Adaptive (Re)use of Housing in Japan

Architect in Residence, Space Department Nara, Japan

During a period of two months, the residence Space Department Nara formed a platform to collectively draw, reflect and discuss the potential of adaptive reuse as a strategy to redesign existing neighborhoods in Japan. With a rising ageing population and the global climate crisis, the existing housing stock has become increasingly important.This project challenges mass-produced housing by drawing inspiration from recent case-study projects in Japan that argue for adaptive reuse of ordinary dwelling environments. Spaces that weren’t designed to be beautiful, but become meaningful through use and the layering of space, objects and narratives. The publication and exhibition is funded by Creative Industries Fund NL (2024).