List of subjects

Advanced Project 1, 2015
"Rejuvenation of Old Dhaka, focusing on the Integration of Heritage Sites with the Urban Fabric of Old Dhaka"

This project program aims learning research method and manner for solving some problems from the global perspective through the field survey. This project chooses Old Dhaka in Bangladesh as the field. Dhaka is a capital city of more than 400 years and Old Dhaka is the heritage area. Less effort has been given for the preservation, and to create awareness of these heritage buildings and sites during any development plan.
(This Project with BUET- KU Collaborative Studio in EEP(Enhanced Education Program in Kyushu University))

Advanced Project 1, 2014
"The Social Research of Current Situation and Issue of Kasahara, Yame district after Flood disaster of July, 2012"

This project program aims learning research method and manner of field survey thorough experiment of basic research and analysis works.

Advanced Project 1, 2013
"The sustainable possibilities of Yusuhara-cho, Kouchi prefecture"

This project program aims learning research method and manner of field survey thorough experiment of basic research and analysis works. The research was carried out with three theme; Local groups that support the Kagura,
Time line research on topic of Re-vitalization, and local and outer group that support the mountain terraced paddy.

Advanced Project 1, 2012
"The regional character of Yusuhara-cho, Kouchi prefecture"

This project program aims learning research method and manner of field survey thorough experiment of basic research and analysis works. Yusuhara-cho is a small town in the mountains suffering from depopulation. The students have surveyed current situation, history and space and summarized basic characteristics of town.

The objective of this course is to be able to apply the information learned in the design psychology evaluation method, disaster management system design, and statistical investigation analytical method, which are in the field of environmental design technology. To achieve this objective, the course covers exercises, including the simulation of the visual environment, structural design, and an analysis of test data using performance tests and statistical analyses of construction materials that are needed in construction management while imagining the flow of the design and construction of buildings.

Advanced Project 2, 2015,2014
Step 1

The simulation of illumination inside and outside of a building based on the radiosity method using shades

Step 2

The exercise of the structural design of small-scale low-rise RC building using an integrated program of structural computation

Step 3

Nondestructive strength test of concrete using a rebound hammer Statistical analysis of the result of strength test (the calibration of differences in population means, estimate of zones, variance analysis, multiple comparison, and other analyses)

Advanced Project 3, 2015
"The sustainable possibilities of Munakata"
A case study in Munakata-city, Fukuoka Prefecture Project programs offer methods to identify the values of local resources and to sustain or design the local environment so that it can be passed down to future generations, selecting Munakata-city, Fukuoka Prefecture as a subject of study. Through a field trip, students acquire basic research manners and attitudes, and understand the local conditions. After research-planning, students conduct research in groups, review their findings, and make announcements about their results at the local site.

Advanced Project 3, 2014
"What can we do to conserve the local characteristics for 300 years?"

A case study in Yame-city, Fukuoka Prefecture

Project programs offer methods to identify the values of local resources and to sustain or design the local environment so that it can be passed down to future generations, selecting Yame-city,Fukuoka Prefecture as a subject of study.
Through a field trip, students acquire basic research manners and attitudes, and understand the local conditions.
After research-planning, students conduct research in groups, review their findings, and make announcements about their results at the local site.

Advanced Project 3, 2013
Title: Restoration from the great earthquake of Higashi Nihon: a case of Kawauchi Village, Fukushima

After 2 years since the earthquake, there are many areas where little restoration has been completed. Along with the damage caused by tsunami, the melt down of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant has and will cause long-lasting influences on human life.

This project chooses Kawauchi Village as the subject of study for the village has declared to implement an official policy to promote former residents who evacuated the village to avoid nuclear radiation, to come back to the village. This project study the progress of the return of the former residents and of the restoration from the damage. It analyzes ways in which the rehabilitation of people’s lives.

Advanced Project 3, 2012

Title: To know, to see and to think about the great earthquake of Higashi Nihon

The 2011 great earthquake caused damages so serious that rehabilitation from them in a short time can be very difficult. Although we, living in Kyushu, are little affected, we as members of the society are obliged to know what exactly happened there then. The problem caused by the earthquake is so overwhelming as no one can propose effective solution to it. It is difficult for a short project including this one to devise specific proposal to the problem. Therefore, the objective of this project is set to know actual cases of damages in the field and to about the nature of the problem.

Landforms and climates formed within the eternal passage of time fused with the diverse evolution and survival of plants and animals, generating nature, ecosystems, and landscapes unique to each region. Furthermore, created through the destruction of natural forests and subsequent historical management and usage of the forests as fuel wood or farm forests, secondary nature/forest also excellent seasonal scenery and great diversity is highly evaluated not only as a place for leisure activities and amenities but also for its multifaceted environmental conservation functions as well as its roles in CO2 fixation and as a biomass energy. However, due to the fuel revolution and diffusion of imported wood, management of secondary forests and conifer plantations were abandoned, and the impoverishment of cultural landscapes, diversity, and multifaceted environmental conservation functions have become issues. In this subject, students are taught about sustainable conservation and utilization methods that enhance the various functions of these nature/forest heritages as well as about social collaboration systems that support these activities.

