写真補正済
Monday, December 6, 2021 | The Japan Times | 7

sustainable japan

ESG promotional content
produced by The Japan Times Cube

Community ownership central to sustainable design for Mali expert

Preserving heritagein Africa, Japan

Kyoto Seika head Sacko
flexes architecture for all

Name: Oussouby Sacko

Title: President of Kyoto Seika
University
URL: www.kyoto-seika.ac.jp/eng/Hometown: Bamako, Mali
Years in Japan: 30

Leaders & Readers
JOE MUNTALCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Architecture significantly shapes our perception of society. The various elements thatcomprise a piece of architecture — materials,size, aesthetic design — reflect cultural values
and economic development. For instance,
skyscrapers indicate wealth and commercial
activity, while renovated shrines reflect a collective respect for social traditions.
There is one element of architecture, however, that is often overlooked: social utility.
When we come across an impressive building, how often do we raise the question ofwhether the structure benefits its surround-Oussouby Sacko is surrounded by students at
Kyoto Seika University. KYOTO SEIKA
UNIVERSITY

ings or reflects the values of the community?
This relationship between architecture andcommunity is a central theme in the work ofarchitect, researcher and educator Oussouby
Sacko, the current president of Kyoto Seika
University.
Sacko grew up in Bamako, the capital andlargest city in the Republic of Mali, where
he developed an interest in architecture at ayoung age. After graduating from high school,
he received a government scholarship to
study in China, first at the Beijing Language
and Culture University and subsequently
at the Southeast University in Nanjing,where he advanced to a master’s degree inarchitecture.
His first exposure to Japan was throughJapanese classmates, and interactions withthem impelled him to visit in the summer of1990. During his stay, he was charmed by thepoliteness and hospitality of Japanese people
and sensed a potential for greater academic
freedom than was afforded to him in China
at that time. Before completing his master’sstudies, Sacko moved to Osaka to attend aJapanese-language school for six months
and thereafter relocated to Kyoto, where heembarked on the next chapter of his academic career. In Kyoto, Sacko enrolled in anew master program and then continue toa Ph.D. in architecture program at the Kyoto
University Graduate School of Engineering.
It was during his master’s studies that
Sacko developed an interest in sustainablearchitecture. “The direction of my researchshifted towards sustainable spaces,” Sacko
said during an interview with The Japan
Times. “That is, sustainable spaces that take
into account people’s behavior and their wayof thinking.”

In Japan, Sacko’s philosophy regarding
sustainable architecture crystallized. The
notion of community ownership — something lacking in typical modern architecturaldesign, according to him — became a centralaspect of his understanding of sustainable
design. “In modern architecture, which I also
study, we think about projects for urban
areas without really thinking about theirsurroundings; this can include the environment, human behavior or culture,” he said. “I
travel a lot, and sometimes I notice the samebuilding in several different countries, whichtells me that the architects weren’t considering regional specificity when they decided
to build them there. This led me to think
about how we can achieve a more sustainable form of architecture that instills a senseof psychological ownership in locals. For me,
this element is a key aspect of sustainablearchitecture.”
Sacko’s observations in his native country
influenced his understanding of sustainable design. He described how in Mali there
can be up to 70 people living in the same
house, circumstances that have given form
to unique ways of sharing space. “In thisspace, efficiency is impossible,” he said, “butwhen we surveyed 200 families, we foundthat they had developed an unusual wayof cohabitation. Depending on the time ofday, a space may be used as a living room, akitchen or something else entirely. However,despite this situation, the residents don’t
build physical barriers between each other.”
These findings have inspired Sacko andother Mali architects to develop architectural solutions that complement the cultureof cohabitation in Mali households, rather
than simply import notions of typical living

Oussouby Sacko is president of Kyoto
Seika University.
Sacko grew up in Bamako, the capitalof the Republic of Mali. After graduating from high school, he went to China
to study at Beijing Language and Culture
University. He subsequently attended
the Southeast University in Nanjing,where he majored in architecture.
Sacko moved to Japan in 1991 andearned his Ph.D. in architecture at theKyoto University Graduate School ofEngineering, Department of Architecture.
A common theme throughout his work
as a researcher, educator and architectis the relationship between architecture and community ownership. He isinvolved in numerous projects, including
the preservation of machiya (traditionalwooden townhouses) in Kyoto and thepreservation and renovation of world
cultural heritage sites in Western Africa.
In his free time, Sacko enjoys socializing and meeting new people. He also
takes pleasure in reading novels andwatching television shows that provide
glimpses into different cultures.

