, (3) behavior mapping to investigate the nature of activity, and (4) the last one, interviews, to investigate the perception of the residents.
In conclusion, results of the study show positive actions by residents' autonomy in the use the public area of public housing. For instance, residents voluntarily encouraged the use of the public area, and this activity contributes to the formation of the community of Sakaide Artificial Ground.
