-
Should Foreign Builders be Allowed into Tohoku?
Recently, a discussion on Linkedin came to my attention between foreign business people concerning bids to provide temporary housing for Tohoku. All shared similar frustrations that the process was far from transparent and it seemed clear to them that the Government of Japan never intended to source from any foreign bidders. The demands seem to have…
-
Rebuilding Under Uncertainty
[slideshow id=5 h=421 w=585] At BAKOKO, we’ve been planning a response to the housing crisis left in the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that destroyed many towns in Tohoku. The challenge to formulating a design for rehousing the homeless is the uncertainty that pervades the rebuilding effort. As the government unsuccessfully struggles…
-
Japan Will Rebuild
(Reuters/Kyodo) British ‘Architects Journal‘ (AJ) asked me to comment on the recent earthquake and tsunami. I took the opportunity to write the following reaction to the events of March 11, 2011…