Anthonie Rouwenhorst Mulder

Perspectives on Port City Planning in 19th Century Japan

Abstract

Anthonie Thomas Lubertus Rouwenhorst Mulder is a Dutch civil engineer involved in the design of port cities in 19th-century Japan. In 1879, as part of Japan’s modernization efforts, Mulder was employed as a foreign expert under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Over his approximately eleven-year stay, Mulder contributed to the planning and design of various projects, including rivers, reclamation, and port cities. Notably, his designs for Moji and Misumi ports exemplify his work and the transplantation of European technology and ideas into Japanese port cities. This paper analysed multiple reports on Japan submitted by Mulder, aiming to clarify his perspective as an engineer. Given the absence of engineers in Japan who met European standards at the time, Mulder found it challenging to implement modern technologies such as concrete, leading him to predominantly utilize natural materials like fascines and stone. His designs not only focused on immediate engineering needs but also included comprehensive urban planning elements such as the expansion of port facilities, improvement of land transportation, and enlargement of residential areas through reclamation. These contributions highlight Mulder’s role that extended beyond that of a civil engineer to that of an urban planner, significantly impacting the design of Japanese port cities.