REVITALIZING VANCOUVER’S JAPANTOWN: AN ARCHITECTURAL RESPONSE TO JAPANESE FOOD

Abstract

This thesis endeavors to create an architecture that will contribute to the revitalization of Vancouver’s Japantown, mending severed cultural ties between the community and this historically significant neighborhood. Building upon the success of the Powell Street Japanese Cultural Festival, this project proposes a series of architectural interventions that will re-establish a Japanese-Canadian presence and serve as the catalyst for future phases of development. Focusing on the processes and rituals that permeate Japanese culture, the design seeks to celebrate the act of making at both the neighborhood and building scales. The initial phase of development concentrates on the preparation and consumption of Japanese foodstuffs and their potential to mitigate existing urban maladies.