Horikawa Cherry Blossom Festival Student Competition: Urban Life and Water Environment
The Horikawa Cherry Blossom Festival Student Competition, organized by the Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration, focused on the theme of urban life and the water environment. The competition aimed to explore the relationship between people, the city, and the Horikawa River, a significant open space in Kyoto. The river has historically played a vital role in the formation of the city, providing water for drinking and agriculture, serving as a power source and transportation route, and holding religious significance. As the city developed, flood control became a necessity to protect residents. Today, the water and greenery of rivers are valued for enriching urban life, especially in cities where people have become disconnected from water. The competition sought proposals from students on how to revitalize the Horikawa River as a landmark of Kyoto.
The competition process began with registration in March 1999. An opinion exchange meeting was held on March 8th, bringing together participating students and local stakeholders, including members of the Horikawa and Horikawa Street Beautification Association and the Kyoto Horikawa Lions Club. Students presented their initial revitalization ideas, receiving feedback and advice. Submissions were accepted from April 5th to 9th, followed by a presentation and judging session on April 13th. Four teams presented their proposals, each leveraging their specialized knowledge. The judging was conducted by approximately 20 local residents who voted to determine the winners. An awards ceremony and symposium took place on April 18th at the Jōson Junior High School gymnasium as part of the Horikawa Cherry Blossom Festival. The symposium featured a panel discussion on the future of Horikawa, moderated by Professor Hirotsugu Nakagawa of Ritsumeikan University.
The results saw the Morita Laboratory from Kyoto Institute of Technology win the Grand Prize for their proposal 'Horikawa Revitalization Plan: Rediscovery of Waterside Space'. The Excellence Awards were presented to the Landscape Laboratory from Ritsumeikan University, the Inchiki Keikaku Kenkyūshitsu from Kyoto Seika University, and the Geitan Team from Kyoto College of Art. A free collection of all submitted works was published and is available upon request from the center.
