Dear Kengo Sato

I

First of all, I appreciate the inauguration and the invitation to the PTED Forum. I understand this as a place of dialogue about a small group and its architecture; as tribes (as you define them), migrants, or the diaspora and the design of their architecture and space. It’s an honor to be part of this constructive tryout.

By no doubts, PTED Forum has to inquire the “inhabitation of each individual”, among the question of a “Dwelling-Community” from architectonic, urban and landscape points of view. Which, in the process will probably be modifying some knowledge of these same areas: architecture, urbanism, and landscape.

In order to attend the question of design for a community, you have to be an outsider and at the same time the closest person to the problem, the reason of the concept of each group and what holds them together. Something pretty intricate, but exists, separating one group form another.

II

I share your line of thought about the new “refugees”, after 3.11 tragedy. Key theme that should be attended by PTED, maybe you have more information of innumerous approaches that are given to the affected area, in question of space or architecture. My interest to this specific theme is centered in the architecture as the reflection of the human necessity to have a base for his identity in a geographical or symbolic space or place. I hope you can share your comments on this subject.

As you know, I’m focused in “migration and architecture”, in the process of learning from them, taking as a case study a group of Mexican migrants that crossed Mexican northern border, each individual with the American Dream of building their “own” house, where the dream to have a home became the principal motivation of their actions and a measure that defines their own life. All this starts by distinguishing them, and after that, observing the reflection of their “own” architecture (which is an imaginary built in reality), and then the phase of projection, working a proposal for a social community.

III

As an architectonic reflection, at a conversation of the future of architecture, we still lag with a human prototype that was historically made during the era of the international style, that can become a nobody and it’s an empty illusion. The question: Who is going to dwell in this space? Must be answered.

In the instant that we know the habits of the dwellers, for PTED, a dwelling place can be designed. It’s when space, architecture, city and landscape can start to be cohesive.

This encounter has the same weight for me as the encounter at the epoch of French Revolution (223 years ago), were architects realized the “existence” and the need of designing habitats, homes for people. As of today, I believe there’s a hole, in the universe of architects, the capacity of getting to know the people, and according to their profession they should be known for their understanding of people (In other words, the architecture is designed with eyes closed, without getting to know the people.) This is one key theme that I have perceived, working on the reality of dwelling that the migrants themselves construct in their homeland; Mexico.

Dear Taro Zorrilla

Thank you very much to participate in the forum.

I’m very interested in your works in Mexico. Especially, I was impressed very much by your video work “DREAM HOUSE”, that expressed the identity and the feeling to the place of people whose native place was Mexico through an interview style.

Tribe people, even a small group, who are seeking their own identity to a place and are about to hold their community, clearly have the different phases from that in the modern society which proceeds globalization. Or, they had to obtain the different phase. It was occurred by the situation of the society that did not stop the progress towards modernization.

As you know, it is the fact that Fukushima nuclear accident in East-Japan earthquake on 2011.3.11 was occurred by the world, which blindly accepted the modern technology. Even now, a year and a half later from the accident, the radioactivity on the wind are making damages not only to the near field but also to wider areas. In that case, it occurs new “refugee”. Again, we cannot help thinking a place where they live and base, and such anxiety that has spread throughout Japan including in urban areas, and to the world. It is obvious that design of architecture, urban, and landscape should be made for people with crisis and anxiety now. I think that I would like to continue to working for the problem of Fukushima on the future, in our forum.

I was offered very big suggestions to the problem by your research works about the relationship between Mexican emigrants and their residences. I would like to hear more details about your activities.

ホセ・タロウ・ソリージャ様

フォーラムへの参加どうもありがとうございます。ホセさんのメキシコでのご活躍大変興味深く拝見しております。特に映像作品「DREAM HOUSE」は、インタビューという淡々とした形式の中でメキシコを故郷とする人達の帰属意識と場所への思いがじわじわと伝わってくる、非常に興味深い作品として大変感銘を受けました。

たとえ小さくとも、部族という、ある地域へ自らのアイデンティティを求め、 共同体を保持し続けていこうとする人びとは、グローバリゼーションが進む現代の社会では明らかに位相が異なる存在であり、もしくは異なる位相を持たざ るを得なかったのかもしれません。その位相のズレは、近代化への歩みを止めなかった社会の盲目的な状況によって産み出されたように思えます。

