Topic Reading-Vol.1819-4/4/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Understanding Japan's unique 'scrap and build' design culture

When you visit residential areas in Italy or Germany, you’ll find houses that look mostly identical. Thanks to aesthetic regulations, most towns keep their traditional look and style. For architects, there isn’t much room to explore their creativity.

But in Tokyo, most areas are barely aesthetically regulated but the height. In fact, you may find a traditional Japanese house is sandwiched by a Mediterranean style villa and a contemporary cube house. Also, there aren’t many old houses as a 30-year-old house is valued nearly zero.

This unregulated scrap-and-build market is an ideal campus for progressive architects to grow and present their creativity.

Enjoy reading and thinking which residential district you’re more interested in living or investment.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/30/architecture/how-japan-makes-houses/index.html