Controlling Vulnerability of Concrete Block Construction

Focusing on Attempts to Popularize Block Housing in Post-war Japanese Society

Abstract

In Japanese society, where wooden housing remains predominant, why did concrete housing fail to proliferate? This study attempts to address this question by focusing on the unsuccessful efforts to promote concrete block housing in Japanese society during the 1950s and 1960s. Specifically, this study adopts a relational approach to understand the relationship between housing and various associated practices. Subsequently, it elucidates the resource-oriented background that drives the promotion of block housing and examines how multiple actors address the vulnerabilities inherent in block housing while focusing on the interaction between materiality and human agency.

Analysis reveals that the promotion of block construction is propelled by the crisis of timber scarcity. Whereas block housing presents vulnerabilities in both its material and construction, advancements in block production technology have managed to overcome the former. However, resolving the latter is challenging, with solutions typically relying on homeowners’ enthusiasm. This highlights the intricate relationship between material resources, technological advancements, and societal preferences in shaping the trajectory of housing development in Japan during the mid-20th century.