Focus is placed on interpreting rural (agricultural village area) and urban landscape configurations from an ecological perspective. In this course, the landscape is regarded as the overall system for a space over which different ecological systems (landscape elements) are distributed in a mosaic. Through a macrocosmic understanding of landscapes—including how human activity affects and changes landscape configuration and ecological functions/processes, as well as human sensibilities and culture—students acquire methods for clarifying landscape configurations, functions, and change processes in various locations, from natural environments to urban areas. Students also learn about the relationships between ecological/social processes and landscapes, as well as ecological designs based on each of these.

The rise of worldwide globalization and high-level information environments is continually transforming our thinking regarding the public nature of art. At the same time, in a broad range of fields—including education, healthcare, welfare, and information services—there is a need for the power of artistic culture. Furthermore, the role of artistic culture in the revitalization of regional society in which residents take the initiative in activities as well as in participatory urban planning is also broadening. In addition, collaboration between the creation of cutting-edge expressive activities and the cultural resources and environments unique to regional society is developing while at the same time strengthening mutual collaboration and confluent relationships to an unprecedented degree. Looking at this background, this subject discusses the extremely close interrelationship and complementation between artistic culture and the living environment in search of the potential and issues for improving artistic cultural environments in the future.

In this subject, students learn about the concept and mechanisms of intangible cultural properties, the protection of which has been undertaken by Japan ahead of other countries of the world through the establishment of the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties, and are provided with an overview of the philosophy and history underlying the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage; the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which has been ratified and put into effect recently by UNESCO ; and the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, etc. In addition, students also learn about the future outlook and role to be played in the international community by Japan in this field.

From historical debates concerning the protection of cultural properties in Japan and the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, students study the philosophical question why heritage has to be protected and changes in various ethics views regarding heritage conservation, as well as ultimate destination for today

In order to appreciate historical values of cities and architecture correctly, it is required to have basic knowledge of society, culture and techniques of the past; in addition to the wide perspectives and imagination. This program aims to provide insight into perspectives of historical studies and research method of historical documents through the study of papers and documents about Japanese urban and architectural history.

In order to manage a diverse range of natural, agricultural, and urban landscapes formed based on relationships of mutual dependence between the actions of nature and the activities of people as valuable heritage that can be passed down to future generations, comprehensive and deliberate approaches for protecting/conserving or restoring/creating/utilizing landscapes are required. Through the presentation of actual examples and discussion, the subject aims to enable students to understand and evaluate the landscapes in terms of time perspective, sustainability, physical design, and social framework, etc., as well as discover landscape elements that contribute to the formation of excellent landscapes and design issues; set survey/research methods; and develop the ability to construct planning/design processes.

In this subject, students learn various methods for conducting surveys that show the value of urban heritage and architectural heritage, methods for planning the preservation of urban heritage that maintains its value, and methods for planning the preservation/restoration of architectural heritage that restores its value and for designing landscaping for other architectural heritage structures in order to achieve the preservation/restoration and utilization/maintenance of urban heritage and the architectural heritage that this comprises.

It is said that tourism will become a “global force” (power to change the world) in the 21st century. First of all, the subject explains the essence of tourism as an intercultural exchange phenomenon, then provides a summary of various theories and types that play a key role in tourism; following this, changes in paradigms related to forms of heritage preservation and tourism in Japan and the international community in recent years are explained based on UNESCO and ICOMOS declarations and charters. In addition to gaining a concrete awareness of these theories, students learn about the role played by tourism development in heritage management and the results achieved, as well as problems and issues, based on case examples of natural, cultural, and intangible heritage both in Japan and overseas in order to promote their understanding of the destination point for building sustainable relationships between heritage and tourism in modern times.

This subject examines social systems and environmental policies for sustainable societies. In particular, students learn about environmental economic evaluations related to regional social systems in regional societies where the coexistence of nature and humans is a direct and concrete issue; the forms of collaboration required for promoting the creation of sustainable environments through resident participation; the human training (environmental education) required for supporting these activities; and regional environmental policies incorporating social and economic methods for encouraging residents to take action.

The aim of this subject is to discuss using theories and case examples issues related to the effective implementation of international cooperation from a cultural perspective, focusing on development assistance— which is currently at the core of Japan’s international cooperation. Development assistance is a place where cultures with different values and customs meet and collaborate. In order for such international cooperation projects to achieve their goals, management that is considerate of local cultural diversity is essential. Thus the subject first of all explains to students the concept of culture, promoting understanding of these characteristics, and then explains changes in the history, purpose, and targets of international cooperation. Through various case examples of international cooperation activities, classes discuss the ideal form of international cooperation rooted in cultural understanding, as well as the potential of external involvement and cooperative methods.

History of modern heritage conservation movement will be briefly discussed. Through reviewing several international charters on heritage conservation enacted in modern and contemporary periods such as Venice Charter, Nara Document on Authenticity, Burra Charter etc., how international efforts have been consolidated and developed will be discussed.

