 Converting values of public space from negative to positive I have visited the Okinawa islands, Zamamijima, where the U.S. military first
landed in Japan, and Iejima, where gruesome battles took place, in almost the
same season as the landing. Not only old battlefields, but any space related with the termination of
anything, people or things, has a negative atmosphere. Space related with death: old battlefield, cemetery, crematorium, etc.A great challenge is how to convert the value of these public spaces from negative aspects into positive aspects. Especially with recent expansion of the so-called NIMBY or Not-In-My-Back-Yard syndrome, what is needed is to accumulate know-how on converting such public spaces with negative connotations into those with positive connotations. As to spaces related with death, there have been various measures so far targeted to refreshing the image of spaces which impel anxiety. For example, a cemetery in the U.K. (the East London Cemetery) turned a corner into a garden and leases spaces for visitors to graves for planting flowers under terms of a seven-year lease. Meanwhile, in the United States, surrounding areas of airports are revalued as land suitable for cemeteries. The idea is to set a buffer zone, i.e. cemetery, between the airport, where extreme noise pollution is inevitable, and surrounding residential areas. In Japan also, there are cases where negative spaces have been converted into positive spaces with the use of Japanese gardens, lawn plazas and multipurpose squares, such as Mikatahara Boen cemetery in Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka prefecture. In the case of Fureai Park in Fuchu-shi, Tokyo, the cemetery puts importance on landscape as a garden cemetery. Furthermore, in the center of Tokyo, underground cemetery projects for ingenious isolation and saving space are progressing. As to crematoriums, there is a movement to review that concept, as well. The movement, which has been aggressively pursued by people concerned with Mr. Soichi Yagisawa, a professor at Tokyo Denki University and an architect, aims to produce comprehensive and quality architecture functioning as a space of importance for ending one's life, for healing and where one can feel a solid sense of sublime valediction. According to Mr. Yagisawa, typical cemeteries designed under the concept of space for ending life and nearing nature are "Skogskyrokogarden" (registered as a World Heritage site in 1994) in Stockholm, Sweden, the modern and yet solemn "Memorial Tone" in Kazo-shi, Saitama prefecture, "Hirosaki Saijo" funeral hall, designed by Mr. Kunio Maekawa and located in the woods, lawny "Isesaki Seien" cemetery, which is equipped with a gateball field and tennis courts and "Shimizu Saien" in Kitakami-shi, Iwate prefecture surrounded by Japanese oak woods and a natural spring. The Ministry of Health and Welfare set up a panel of intellectuals in 1997 (Heisei 9) to discuss this issue and recommendation was submitted in June 1998 (Heisei 10). In terms of space related to contamination and unhealthiness, they are recognized everywhere as troublesome sites. Looking at the troublesome sites as necessary sites  Many areas are attempting to
proactively convert such troublesome sites into positive sites with the
viewpoint that these troublesome sites are necessary and can be converted into
facilities contributing to local communities depending on the design of the
system.In Masutsubo town, Kofu-shi, Yamanashi prefecture, around where various kinds of troublesome sites are concentrated, residents confronted with the existence of those facilities aimed for coexistence and coprosperity. The residents spontaneously formulated a vision for the future called "Healthy and Beautiful Masutsubo" and realized the vision by asking the local government to modernize the troublesome facilities and utilize the open spaces around those facilities as parks. While making use of the remaining heat generated from garbage incinerators had already become a standard practice, contradictory points, including worsening of dioxin issues as well as reducing the amount of garbage and the consequential shrinkage of the project to use the remaining heat, are newly emerged. As to how the remaining heat should be used, there are movements in Hokkaido hoping to supply heat in a variety of ways, not only for conventional usages, such as for swimming pools, cogeneration, thermal baths and greenhouses, but also for road heating and local area air conditioning/heating. (Please refer to "Forms of usage of the remaining heat and heat recovery".) Typical spaces related with danger are sites which caused lethal disasters. Most disasters are based on geographical and climatic traits inherent to the local area. Therefore, as a sign for future residents, the history of disasters should be recorded in one way or another. When visiting towns and villages in Sanriku region stricken by tsunami in the past, I saw so many tombstones with the same date engraved, which gave me a shiver. This can be one of the signs. Also, it is necessary to convey the message to future generations in forms such as "disaster memorial parks" combining with other public spaces, although this could generate opposition because of declining land prices and so forth. In this connection, after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake the following two memorial parks were created: 1. Kobe port Earthquake Memorial Park As to the military base issue, what is sought after is realistic countermeasures for converting negative factors into positive factors by thinking that the military base, in a broad sense, is also a kind of disposal site for slow termination of international crisis. The biggest condition for creating a matured society As I mentioned above, the government needs to further strengthen its
orientation of "more glory and praise for the finale of everything regardless of
human or things" at the verge of the new century.
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