This weekend, the community members of Akahama and volunteers from Tokyo have installed all three remaining stairs. The master carpenter, Mr. Hoshino, will build the arcade over these stairs next weekend.
Community leader, Mr. Okamoto, and volunteers cutting the ground for treads.
@Landing
One of three stairs that they completed this weekend.
The spring finally arrived in Tohoku, and we're ready to resume the phase two of the Akahama Covered Alley project. We're going to build the stairs this weekend with the local community members and volunteers from Tokyo. After we complete three sets of the stairs, we'll start constructing the arcade to finish the project. A community leader, Mr. Okamoto, told us that the first set of the covered stairs has been very useful during the snowy winter. He also mentioned that everybody appreciates the high quality of work and its beauty in their dreary temporary housing complex.
Photos by Shizuyo Shiba, taken in April 2012
The first phase of the covered stairs completed on January 6, 2012.
The contractor built this beautiful staircase using local lumber and traditional building technique.
Now we are going to finish constructing three more of these to connect separate temporary housing units to provide a safer way to move around the complex during day or night.
All stairs are now completed! We still need to put some finishing touch such as a solar-powered lighting on each landing, and add some landscaping around. Finally the residents can safely navigate through the complex, and perhaps have some impromptu social gatherings happening at covered landings. The final photos to come later!
Framing for roof
Installing roofing
Bench at a landing where people can escape from sizzling summer heat