Florian Beigel, Baca Architects and Architecture Sans Frontières in RIBA workshop

British and Japanese architects are taking part in two events at the RIBA today exploring ways of reconstructing the large areas of Japan devastated by last year’s earthquake and tsunami.  

A specialist workshop moderated by William Mann, from Witherford Watson Mann Architects, will look at some of the processes the Japan Institute of Architects (JIA) went through in the immediate aftermath of disaster.

It will also address technical solutions, the role of the architect, how to encourage citizens to participate in redevelopment proposals.

The British panellists include Florian Beigel, from the Architectural Research Unit, Richard Coutts, from Baca Architects, and Matthew Barac from Architecture Sans Frontières and London South Bank University.

The Japense panellists include Shoichi Haryu, head of the reconstruction team in Miyagi and Junichiro Matsumoto, head of the reconstruction team in north-east Japan, and the architect Yoko Yanagisawa.

This evening a public debate hosted by Angela Brady will consider some of the same issues.