Why “communities” rather than “cities” or “towns”?

When Rokukaku-ya creates new places, it chooses to call them “communities” because it envisages regional locations that are away from cities and are consolidated over a certain area. In the past, such places used to be highly populated, bustling and prosperous, but they are now experiencing population decline and are losing vitality. In other words, by rediscovering the attraction of places that have a culturally rich foundation, we aim to newly build beautiful communities that also connect to the next generation.
　　
I want to talk about the things that Rokukaku-ya places importance on when building beautiful communities.
　　

①Design
It is my fundamental belief that the external appearance of architecture does not belong to the individual. Even if buildings may differ in terms of minor details, they have more beauty if their basic materials, size and other aspects are unified. Even when building from scratch, I like to pursue harmony by referring to old buildings that already exist in the area and using the local materials and technologies.
　　
②Natural environment
Whatever the location, every area surely had lifestyles that harmonized with the local natural environment. Whether it be a place surrounded by mountains, an oceanside location, a locale that becomes buried in deep snow and so on, such characteristics gave rise to the vocations that prospered there. Many such vocations have declined in line with advances in science and technology, the changing modes of distribution, and other trends of the times. If possible, I want to unearth and revise such vocations and bring them back to life in a modern guise. I want to envisage new lifestyles that allow people to live in harmony with nature.
　　
③History
Nowadays there is a lot of talk about the SDGs. What is a sustainable society? I think that history can offer hints to answering this question. I believe that the things that are truly important when people gather and live together can be found above all among the things that have been discarded over the course of history from the past to the present. By taking a positive view of these things, I hope to explore activities that each individual can engage in within communities.
　　
④Authentic vs. fake
What is authentic, and what is fake? I believe that authentic things get better over time, whereas fake things deteriorate. In that sense, I only want to use authentic materials in community buildings. To help people arrive at a better realization of this difference, I first hope to present small but radiant models.
　　
⑤Health
The value of good health cannot be considered separately from ways of life or lifestyles. Speaking personally, I am looking for another base in addition to the place I currently live in. That’s because I want to feel the changing seasons and be active in ways that I cannot do in the city. Rather than simply going to a gym, I want to be active in ways that are natural, for example, by working in fields, cleaning things, keeping a dog or doing other work that goes with living in a community. I hope to find a place where I can realize this, and I want communities to function as such places.
　　
⑥Drama
A community can also be regarded as a “setting”, and the people who gather and live there may be viewed as the “actors”. A community should offer a place of belonging to all people, and such a setting should make people become active. Drama can be found not only in impressive occasions out of the ordinary such as festivals but also in everyday life. I want to create settings where people naturally wish to “be cool”, that is, settings that exude such coolness.