The Analysis of Shirakawa Village and Its Application to Modern Residential Community

Abstract

In modern architecture, conventional use of prefabricated parts and artificial materials have restricted our scope of creativity and cultural integration; thus, residential buildings have become ordinary and lifeless. Although it is the people whom practice culture, there is a disconnect between various communities. To restore cultural identity and an active residential community, a “sense of village” needs to be embedded into the design. The Shirakawa Village in Japan is an ideal precedent for this case. Known for its gassho-zukuri style housing and its village effort in overcoming obstacles, the Shirakawa Village offers opportunities to investigate how its concept can be applied to the modern residential community to promote health and safety. Furthermore, due to the increasing migration from the village to urban cities by younger generations, the village culture is slowly fading, so this research will also be an effort to preserve village life through the cultural integration process. By committing to historical research, case studies, and field research, I can identify which elements apply to our modern residential community for more efficient village lifestyle. These explorations will then determine a guideline for programming spaces, which I will use as a basis for my final design proposal. The main objective of this thesis research is to remind future architects the significance of past local villages, and the possibility of becoming a solution for communal issues in modern residential community.