Shiratori Plan – Low-Rise High-Density Housing
1990 to 1991The Shiratori Plan in Nagoya asked for an integrated neighborhood for 500 families, at a density of 80 families per acre, on a 6.24 acres site, with an average area of 72 square meters per unit and total area of construction 350,000 square feet. The normal type followed in such a big city was high-density housing built in 14-story free-standing apartment buildings. Alexander's proposal was to accomodate the same number units, on the same site, but in 2 1/2 story (2 stories plus an attic story) buildings, arranged along narrow lanes, and with small private gardens.
Widely publicized in the Japanese press, and widely discussed in Japan. .
Contents
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The Shiratori Plan: Transmitting an article written about the lecture given by Christopher Alexander in Nagoya, and expressing his concerns on the issues detected about the article and its final contents
04/06/1990
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The Shiratori Plan: Updating Christopher Alexander on his meeting with top officials in the Ministry of Education in Tokyo that could possibly lead to a more favorable attitude by the ministry towards the new school they have been thinking about. Also, he is expressing his thoughts and suggestions on the book title and contents relating to the Shiratori Plan project, which would help the involved families to fully understand its advantages and therefore offer a strong support to materialize it
13/06/1990
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The Shiratori Plan: Discussing various thoughts and ideas about how to approach verbiage changes in the chapters' contents, moving certain parts to other areas etc. Discussion and suggestions are made about the contents relating to Kodan and the responsibilities of the national housing agency regarding the wishes of the Japanese people
16/06/1990
SEE ALL Correspondence
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The Precious Jewel - The Shiratori Plan: True Houses for the People of Japan. A revolution in the Heart and the Fundamental Change in Architecture, Banking and Technology
01/01/1990
A 15-page early draft containing the title pages, table of contents and a chapter on The Essence of the Human Heart.
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The Precious Jewel - The Shiratori Plan
01/01/1991
Named the “old version” of the Precious Jewel, 164 pages document of 7 chapters, with handwritten editing. Dealing with the crisis in the Japanese Democracy as depicted in the architecture of developers today and the true feelings of the Japanese ...
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Crisis in Japanese Democracy: The Shiratori Plan
01/01/1991
Two draft copies of manuscript discussing the need for a high density, low rise solution to the housing crisis in Japan. Speaks to post war shifts in the direction of architectural solutions to housing and the response by the Japanese ...
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The Shiratori Plan - Low Rise High Density Plans: Initial Discussions
30/07/1989
35-page document recording the daily discussion with Christopher Alexander. He had been invited to see and was asked his opinion on the use of the former design exposition site in the city’s Shiratori district. Discussions took place from 30-Jul-1989 to ...
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The Shiratori Plan - Low Rise High Density Plan: Cost Comparison Between Low Rise and High Rise
01/01/1990
2-page cost analysis to compare the cost of low-rise housing to high-rise in different areas in Japan; the comparison starts from 2-storey building up to 14-storey.
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The Shiratori Plan - Low Rise High Density Plan: High or Low. User Participation in High Density Housing. Declaration
01/01/1990
2-page statement prepared to be signed by the organizing committee of “High or Low” group in Nagoya, Japan, demanding a change in the approach of high density and high rise apartment developments towards the better and more humane high density ...
SEE ALL Records
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The Shiratori Plan - Low-Rise High-Density Housing: Photographs of drawings
01/01/1990
Two site plans which give an overview of the Shiratori housing with 500 apartments on 2.5 hectares. The second plan is an aerial perspective, in which lanes, gardens and small houses are portray the humane character of the place.
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The Shiratori Plan - Low-Rise High-Density Housing: Photographs of drawings
01/01/1990
Three perspective drawings; the first shows the relationship between apartments, street and gardens, the second a typical lane and the third the accomomodation of parking along one side of lanes.
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The Shiratori Plan - Low-Rise High-Density Housing: Photographs of drawings
01/01/1990
Axonometric drawing showing building exteriors and the gardens tucked in between rows of houses and streets.
SEE ALL Photographs
References
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The Sequence of Unfolding - Generative Codes for the Design Process
In architecture, as in other things, the "right" sequence is of vital importance. It is a generative sequence of progressive differentiations, which allow space to unfold in the right order. Each differentiation acts on the product of the previous ...
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The Uniqueness of People's Individual Worlds, Always Respected and Manifested
In the last two centuries "modular" design has produced identical apartments, arranged in typical apartment blocks. The same is true for mass-produced furniture. Uniqueness, which expresses personal needs and whiches, and which springs from the need to adapt and connect ...
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Participation of the Users in the Design Process - Testing and Applying Pattern Languages and Layout Rules
Christopher Alexander believed that people have a right to determine and shape their environment. The genuine and wholehearted involvement of the users in the shaping of their buildings contributes positively to good architecture. It gives life, identity and personal qualities ...
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The Precious Jewel: Letter discussing possible publication of book in English and Japanese; working draft attached
17/03/1993
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Nagoya Forum for Living Environment: A 5-page response to a draft of a letter prepared by Christopher Alexander including analytical comments for possible editing by Hosoi. Prepared in relation to the public speech by Christopher Alexander at the May 26 Forum, Nagoya Meeting for Living Environment, and making suggestions on the ways of organizing the communal effort of support
08/05/1990
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The Shiratori Plan - Low Rise High Density Plan: Table of Contents
14/06/1990
2-page handwritten table of contents that contains a basic outline to six chapters and also an introduction and a conclusion titled “Ending: Our Proposal”. Chapters included: 1) The Wish of the Japanese People as essence of the Human Heart; 2) ...
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Nagoya Forum for Living Environment: "Low or High" - Keynote speech
26/05/1990
Proceedings of the 1st Seminar on Living Environment Nagoya, Japan, Published by Nagoya Living Environment Conference. It icludes Christopher Alexander’s speech on Shiratori Plan.