FUKUSHIMA--With an exodus triggered by nuclear disaster, any home design that offers protection against radiation must surely be welcome in this part of northern Japan.
FUKUSHIMA--With an exodus triggered by nuclear disaster, any home design that offers protection against radiation must surely be welcome in this part of northern Japan.
And that is precisely what a group of architects here has achieved with a design dubbed "Fukuwauchi" (Fortune lies in the home).
Team Fukushima Architecture, as the group is called, came up with a concept that relies on extensive use of concrete, rather than traditional wooden frames, to shield the occupants from radiation.
The group proposes building houses inside concrete walled compounds, and using concrete for the walls and roof to reduce radiation levels indoors.
An inner yard has been included in the design to provide a space where children can play.
A faucet installed in the yard allows residents to wash their hands to prevent internal radiation exposure. Each dwelling has three entrances to allow for greater ease in interacting with neighbors.
Depending on the environment in which the home is built and the size of the house, construction costs are estimated at between 15 million and 40 million yen ($189,000 and $503,000).
Team Fukushima Architecture is made up of architectural firms, building materials companies and real estate agencies within Fukushima Prefecture. Currently, 23 companies are members of the group.
The head of the group, Chiyokichi Endo, 53, manages his own architectural design studio. He got involved after watching residents evacuate after the Great East Japan Earthquake last year from homes he had designed. Endo said the experience left him feeling helpless.
Endo visited Nagasaki and Hiroshima to learn how communities have been affected by radiation. He was struck by the vibrancy of the two cities, which were leveled by atomic bombing in 1945.
"They were like the light of hope," he recalled.
Endo studied for and obtained a license to oversee the handling of radioactive materials. After consulting with colleagues and others, Endo came up with the design for Fukuwauchi.
In mid-May, a model of the home was displayed in Fukushima city, and questions were taken from visitors.
Aki Takagi, 31, a nurse who attended the session with her 4-year-old daughter, said: "Since my child is often bored remaining indoors, having an inner yard is a good idea. It was a good experience because I was able to find out how radiation levels could be reduced and also learned how to create a space where my child can have peace of mind."
Another exhibition and consultation session is planned for Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, at the Big-i complex from June 22 to 24.
(This article was written by Daisuke Yajima and Tomoyo Fukumiya.)