ご存知の通り、昨年2011.3.11の東日本大震災における福島原発事故は、歴然としてそうした盲目的な近代技術世界が産み出したものです。一年半が経過した今でも、現場付近はもちろん、放射能は風に乗って広範囲にその被害は拡大しています。そこでは新たな意味での「難民」が発生しつつあります。自分たちが住む場所、拠点とする場所についてを考えざるを得ません。そして、その不安は都市部も含めた日本全国、世界に広がっています。 これからの建築、都市、そしてランドスケープのデザインが、そうした危機と不安を抱えた人びとのために成されるべきことであるのは明らかです。Fukushimaの問題に対してできることを、私は今後もこの議論の場を借りつつ取り組んでいきたいと思っております。

そして、ホセさんのメキシコ移民と住居をめぐる研究活動から、その課題に対して何か非常に大きな示唆をいただけたようにも思いました。ぜひ、取り組まれている活動に関してより詳しくお聞きしたいです。

Upon organizing and continuing to develop this forum, we will publish the discussion between me, Kengo Sato, from Japan, and Mr. Taro Zorrilla, who is currently working in Mexico City.

We believe that we can share more awareness on the issue we will discuss, by opening our discussion to the public on the Internet.

Mr. Taro interviewed the Mexican people, who migrated to the United States in search of work, and their families, and made a documentary video named "DREAM HOUSE". The Mexican immigrants in accordance with their convention, built their house that they dreamed in thier hometown. However, the social situation in their hometown declined because of the absence of the immigrants, and their "DREAM HOUSE" were forfeited and remained as ruins. Mr. Taro tatched their lives and made the documentary video.

He is currently researching and working on the theme of "Immigration and Architecture" in Mexico today.

http://tarozorrilla.wordpress.com/

　There exist many communities of small scales, who we might call them “small tribes” around the world, and they are working of activities to fight for where and who they belong to. Of course, there are these small tribes too in Japan.In additionto these tribes, it is possible that even the people from Fukushima, suffering from the great earthquake of 2011.3.11 and the nuclear power plant accident that took place last year. The problems related to these small tribes, which exist in all the places around the world, is not something that theycan solve by themselves in their communities. This is a kind of problem that the 21st century world will have to take action for. We believe that the people who work for architecture, urban and landscape designs must also take place in considering this problem for the people of the tribes. In order to actually take actions, We have established Pasific Tribe Envioronmental Design Youth Forum. Firstly, We will set up a homepage to call for participants’ opinions from around the world. We also think that more participants will join this forum through our homepage.

　There exist many communities of small scales, who we might call them “small tribes” around the world, and they are working of activities to fight for where and who they belong to. Of course, there are these small tribes too in Japan.In additionto these tribes, it is possible that even the people from Fukushima, suffering from the great earthquake of 2011.3.11 and the nuclear power plant accident that took place last year. The problems related to these small tribes, which exist in all the places around the world, is not something that theycan solve by themselves in their communities. This is a kind of problem that the 21st century world will have to take action for. We believe that the people who work for architecture, urban and landscape designs must also take place in considering this problem for the people of the tribes. In order to actually take actions, We have established Pasific Tribe Envioronmental Design Youth Forum. Firstly, We will set up a homepage to call for participants’ opinions from around the world. We also think that more participants will join this forum through our homepage.

世界にはあらゆる地域において、小部族とよべる、人びとの小規模な集団組織が存在し、それぞれが自分たちが存在している場所と集団としての帰属をめぐって様々な活動を行なっています。 もちろん日本にも小規模な部族の集団体があります。そしてまた、昨年の震災以降、被災地であるTohoku、そして原発事故の被害を受けたFukushimaもまたそうした社会的な災害の中に陥ってしまう可能性もあります。 地球全体に存在する、それぞれの小部族たちが抱える自立に向けての課題および問題は、単独の地域、集団の中だけで解決するものでは決してありません。これは21世紀の地球全体が抱える課題でもあります。そして、建築、都市、ランドスケープのデザインはそうした人的災害に晒された人びとのために取り組まなければならないものだと思います。 地域を越え、またそれぞれの価値観を横断して課題に取り組む総合的な視野とその組織の場が必要であると考えます。そしてそれには今後の将来を担うべき、世界の若年の創作家・活動者の参加と連帯が必要なのは間違いないでしょう。 以上のような認識のもと、「環太平洋・小部族環境デザイン青年フォーラム（仮称）」を設立いたしました。 まずは、WEB上にHPサイトを開設し、参加者の活動の発表と意見交換の場を設定することから始めたいと思っています。それはまた世界中に幅広い参加を呼びかける窓口にもなるでしょう。