The aim of this subject is to allow students to explore educational considerations for design education through educational theories and case studies. As the role of design is expanding in scope and depth, students will explore the characteristics of design education in Japan and overseas; and engage into discussions and presentations to re-define and re-design education for design learning in areas such as environmental design or other specific areas of design learning in response to social, environmental and technological developments. The knowledge and skills obtained from this course will be applicable for students who aspire to explore new possibilities in the study of environmental and heritage related design education. Students from other specializations are also welcome in this course to explore new possibilities in design education to create the integrative learning of design.

By translating more highly positioned strategies regarding religion, government, economics, and culture into spatial words, all kinds of city projects and building projects are established. By gaining understanding of historically typical projects that shaped today’s urban environment from the perspective of strategy, students acquire the ability to achieve project self-understanding by asking themselves questions such as “How is the strategy of the project in which I was involved different from past strategies?” “How should the project be positioned?” and “What logic should I build up that will persuade others?”

Through discussions and presentations students in this subject acquire the know-how necessary for creating designs for carrying out projects and managing processes leading to success based on case examples of a wide array of projects.

In this subject, natural landscapes in forest ecospheres—such as forests, wo odlands, and agricultural land—are regarded as land-coverage phenomena that come into being through balance between the power of nature or direction of ecological transition and disturbances caused by human activity; re-vegetation and landscape management technologies based on forest ecosystems and the conservation and formation of pleasant green spaces are discussed.

This course explores global environmental policies from the perspectives of environmental science and international rules. The course consists of three sections. The first section covers international rules concerning climate change (the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol). The second section covers methods to calculate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The third section covers the exercise to compute the amount of greenhouse gas emissions around us. The objective of this course is to learn about methods to calculate and evaluate the amount of CO2 emissions based on basic information concerning the history of global environmental issues, international rules, and evaluations.

From the perspective that the advancement of technological development is closely related to various developments in the past (technological heritage), changes in production technologies/production organization that have created buildings (including construction and architecture), technological transformations and the factors acting in/results of these transformations, and public/private efforts to improve quality are clarified, and students learn about not only direct technological development but also the ideal form of future technological development within the relationship between technology and society. Specifically, factors in technology expansion are identified using concrete examples concerning timber materials, concrete, and steel structures, and the diffusion of technology/necessity and historical expansion of quality control are examined.

In this subject, students learn methods for diagnosing the earthquake resistance of buildings/structures as well as earthquake retrofitting methods aimed at maintaining and passing buildings/structures on to future generations from the perspective of earthquake-proofing existing unfit buildings/structures that do not meet current seismic capacity targets. Students identify the degree of danger of existing unfit buildings/structures being destroyed by earthquake damage in recent years and gain an understanding of the mechanical meaning of structural capacity indicators used for measuring the degree of danger for reinforced concrete structures as well as calculation methods. Moreover, through experiments, students also identify the strength and deformation performance of vertical bearing materials in pillars, etc., which are necessary for identifying the degree of danger. They also gain an understanding of specific types of retrofitting techniques and their characteristics through retrospective case examples of earthquake retrofitting.

In order to study people-driven environmental design, students learn design evaluation methods based on environmental psychology survey methods using case examples of retrospective human environment research. In design, it is essential to appropriately understand both the human side and environmental side, as well as the relationship between the two. Here, the main methods used to identify needs are the SD method, assessment grid method, and caption evaluation method; in addition to photographs, the evaluation media examined include video and computer graphics. Students deepen their understanding through discussions with the aim of becoming able to use various theories and methods for design support. With regard to the design side, students deepen their understanding in regard to descriptions of environments in relation to the five senses.

The influences of pesticides, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including Dioxins in environments and perfumes contained in daily necessaries like foods and detergents are being interested all around the world. On the other hand, concern has arisen about the security because of many recent terrorism-related incidents using explosive substances or the nerve agents. Accurate measuring of these chemicals is very important to recognize the behavior in environments and evaluate the risks. This class introduces about the environmental analysis methods under development, the requirement theories and the prediction methods.

In thinking about timeless environmental design, it is highly necessary to also consider the climate of each region and the microclimate of the specific location. The subject aims to enable students to deepen their knowledge of the factors that affect the thermal environment of a region becoming capable of applying various countermeasures to regional thermal environmental designs.

With regard to living spaces such as facilities related to housing, transportation, business, commercial, tourist, etc., as well as plazas, parks, and roads, it is possible to present comfortable places by preparing physical elements (spatial elements) that are appealing to the user. Focusing on the role played by these spatial elements in creating living spaces, students acquire “practical methods for designing appealing and most-appropriate people-spatial element relationships” based on relationships with the space design business through lectures and presentations.

Lifestyle changes due to the aging of society, declining birthrate, and internationalization, diversification of, and changes to public services provided to city residents, and changes in the regional society and the nature of communality also bring about major changes in architectural spaces. In this subject, students envisage architectural structures tailored to users’ new lifestyles and purposes based on basic knowledge regarding architectural planning and spatial design, appropriately evaluating skills that can be newly proposed as well as various architectural spaces that can be newly proposed for the above contexts and acquiring the ability to distinguish and choose items with future potential through lectures and presentations.