SHSH

On the 11th March 2011, North-East Japan was hit by a huge scale earthquake and tsunami. BBC's Damian Grammaticas reported at that time, Yuriage, one of Natori's coastal towns, "once a pleasant fishing port" has been "wiped from the map". What has been happening in the two years since the tsunami ? What evidences are there of any progress being made?

Invisible Needs
Finally, in spring 2013, in consideration of the physical and psychological needs expressed by local people in our interviews and research, we decided on a series of small architectural and scenographic projects to provide cultural facilities and memorial space. We proposed 'Invisible Needs'. A positive contribution to local life encouraging cultural activities and giving a broader picture in a period of uncertainty. We hope to have provided a four stage sustainable solution, which nourishes the growth within the community and meets their social, physical, cultural and spiritual needs.

SHSH proposal
As a result, SHSH proposes 'Invisible Needs'. A positive contribution to local life encouraging cultural activities and giving a broader picture in a period of uncertainty. A four stage sustainable solution nourishes the growth within the community and meets their social, physical, cultural and spiritual needs.

The exhibition shows the search for concrete actions to provide assistance to residents of disaster areas. This resulted in a number of designs: Yuriage Machi Cafe / New facility for the community centre, Seaside Festival Scenography / Mobile facilities for festivals, Seaside Tribune / Open air seats and bridges in front of the sea and Mountain Memorial Walk / Promenade with view towards Yuriage. Each facility has an event platform and stands near to a ‘safe haven’, a high structural safety in case of evacuation.

Acknowledgement
SHSH would like to acknowledge the time and effort the curator Katrien Vandermarliere and the director VAi Christoph Grafe and whole the team of VAi have given in encouraging us to persevere with the project. Thanks to all those who supported us to develop this research based design.

Thanks to the supports for the research and international symposium phase : Paul Robbrecht (architect), Florian Beigel (architect ), Baca Architects (architects), William Mann (architect), Kelly Shannon (urbanist), Laurent Ney (engineer), Matthew Barac (Architecture Sans Frontiere), Noel Witts (Professor. Performing Arts), Nicolas Prignot (philosopher), Shoichi Haryu (the head of reconstruction team JIA Miyagi), Junichiro Matsumoto (the head of reconstruction JIA North-East), Yoko Yanagisawa (JIA and Yuriage Renaissance Project, Hiroyuki Sakurai (the director of Yruiage Morning Market, representing local victims), Yuriage Machi Cafe, JIA (Japan Institute Architects), BOZAR Architecture, RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects)London, Act for Japan Belgium

SHSH / Shin Bogdan Hagiwara & Shizuka Hariu Architecture + Scenography exhibition team : Shizuka Hari&Shin Bogdan Hagiwara, Caroline Papi, Kateřina Hlavičková, Sorcha Maguire, Katir Majed, Hersilia Leoca, Pavel Ladislav Dvorak, Luis Tillan, Virginia Stammitti, Pablo Roures