INDEX
A budding new culture brought by redevelopments
Ginn: The redevelopment may change the flow of the wind and the temperature of the city, which may have no small effect on expressive activities.
Nomura: Yes, that’s right. There are pros and cons to redevelopment, but I think there is a possibility that the creation of a new location will trigger the emergence of new forms of expression. For example, until now, the flow of people around Tenjin was cut off in the Tenjin-kita area, and they did not go beyond that area to the ocean side to have fun. However, with the redevelopment of Tenjin-kita and the Suzaki Park area beyond, cafes and halls will be built, making it easier to stroll to the ocean side. Perhaps as a precursor to this, I have heard that young people are beginning to gather at Bayside Place Hakata, a facility on the seaside that until now has rarely been used as a playground.
Ginn: The BOAT collective, of which you are a member, also uses the same area for its studios, right?
Nomura: That’s right. Our studio was in an area where no one passed by on the street in front of it at night! I hope that more and more people will come to Bayside Place Hakata and do something creative!
Ginn: I think that’s a good point.
Ginn: I remember a similar example in Bangkok, where the city is changing due to the flow of people. There is a huge market called “Chatuchak Weekend Market” that is open only on Saturdays and Sundays, and there is a building adjacent to it called “Bangsue Junction”. It was originally a building that did not attract young people because of its red exterior, and it had antiques, furnishings, and furniture stores on the first three floors. Then the young people who go to Chatuchak started going there in the evening. People began to gather there, so we decided to turn the third floor into a secondhand clothing market as well, and secondhand clothing stores began to move in on the third floor, and finally the fifth floor was also occupied by secondhand clothing stores.
