Akiya Collective is a society of artists, makers, and architects restoring abandoned houses in Japan into art installations, community spaces, and interactive habitats.

We are non-profit organization and a community-driven project dedicated to creating spaces that are in harmony with the local environment.

Over the last year, we:

✧ Incorporated our legal entity, a US-based non-profit organization (with a 501c3 fiscal sponsor)
✧ Hosted two residencies, with cohorts of 10 people each, in rural areas in Izu and Nagano
✧ Developed relationships with city governments and locals, learned different renovation techniques, and produced installations
✧ Researched 100+ properties, visited 25+, and explored 5 different areas of rural Japan
✧ Established our first community home in Nagano Prefecture
✧ Brought in 30+ volunteers on-site for build weeks to help with renovations

We have open-sourced our process and research in an online playbook for others to learn from. In our community of 1,000+ people, there are already members who have committed to purchasing property near our base. Through our project, we are actively supporting a network of home owners in acquiring, renovating, and operating properties in tight-knit regions for cohabitation and coworking.

Akiya collective is a community-driven initiative focused on rural revitalization -- we renovate abandoned houses around the world, starting with rural japan, into interactive habitats-- residencies, community spaces, and art installations. Building third spaces, where locals both old and new can gather, utilizing shared resources is integral to the start of any neighborhood.

While this project is about the lived practice of regeneration of our built environments and lifeways, it also creates fluid containers for various experimentation on alternative economies, creative stewardship and cultural transformation.

More broadly, we are developing infrastructure for human flourishing.

Japan is currently undergoing a national housing crisis. By 2030, one third of all homes in the country will be vacant. An aging population, coupled with the concentration of youth in urban areas have caused many homes to be abandoned in the countryside.

Our goal through akiya collective is to revitalize these akiyas, share our learnings via our open-source blueprint, recruit more stewards to caretake the homes through hosting residencies, and transform a dilapidated areas into a bursting, vibrant neighborhoods. We embody a responsive, community-oriented model that addresses a societal issue while creating open-ended spaces for self-exploration and contribution.

Non-profit

Japan