SPATIAL MEMORY & ARCHITECTURE

This research investigates the built environment as a layered historical record, addressing built structure rather than surface, object, or temporary system: the architectural remnants through which political, economic, and social histories become materially embedded in cities. Current research maps Japanese colonial architecture across Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong and China, examining how structures from the same imperial period survive, are absorbed, demolished, or misread across different national contexts. Research also documents post-war industrial barracks housing in Tokyo and lesser-known buildings facing demolition across Asian cities. A central argument is that architectural heritage is not limited to monumental or officially recognised structures. Ordinary buildings carry collective memory, urban identity, and social history that is lost when redevelopment frameworks apply purely aesthetic or economic criteria to preservation decisions.

Projects and archives:
Japanese Colonial Architecture mapping, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and China, 2019 to present
Sumida Ward Vernacular field research, Tokyo, 2023 and 2024
Post-war industrial barracks architecture documentation, Tokyo, 2023 and 2024
Redevelopment heritage advocacy, ongoing