UNESCO Chair

Chaire UNESCO en paysage urbain

WAT_UNESCO

WAT_UNESCO Kobe 2009 (Japon)

8 — 21 November 2009

  • Description

    The Development of the Urban Landscape of the City of Kobe

    Located 430 km South-West of Tokyo, the City of Kobe is the 6th largest city in Japan and the capital of Hyogo prefecture with over 1 500 000 inhabitants. A cosmopolitan city with an important harbour, Kobe was the first Japanese city to establish commercial links with Western countries. Despite the Hanshin earthquake of 1995, which considerably reduced the harbour’s activity, Kobe’s port remains Japan’s 4th largest. The City of Kobe covers an area of 552.8 km2 and is intersected by the Rokko mountain range, its highest point located at an altitude of 931.3 m. The majority of the territory is urbanized, consisting of a long, narrow zone located between the mountains and the shore of the Inland Sea of Osaka Bay. Opposite of the shore, two artificial islands, Port Island and Rokko Island, were constructed to accommodate the city’s expansion. The City of Kobe was designated “UNESCO City of Design” in autumn 2008, thus joining the network of UNESCO’s creative cities; the same title that was given to Montreal in June of 2006. The Workshop_atelier/terrain of Kobe (WAT_Kobe) led by the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape is one of the first international activities to arise from this designation.

    The International Workshop_atelier/terrain (WAT) of the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape of the University of Montreal

    Supported by local experts of the City of Kobe, the CUPUM’s scientific partners, specialized in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design, led a multidisciplinary reflection on the development of 6 downtown urban areas of Kobe. Meeting in Kobe for 13 days, the 52 students originating from eight countries (Canada, China, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, and Tunisia) were supervised by an academic team of 11 professors from participating institutions. These participants, all specialized in urban design, later produced 12 landscaping projects for the City of Kobe. At the end of the workshop, these design propositions were evaluated by a UNESCO jury and later handed to the municipality in order to implement selected proposals.

    Under the scientific leadership of the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape of the University of Montreal (Canada) and with the help of its international cooperation network, the municipality of Kobe supported the realization of WAT_KOBE, which took place from November 8th to 21st, 2009. This type of activity promotes a genuine approach with local governments, and benefits from the support of UNESCO MOST program, the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan, the Embassy of Canada to Japan, the Quebec Government Office in Tokyo as well as the Ministère des Relations internationales du Québec. Kobe Design University and Kobe University were the WAT’s scientific partners and joined the CUPUM’s international cooperation network, now composed of 23 university institutions from 5 regions of the world: Asia, North America, the Maghreb, the Middle-East, and Europe.

    Study Area: Sites and Issues

    The principal issues examined during this activity are tied to environmental concerns, cultural heritage, the quality of everyday environments, urban landscape identity, and sustainable development. Along with representatives of the City of Kobe and participating Japanese universities, the landscape management issues were identified and 6 specific sites were selected in order to elaborate urban design projects for the development of Kobe. Issues linked to each site were identified in order to guide the interventions.

    Hyogo’s Canal

    Urban characterization: industrial space conversion, remnants of industrial activities, canals valued as heritage (an important role in the development of the port of Kobe), historical district, changing urban spaces.

    Issues: 

    • Revitalizing areas surrounding canals (public spaces and development) and its use (water activities);
    • Creating an urban landscape that appropriates sites adjacent to the canals (opportunities for enhancement and development);
    • Preserving heritage and highlighting historical resources and canals;
    • Characterizing and highlighting the transformations of land-use of urban spaces;
    • Incorporating mixed-use zones (residential and industrial).

    Nishide, Higashide District

    Urban characterization: historical urban fabric, typical urban morphology of Kobe’s architectural history, residential area, neighbourhood identity, harbour interface (shipyard).

    Issues:

    • Improving this residential area’s quality of life and urban density;
    • Developing an urban landscape identity;
    • Community design using local resources.

    Old Minato River

    Urban characterization: Commercial urban axis, major traffic axis, canalized river in urban areas, historic canals.

