Communal Space and Norms of Environment Preservation in villages in Okinawa, History and Prospects of Reconstruction

Research Project

Project/Area Number	10650611
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Town planning/Architectural planning
Research Institution	UNIVERSITY OF THE RYUKYUS
Principal Investigator	SHIMIZU Hajime University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Engineering, Associate Professor, 工学部, 助教授 (40244280)
Project Period (FY)	1998 – 1999
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1999)
Budget Amount *help	¥2,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000) Fiscal Year 1999: ¥1,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000) Fiscal Year 1998: ¥1,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000)
Keywords	village / community / norms / Okinawa / 共有性 / 環境保全規範
Research Abstract	Purpose of research is to investigate on communal space and norms of environment preservation in villages of Okinawa. From viewpoint of environment villages in Okinawa can be divided into 3 types, Yanbaru type, Limestone plateau type and Risen coral reef type. Limestone plateau type villages have undergone fatal war damage and reconstruction period and rapid urbanization. Therefore this type is considered as an appropriate subject of investigation for the purpose of consideration on contemporary problems. Through analysis of records on state of villages before the W.W.II, battle of Okinawa, an prototype is distinguished, which has common spaces inside villages and small hills on northern side. According to the records of "Muranai-ho", community rules in Okinawan community, existence of norms of environment preservation as community rules is confirmed. Village communities owns common places, which is one of the result of historical particulars of Okinawa prefecture. Common places as properties are important elements of villages, on the other hand there are problems to correspond to changing composition of community. Small green zones which are important environmental elements of village are decreasing gradually after the War. According to case study in detail of an village, the decreases have background of complicated historical particulars of villages, which is the state of army post in village common space and sacred areas, fatal destruction of village during the battle of Okinawa and reconstruction process after the War. Considering the reconstruction of norms of environment preservation, importance of regeneration of common space and reform of community is confirmed.