BA is the booklet series mainly introducing ‘Bokatai Kenchiku,’ or firebreak belt buildings in Yokohama. ‘The firebreak belt building (FBB)’ means each building of the firebreak building belt plan to build new fireproof cities in Japan after the 2nd world war. Most of them are unknown, but should be recognized as the unique proto-type of urban architecture born in the age of postwar revival in Japan in regard to the joint construction program with the governments and the local community, and to the characteristic block type building shape.
Compared to many of the FBB in other local cities as basically a linear development along the main street, the extraordinary feature of FBB in Yokohama was more ‘spread’ urban planning with block buildings. About 400 buildings were constructed at that time, and now about half of them still seem to exist. But they have been being demolished one to another mainly because of damage and financial reason.
The intention of this series is to record and understand the physical reality of each firebreak belt building, by collecting documents, research for the real building, hearing to the people concerned. It is also expected to reconsider the firebreak belt buildings as an urban architecture movement, and to investigate new urban architectural typology for the future.
The contents are based on the researches by the graduate students in ‘Architectural Planning Theory 1’ in 2013 and 2014 of the Graduate School of Architecture, Kanagawa University. It is tried to record by drawings and photographs as precise as possible. The commentary text is attached to understand and to classify the features of each building.
(From preface in series of BA)