On July of 2017, KYOTO Design Lab has welcomed Mr. Samuel Bonnet, who has been devoting himself for humanitarian aid through the constructions of medical and educational facilities, and conducted a scenario writing workshop for the purpose of disaster prevention in central Kyoto. What problems arise as Kyoto sees a continuous increase in the number of foreign tourists? Furthermore, how do we overcome these problems? Here, we introduce a report written by Yusuke Miki, an undergraduate student of KIT, as well as a participant of this workshop that has undertaken interdisciplinary problems.

Text：Yusuke Miki

Embarking on New Disaster Measures

It has been 6 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. While our memory of the earthquake fades day by day, Nankai Trough earthquake is expected to happen in the near future. Furthermore, it is pointed out that we need to draw up a plan about the relationship between cities and natural disasters that are caused by extreme weather such as a sudden downpour. Kyoto is one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the world, and it is visited by many foreign tourists. Although Kyoto is unique in its historical wooden buildings and the long, narrow streets spreading all over when turning at a corner of a main street, these characteristics can potentially be dangerous at the time of natural disaster.

For the purpose of considering the possible disaster measures in Kyoto, KYOTO Design Lab has welcomed Samuel Bonnet, who belongs to International Committee of Red Cross, and conducted a scenario writing workshop. The scenario imagined here is where a foreign tourist becomes very vulnerable due to his or her inability to speak Japanese when a huge earthquake hits Kyoto.

The five-day workshop from July 3rd to July 7th also encouraged discussions from diversified standpoints with diverse lecturers, such as Associate Professor Satomi Ogawa, who teaches at Japan Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing, Professor Taku Fujiwara, who teaches at agricultural unit of Kochi University, and Professor Fumitake Nishimura, who researches on hydrological environment engineering at Kyoto University. Furthermore, the participation of a Thai exchange student who belongs to Fujiwara laboratory has provided the group with a perspective of a foreign tourist.

Mr. Bonnet used to be the leader of design and construction team in International Committee of Red Cross. The team designed medical facilities in disputed areas such as Kosovo.

Hands-on Workshop and Fieldwork

The first and second day of the workshop has been spent on creating a Run and Escape Map that compares routes and time required for evacuating to a designated evacuation area in the neighborhood. Run and Escape Map was invented by the volunteer team of Nikken Sekkei as a method of simulating evacuation routes and evacuation times on a map. We color-coded the map according to the time required for arriving at a designated evacuation area on foot. Although we were surprised by the characteristics of each area coming to light by this simulation, we were even more surprised by the diversity within a city when we conducted a fieldwork. A map does not capture the small undulations on the roads or the potted plants placed on the side of the streets. In fact, an accumulation of diverse details with diverse materials and sizes comprises a city as a whole. It helped us generate a concrete proposal when each group measured the dimensions of the roads and buildings, and then, added pictures and insights on the map.
Furthermore, we also learned from Mr. Bonnet’s lecture that medical facilities in the disputed regions tend to reuse an existing building and prepares a minimum necessary amount of medical equipment with the greatest amount of consideration for the region. Although strife and natural disaster are two separate phenomena, we learned a great deal for they both share the theme of urgency.

Scene from the fieldwork that took place in a light rainfall.

Mr. Samuel Bonnet (left) and Ms. Satomi Ogawa (right) introducing the projects of International Committee of the Red Cross

Ideas Are Inspired by What We Already Have

In the final presentation, each group presented their proposal on the safe and quick evacuation guidance. One group proposed the plan and the design where the rooftop and parking area of the existing shopping mall becomes evacuation area. Another group proposed to have the public transportation system such as buses and taxis function as an information center with temporary emergency exit signs. Other proposals included a smartphone app that lets users check the routes and time needed for evacuation and Illuminated exit signs that detect the earthquake.
What most proposals had in common was to use what already exists in the city and prompt a guidance that communicates well with anyone. During the critique session, the guest lecturers pointed out that the existing elements blend in the city very well already, and therefore, might be able to be clearly identified by people. Furthermore, they added that the idea of using public transportation systems to facilitate evacuation should be developed more in depth from now on since it can be implemented rather easily. Professor Fujiwara and Professor Ono, the Chief Executive Office of D-lab as well as the chairman of Japan Society of Water Environment, have further reminded us about the issue of securing domestic water at the time of disaster. Although each group had already discussed on securing water for drinking, bath and toilet, the central Kyoto with its wooden buildings also requires water for extinguishing fires. Although this is relatively unknown, Kyoto sees the decline of well water despite its rich groundwater. Therefore, the discussion also extended over how to revive the community once fostered by well water.

Scene from the presentation using a map

Redrawing the Borders

Under the theme of disaster, we discussed the various water-related issues such as that of caring for the senior citizens and people with disabilities, and of providing restrooms. Moreover, by analyzing the city through the perspective of foreign tourists, we had a great opportunity to ponder how to coexist with those who speak a foreign language and have a foreign cultural background. This experience also made me wonder what an architecture student can do for the future of this nation with many earthquakes. Given that I realized how architecture is indeed related to many other seemingly unrelated fields of study, I felt that the next step would be to redraw the border between me and the surrounding world. When this step is completed, I would like to, again, think about what I can do in the context of architecture, city and design.

Author：Yusuke Miki
Kyoto Institute of Technology, Design and Architecture, Koichi Sakata Laboratory　B4