KYOTO SEIKA UNIVERSITY

arrangements from developed nations. “Atfirst, people might be excited to be in a fashionably designed building, but if they don’t
feel a sense of psychological ownership, thisexcitement will quickly fade away if the newbuilding doesn’t accommodate their culture
and actually improve their living environment,” he explained.
Sacko’s emphasis on integrated cohabitation and psychological ownership extends
to the initiatives he has promoted as president of Kyoto Seika University, a position heassumed in 2018 after nearly two decadesof work as a lecturer and professor. In Japan,

there is a tendency among universities tomake clear distinctions between Japanese
students and international students via separate degree tracks or separate support offices
specifically catered to international students.
As president of Kyoto Seika University,
Sacko has promoted initiatives to remove
these distinctions and fully integrate the university so that Japanese and international
students feel they have equal ownership of
their learning environment.
“For instance, in Japan, universities generally have separate exams for foreign nationals,” Sacko said. “So, what we did was open

all the exams to foreign nationals. The results
were interesting because, for the first time,
prospective international students wereable to compete with Japanese students on alevel playing field, whereas before they were
only able to compete among themselves. We
found that some foreign nationals surpassed
Japanese students in terms of Japaneselanguage ability and in other fields such asmanga or mathematics. Japan had nevergiven international students that chance
before.”Sacko will finish his first term as presidentof Kyoto Seika University this academicyear. It is not yet decided whether he will
be appointed to a second term, but looking toward the future, he hopes to utilize hisexperiences in Japan to help improve theeducational environments of universities inthe developing world.

Nihonryori Takamura

Edo-style dining in Akita on the Sea of Japan coast

Address
Nihonryori Takamura
1-7-31 Omachi, Akita, Akita Pref.
010-0921, Japan
https://www.akita-takamura.jp/

ROBBIE SWINNERTONCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Hidden away in the residential backstreetsof Akita, Nihonryori Takamura sets itself
well apart from the brash dining and drinking establishments in the center of the city.
This is intentional: Here you find a very
different style of cuisine from the hearty
regional specialties on the menus of otherlocal restaurants.
Chef Hiroki Takamura learned his craft inTokyo at the legendary Takohachi, one of
the last remaining high-end restaurants inthe capital devoted to Edo ryōri, the subtle
but sophisticated cuisine that developed in
the capital during the days of the shoguns.
Since returning to his hometown some 22years ago, Takamura has kept that tradition
alive while keeping abreast of contemporarytastes.
Instead of individual private dining chambers, he serves his meals in kappō style,overlooking his open kitchen. The multicourse menu comprises a series of dishes
artfully plated and carefully calibrated to theseason. One of the “new Edo ryōri” dishes
Takamura has developed is kabura mochi,
turnip that is pureed, set into a cube, thengrilled and topped with caviar and gold leaf.
Another signature dish features hinai

PAGE: 7jidori, Akita’s renowned local breed ofchicken. Takamura starts the cooking process at the back of the kitchen, then finishes
it over a mizu konro charcoal grill that hewheels right up to the counter, allowing
guests to observe and savor the aromas fromclose up.

From the delicate ceramics and lacquerware and premium local sake pairings tothe visceral pleasure of watching your meal
being prepared in front of you, it is this blendof refinement and personal attention thatmakes Takamura’s eight-seat counter themost coveted reservation in the city.

NORIHISA SATAKEAKITA GOVERNOR

MOTOMU HOZUMIAKITA MAYOR

We are very pleased that
Nihonryori Takamura has
been selected for the “Japanese restaurant list for people from around the world,chosen by Japanese people.”
Akita has an abundance of seasonal wild
vegetables and fish, livestock products suchas the renowned hinai jidori chicken breed
raised in a rich natural environment, and along history of fermented foods and sakeproduced by famous breweries.
We hope that through chef Hiroki Takamura, the last inheritor of Edo cuisine, suchmarvelous sake and food can be enjoyed bypeople from all over the world.

We are very happy that
Nihonryori Takamura in
the city of Akita has been
included in the “Japaneserestaurant list for people
from around the world, chosen by Japanesepeople.” This is great news for our food andbeverage industry, which is facing a difficult
situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city of Akita, blessed with rich nature,
is a treasure trove of delicious food throughout the four seasons. We hope people fromall over the world will take this opportunity
to visit Akita and enjoy the cuisine of chef
Hiroki Takamura, who is called the last inheritor of Edo cuisine.