    Issues:

    • The decline of the shopping center; 
    • Enhancing the historical area (old river and ancient urban center of Kobe);
    • Recognizing the past and its interface with the southern district (Nishide, Higashide District) and mountain; 
    • Reinventing an urban landscape that contributes to Kobe’s urban identity.

    Downtown Waterfront

    Urban characterization: Abandoned port area, City of Kobe’s historic waterfront, former foreign concession coastline.

    Issues:

    • Converting the harbour for contemporary urban use;
    • Making use of historical buildings;
    • Improving walkability between the city center and the waterfront;
    • Creating a harborscape unique to Kobe.

    The Base of Mount Rokko

    Urban characterization: City/mountain interface, hills of Mount Rokko, City of Kobe’s iconic landscape, walking trails on the hillside, public park (water reservoir), sacred space (cemeteries and temples).

    Issues:

    • Improving the urban area at the base of Mt. Rokko;
    • Preserving hillside landscape and highlighting look-out points; 
    • Creating a network of public green spaces to enhance landscape enjoyment

    Ikuta River Valley

    Urbani characterization: Important urban traffic axis for the City of Kobe, urban park (linear public space), reappropriation of the river, entrance to the city (railway station), urban interface with Mount Rokko hillsides.

    Issues: 

    • Creating a City Gate;
    • Creating a linear landscape along the river.

    Diffusion

    Kobe’s “Workshop_atelier/terrain” will benefit from wide visibility and many activities are already planned to promote the results. In Japan, the activity will be promoted on participating Japanese universities and the City of Kobe’s websites and newsletters. Local and regional media will also cover the event, notably its closing ceremony where the results and the recipients of the UNESCO medals will be announced. Thereafter, the projects will be exhibited at Kobe Design University from November 20th to 27th 2009 and later in Kobe’s City Hall from December 7th to 20th.

    Kobe projects will also be displayed at the Embassy of Canada to Japan from January 26th to 28th 2010 as well as during Shanghai’s Universal Exhibition (2010). News and content tied to WAT_Kobe will be communicated in all countries belonging to the WAT network (5 world regions). Websites specializing in architecture/urban design/design will also post the information related to the WAT. For their part, UNESCO in Paris will ensure the diffusion among the Member States and the Embassy of Canada to Japan will communicate the information across embassies of countries belonging to the UNESCO Chair’s network. As a first networking and cooperation activity between the City of Montreal and the City of Kobe focusing on urban design, the information is currently available on the website “Réalisons Montréal Ville UNESCO de Design,” a platform promoting all initiatives of the UNESCO design cities’ network (www.realisonsmontreal.com). Also, the results of the WAT_Kobe will be part of CUPUM’S “Observatoire international des paysages urbains : ville et métropoles” and, as in previous WAT editions, they will be included in a book published by the Presses de l’Université de Montréal (PUM).

  • Propositions

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Canal Hyogo
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 01 – Merging Landscapes

    • Tomohiro Harada
    • Leah Moukarzel
    • Laura Giaffei

    Suites aux présentations publiques, le jury s'est retiré pour procéder à la délicate tâche de l'évaluation des travaux selon des critères visant, entre autres, la cohérence des constats identifiés, la stratégie générale du thème d'étude, la pertinence des analyses paysagères et la force expressive du projet de paysage.

    Awards

    • WAT Kobe 2009 (Japon) (1er prix)

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Canal Hyogo
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 02 – Water Network

    • Sanae Wakita
    • Ikram Ghribi
    • Abu Rumyyah Al Saady Hussein
    • Pierfranco Oggiano

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    District Nishide, Higashide
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 03 – The Embrace

    • Marc Chenouda
    • Taiki Fujimaki
    • Dima Rachid
    • Elisa Capparella

    Extrait de la proposition

    En densifiant le site, notre objectif est d’attirer une nouvelle population plus jeune pour stopper le dépeuplement du quartier. Cette nouvelle population est indispensable à la préservation du paysage actuel. Les nouvelles constructions que nous proposons, malgré leurs différences typologiques et leur taille, ne déforment pas le tissu urbain. Au contraire les nouveaux bâtiments consolident le cadre bâti existant. Les industries créatives sont aussi un moyen de préserver la mémoire du lieu.

