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Historic Preservation in a High Tech Country |
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The Summer of 2010 again offered an opportunity to join the historic preservation trip with Professor Matt Jarosz. Selection for the 2010 excursion is set but the opportunity for the program's expansion is in the works. Now in its sixth year, SARUP students are traveling to document historic sites in three major Japanese urban centers: Tokyo, the current seat of government and the home of the Imperial Palace, Osaka, the nation's Industrial capital and Kyoto, the historical capital of this rapidly changing nation. Historic Preservation in a High Tech Country offers a dynamic examination of "a country struggling to retain its heritage in the midst of overwhelming social and technological change." Three weeks of travel will take students across the spectrum of Japanese culture. Visits to ancient castles, Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples contrast the technologically advanced architecture of a country fighting for space.  |
The topic of historic preservation remains the primary focus but encounters with some of the most architecturally advanced buildings on the planet are unavoidable; Japan's skyscrapers are rapidly encroaching on the vernacular structures of a unique cultural treasure. Once abroad, the students' itinerary is organized around site visits and class discussions that review the use of new materials and consider the active changes of advanced construction techniques. Students are afforded an opportunity to contemplate how this rapidly changing environment effects the development of solutions to problems such as space, parking and public safety in the light of preserving the original architecture of the region. Organized tours, guided by Prof. Jarosz along with his Japanese colleagues, give students the insight of experienced views and personal interpretations to understand some of these pressing issues. Having taken students to Japan since 1996, Prof. Jarosz is very familiar with the customs and traditions of the region. While abroad, lodgings range from modern hotels to Japanese shrines with traditional accommodations on rustic futon frames and tatami mats. All course work is taught in English and students are given the opportunity to work closely with their counterparts from other schools. In the past, graduates and undergraduates from Harvard, MIAD and the Pratt Institute of Architecture have accompanied the SARUP group. In 2008, a coalition with students at Wakayama University was formed to photograph, draw and thoroughly document an ancient public marketplace. The continuation of this work is currently underway in Milwaukee to interpret the information collected. Prof. Jarosz is overseeing the progressive stages of transformation for these documentary excursions. From measured drawings to digital files and eventually to laser cut wooden models, it is amazing to see the physical documentation of historically significant architecture from across the globe. Student work from this preservation course is a true example of the dynamic circumstances existing in Japan's advanced technological environment. This trip provides an interesting outlook into issues affecting nearly all of the world today. As the rapid pace of technology increases, the need for new construction weighs against adaptive reuse programs for existing structures. Japan is unique when viewed in the light of spacial considerations. The increased pressure of population density is weighing heavily against the traditional buildings of the past. Lessons learned from this short term abroad can be applied to architectural renovations at home. Because time and efficiency is of the essence while traveling abroad, the exercises and lessons learned in Japan teach the eye to be observant of the uniqueness of our local vernacular architecture. In addition, architecture from the far east has been influencing the ideas of many great western architects for many years. Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropius and Bruno Taut understood the balanced spacial compositions that encourage serenity and solitude within the observer. Prof. Jarosz is offering an opportunity to learn architectural concepts at many levels of design education. Take a look at the information available on the photo gallery page for this trip; Students visit a wide range of sites, from the historical to the technological. For more information about Professor Jarosz's historical preservation work and about upcoming trips to Japan, feel free to stop by AUP 372 or email Prof. Matt Jarosz at mjarosz@uwm.edu
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