‘Architecture Is for Humanity’: Japanese Professor Hiroto Kobayashi Talks Post-Disaster Design in Rabat

Casablanca – Japanese architect and Keio University Professor Hiroto Kobayashi met with Moroccan architecture students in Rabat on Thursday ahead of a conference on post-earthquake reconstruction and community-centered design.

The event took place at the National School of Architecture, organized with the Japanese Embassy. Kobayashi also spoke to Morocco World News (MWN) about the ideas behind his lecture.

He said he came to present a “self-built building system” that could help people dealing with earthquakes, wars, or other disasters. The approach focuses on structures that communities can build themselves, using simple methods.

“Architecture is for humanity,” he told MWN, insisting that architecture isn’t just about technique. “It should contribute to ordinary people’s lives.”

Kobayashi said he would like to tell students that while they spend years studying design and engineering, the human side of architecture can get lost. His talk focused on how rebuilding after disasters isn’t only about structures, but about helping people feel connected again.

He drew from Japan’s experience, a country used to earthquakes. Traditional wooden buildings are lighter and easier to assemble, which makes them more resistant when the ground shakes.

Japan, he said, has developed strong engineering over time. But, “the most important thing is not technology, but more like a heart, a spirit,” he said.

For Kobayashi, recovery is not just physical. It’s also about rebuilding a sense of belonging within communities.

He said he hopes to share both practical ideas and a piece of Japanese architectural culture with Moroccan students.

Read also: Morocco Rebuilds Over 53,000 Homes After Al Haouz Earthquake

Kobayashi’s advice to Moroccan architect students comes as a critical time. In recent years, Morocco has faced a series of disasters that have put reconstruction at the center of national efforts. 

The September 2023 Al Haouz earthquake killed 2,960 people and injured 5,674, making it the deadliest in decades. It affected more than 2.8 million people and caused damage or destruction to around 59,674 homes, with at least 19,000 collapsing completely.

Reconstruction is still ongoing. Authorities say work has already been completed on 54,425 homes, while construction continues on more than 3,000 others. More than 63,000 families have received emergency financial aid, part of a broader recovery program exceeding MAD 7.2 billion.

In Al Haouz province alone, nearly 24,000 homes have been rebuilt or rehabilitated, with progress surpassing 90% in some areas, though the process is not fully complete.

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