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    District Nishide, Higashide
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 04 – Color Town_Irotoridori

    • Jean-Michel Bédard
    • Naoko Yamanaka
    • Ahlem Ben Slim
    • Wissam Chaaya

    Extrait de la proposition

    Notre concept est basé sur la promotion de la verdure qui accompagnait autrefois la descente de la rivière Minato des monts Rokko jusqu’à l’embouchure dans la baie d’Osaka pour ainsi redonner cet axe patrimonial à la population.

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Ancienne rivière Minato
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 05 – Flow.Irrigate

    • Shino Saimoto
    • Chen Peng
    • Mira Mabsout
    • Sean Zhu

    Extrait de la proposition

    We will focus on the old Minato river site’s commercial part, which is exactly on the old Minato river bed. As design, we will remove the physical and social barriers to make the old Minato river commerce a fluent economic unity.

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Ancienne rivière Minato
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 06 – Through Gardens

    • Kei Watanabe
    • Klezi Baraa
    • Enrico Ragazzo
    • Alexie Gauthier-Bertrand

    Extrait de la proposition

    La stratégie globale du projet consiste à créer un réseau de «pocket parks», ou de petits espaces publics, et de consolider l’artère commerciale principale.

    Awards

    • WAT Kobe 2009 (Japon) (2e prix)

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Quais du Centre-ville
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 07 – Green Mountain

    • Kumi Onishi
    • Mao Leibo
    • Wydad Karti
    • Maria Agostina Sannai

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Quais du Centre-ville
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 08 – RE-Linking Water and City

    • Kenichiro Kaku
    • Amal Ourahali
    • Francesca Gioia Greco
    • Frédéric Perron

    Extrait de la proposition

    Cette dynamique d’aménagement du territoire, constituée d’un système perpendiculaire à la mer et aux montagnes et alternant les espaces verts et les espaces construits, constitue notre base conceptuelle pour plusieurs raisons. D’abord, la dynamique de cette structure se prête parfaitement à l’intention de réintroduire une connexion entre le secteur des berges et celui du centre-ville.

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Vallée de la rivière Ikuta
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 09 – Stitching

    • Edgar Ramirez
    • Minori Yanagawa
    • Zhou Zhou
    • Reem Dablo

    Extrait de la proposition

    Alors, notre projet cherche à unifier ce secteur en rupture (…) en valorisant des espaces emblématiques et importants tant au niveau historique, écologique et économique. Par une mise en valeur des qualités paysagères existantes sur le site, ceux-ci viendraient créer un portrait de la ville de Kobe. Cette image représente l’implication de la ville dans une nouvelle vision de design urbain qui intègre l’écologie dans la ville, la mise en valeur de qualités paysagères du lieu et la prise en considération de l’intégration des différents contextes urbains. En faisant cela, le secteur d’étude bonifie d’une augmentation de l’économie (tourisme) et de l’amélioration des infrastructures ce qui augmenterait la qualité du cadre de vie. Ces solutions d’aménagement peuvent aussi être prolongé sur le long de la ville et dans les quartiers dans le but de créer une nouvelle urbanisation ayant comme but d’adoucir la grande minéralisation sur le territoire de Kobe.

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Vallée de la rivière Ikuta
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 10 – Be_Ko_Be

    • Hideko Harada
    • Saphia Shamas
    • Mohamed Bennani
    • Alessia Zarzani

    Suites aux présentations publiques, le jury s'est retiré pour procéder à la délicate tâche de l'évaluation des travaux selon des critères visant, entre autres, la cohérence des constats identifiés, la stratégie générale du thème d'étude, la pertinence des analyses paysagères et la force expressive du projet de paysage. 

    Awards

    • WAT Kobe 2009 (Japon) (3e prix ex aequo)

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Quartier sur les flancs de la chaîne de montagnes Rokko
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 11 – Rokkobe

    • Louis-Philippe Rousselle-Brosseau
    • Yui Saigo
    • Nada Borgi
    • Valerio Amicucci

    Extrait de la proposition

    Comme parti pris de design, nous sommes partis de nos observations selon lesquelles la ville «mangeait» la montagne de diverses manières. Ainsi, nous avons postulé que la montagne devrait à son tour «manger» la ville, de manière à créer cette interrelation à laquelle nous souhaitions arriver.

