An experiment in urban regeneration using culture and art in Senba, Osaka's historic urban center, with a focus on the regeneration of urban space

Urban regeneration through the use of culture and art is attracting the attention of many cities throughout the world. In this article, the author, through his specialty of urban planning, considers the potential for utilizing culture and art from the perspective of investigating new directions in urban regeneration. A case study has been conducted regarding Senba, the historic urban center of Osaka, Japan that has basically maintained its district structure and, as the heart of Osaka, assumed its place as an economic center for over 400 years, its experiment in urban regeneration through culture and art, and its development and process. The results of this experiment clearly show that along with attempting to expand the sharing of the meaning and value of resources lying dormant in the historic urban center through the medium of the arts, there has also been a substantive advance in the kind of urban regeneration known as area management, in which there has been a revitalization and diversification of activities geared toward urban regeneration as well as an increase in participants. Furthermore, through such means, the article shows prospects on the future form of urban regeneration in the historic center.