    Awards

    • WAT Kobe 2009 (Japon) (3e prix ex aequo)

    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Quartier sur les flancs de la chaîne de montagnes Rokko
    Kobe - Hyōgo (Nippon)

    Équipe 12 – Mountainfront

    • Samuel Castonguay
    • Risa Akimoto
    • Emna Hammouda
    • Lucio Lorenzo Pettine

    Extrait de la proposition

    Nous proposons de créer une zone tampon entre la ville et la montagne. Le nouvel espace sera de vocation publique et en découlera des usages publics. Il s’agit en fait d’un réseau de parcs publics qui se superposera à l’ensemble du réseau de sentiers piétonniers existants de la montagne.

  • Team

    Jury
    • Philippe Poullaouec-Gonidec
      Professor Emeritus École d’urbanisme et d’architecture de paysage / Associate Researcher UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM) / Membre fondateur UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM) / Chair of Landscape and Environment (CPEUM)
    • Brigitte Colin
      Expert, City and Architecture – Urban Migration UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM) / Expert, City and Architecture – Social Sciences, Research, and Politics on Social and Human Sciences Sector Division UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM) / Représentante Siège de l’UNESCO à Paris – Programme MOST (Management of Social Transformation) / Spécialiste Siège de l’UNESCO à Paris – Programme MOST (Management of Social Transformation)
    • Marie-Josée Lacroix
      Design Commissioner Bureau du design de la Ville de Montréal / Directrice Bureau du design de la Ville de Montréal
    • Léon Telvizian
      Professor Institut des Beaux-Arts (IBA) / Director of Urban Planning DESS Institut des Beaux-Arts (IBA) / Director Department of Urban Planning / Manager Department of Urban Planning
    • Fumitoshi Ito
      Directeur général Bureau de l’urbanisme et de l’habitation
    • Chusaku Yasuda
      Professor Emeritus Kobe University
    Pedagogical Team
    • Alessandra Capuano
      Sapienza University of Rome / Full Professor Department of Architecture and Projects (DiAP) / Associate Researcher UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM)
    • Salma Hamza
      Professor National School of Architecture and Urban Design, Tunis (ENAU) / Professor National School of Architecture and Urban Design, Tunis (ENAU)
    • Stefan Tischer
      Professor Alghero School of Architecture / Director School of Urbanism and Landscape Architecture / Professor School of Urbanism and Landscape Architecture / Coordonateur School of Urbanism and Landscape Architecture / Associate Professor School of Landscape Architecture / Researcher UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM)
    • Natalie Atfeh
      Professor Faculty of Architecture
    • Julie Weltzien
      Professor School of Landscape Architecture / Professor Faculté d’agriculture et des sciences alimentaires / Assistant Professor Faculté d’agriculture et des sciences alimentaires
    • Naoko Kuriyama
      Professor Graduate School of Engineering
    • Lyndsay Daudier
      Coordination, production and logistics committee UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM) / Communications UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM) / Coordonatrice – WAT_UNESCO – MTL 2011 UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM) / Project Assistant UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape (CUPUM)
    • Iman Benkirane
      Professor École Nationale d’Architecture
    • Monica Sgandurra
      Professor Sapienza University of Rome / Professor Department of Territorial and Urban Planning (DiPTU)
    • Zhang Guanzeng
      Professor College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP)
    • Hiro Sasaki
      Professor Department of Environmental Design
    Participants
    • Marc Chenouda
      Research Agent Chair of Landscape and Environment (CPEUM) / Student School of Architecture
    • Taiki Fujimaki
      Student Department of Environmental Design
    • Jean-Michel Bédard
      Student School of Landscape Architecture
    • Samuel Castonguay
      Student School of Landscape Architecture / Landscape Architect OPaysage
    • Edgar Ramirez
      Student School of Landscape Architecture
    • Louis-Philippe Rousselle-Brosseau
      Student School of Landscape Architecture
    • Hideko Harada
      Student Department of Environmental Design
    • Minori Yanagawa
      Student Department of Environmental Design
    • Kumi Onishi
      Student Department of Environmental Design
    • Kenichiro Kaku
      Student Department of Environmental Design
    • Risa Akimoto
      Student Department of Environmental Design
    • Shino Saimoto
      Student Graduate School of Engineering
    • Naoko Yamanaka
      Student Graduate School of Engineering
    • Yui Saigo
      Student Graduate School of Engineering
    • Kei Watanabe
      Student Graduate School of Engineering
    • Tomohiro Harada
      Student Graduate School of Engineering
    • Sanae Wakita
      Student Graduate School of Engineering
    • Chen Peng
      Student College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP)
    • Mao Leibo
      Student College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP)
    • Zhou Zhou
      Student College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP)
    • Emna Hammouda
      Student University of Carthage
    • Ahlem Ben Slim
      Student University of Carthage
    • Ikram Ghribi
      Student University of Carthage
    • Nada Borgi
      Student Department of Urban Planning
    • Saphia Shamas
      Student Department of Urban Planning
    • Wissam Chaaya
      Student Department of Urban Planning
    • Leah Moukarzel
      Student Département d’architecture de paysage et de gestion des écosystèmes
    • Dima Rachid
      Student Département d’architecture de paysage et de gestion des écosystèmes
    • Mira Mabsout
      Student Département d’architecture de paysage et de gestion des écosystèmes
    • Amal Ourahali
      Student École Nationale d’Architecture
    • Wydad Karti
      Student École Nationale d’Architecture
    • Mohamed Bennani
      Student École Nationale d’Architecture (ENA) de Rabat
    • Reem Dablo
      Student Faculty of Architecture
    • Abu Rumyyah Al Saady Hussein
      Student Faculty of Architecture
    • Klezi Baraa
      Student Faculty of Architecture
    • Laura Giaffei
      Student Department of Architecture and Projects (DiAP)
    • Valerio Amicucci
      Student Department of Architecture and Projects (DiAP)
    • Alessia Zarzani
      Chargée de cours École d’architecture / Doctorante École d’architecture / Chair of Landscape and Environment (CPEUM) / Student Department of Architecture and Projects (DiAP)
    • Elisa Capparella
      Student Department of Territorial and Urban Planning (DiPTU)
    • Francesca Gioia Greco
      Student Department of Territorial and Urban Planning (DiPTU)
    • Lucio Lorenzo Pettine
      Student Department of Territorial and Urban Planning (DiPTU)
    • Pierfranco Oggiano
      Student Faculté d’architecture
    • Enrico Ragazzo
      Student Faculté d’architecture
    • Maria Agostina Sannai
      Student Faculté d’architecture
    • Sean Zhu
      Student School of Landscape Architecture
    • Alexie Gauthier-Bertrand
      Student School of Architecture
    • Frédéric Perron
      Student School of Architecture
    Scientific Committee
    • Takeo Kawakita
      Professor Kobe Design University
    • Yoshiyuki Negishi
      Manager Recherche et coordination
    • Hidenori Sakurai
      Director Aménagement
    • Takahito Saiki
      Director Kobe Design University
    • Hiroyuki Sasaki
      Adjunct Professor Kobe Design University
    • Koichi Miwa
      Adjunct Professor Kobe University
    • Shingo Suekane
      Professor Kansai University
    Local Experts
    • Hiroshi Adachi
      Professor Département d’architecture
    • Takafumi Inoue
      Directeur général Bureau de la promotion de ville de design

  • Issues

  • Complementary resources

  • Partners

    Other partners

    • National School of Architecture and Urban Design, Tunis (ENAU)
    • School of Architecture
    • Montreal, UNESCO City of Design
    • College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP)
    • Kobe Design University
    • Institut des Beaux-Arts (IBA)
    • Department of Architecture and Projects (DiAP)
    • Alghero School of Architecture
    • Faculty of Architecture
    • École Nationale d’Architecture (ENA) de Rabat
    • Department of Territorial and Urban Planning (DiPTU)
    • School of Landscape Architecture
    • Département d’architecture de paysage et de gestion des écosystèmes
    • Kobe, UNESCO City of Design

  • Gallery