Miyamoto Heritage
Preserving Our Past, Ensuring The Future.
MIYAMOTO
Bridging Heritage Preservation with Structural Expertise.
Miyamoto Heritage is the cultural preservation division of Miyamoto International, a global leader in structural engineering and disaster risk reduction. Dedicated to safeguarding historic structures and sites, we ensure they continue to echo the rich cultural and heritage legacy of nations.
Safeguarding Cultural Landmarks for Tomorrow.
At Miyamoto Heritage, preservation isn’t just an aim—it’s a calling. We understand that historic buildings are more than mere structures; they are living testaments to a country’s culture and heritage. Through our extensive postearthquake surveys in locations such as Umbria, L’Aquila, and Nepal, we’ve gained invaluable insights into what it takes to maintain the integrity of historic sites. Our goal is to ensure these architectural treasures are not just maintained but are fortified for future generations. Partnering with international agencies, NGOs, and entities that manage historic buildings, we continually refine our methodologies and share our knowledge through international journals and conferences. In a rapidly changing world, we’re committed to holding onto the invaluable pieces of our shared past.
Engineering Resilience in Historic Structures
Seismic Retrofitting: Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, we ensure that historic structures can withstand natural disasters, thus safeguarding the architectural treasures that define our shared heritage.
Post-Earthquake Surveys: Our teams conduct rigorous postevent assessments, gathering invaluable data that contributes to the broader understanding of how to better preserve historic sites against natural disasters.
Seismic Improvement: From the Torano Church in Italy to industrial buildings employing Dissipative Devices Sismocell, our projects span the globe and the scope of seismic improvement methodologies.
Preservation Guidelines: Our ongoing work in places like Lebanon not only involves hands-on engineering but also the development of guidelines that set the standard for the seismic retrofitting of historic buildings.
Our team has the experience and capability to guide our clients to superior solutions.
Reviving a Legacy: The Gaddi Baithak
Our plumbing team handles all aspects of the design process. We analyze both new and existing buildings by performing fixture unit calculations and specifying appropriate plumbing systems and equipment. We perform investigations to determine where system inefficiencies or malfunctions occur to create solutions that optimize performance and improve safety of operation.
Our expertise primarily lies in commercial retrofit projects, which include domestic potable water, domestic hot water, sanitary sewer, and storm water systems. We also have strong experience in systems such as compressed air, laboratory gas, vacuum, natural gas, water treatment, process cooling water, and heat exchangers.
Seismic Retrofitting Guidelines for Lebanon’s Historic Structures
In a collaborative initiative aimed at preserving Lebanon’s rich architectural history, Miyamoto, the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA), and the U.S. Embassy’s Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) have come together to bolster the resilience of pre-2000s and heritage buildings against earthquakes. This groundbreaking project not only seeks to make these historical structures safer for residents but also aims to be a model for cultural preservation worldwide.
The program features a comprehensive set of seismic retrofit guidelines, spearheaded by global experts such as Dr. H. Kit Miyamoto and Dr. Devis Sonda. These guidelines serve as a roadmap for engineers and architects, providing insights into heritage construction typologies and materials used in Lebanon. The initiative also includes a mobile application for rapid damage assessment
2020 Beirut Explosion
On 4 August 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut in the capital city of Lebanon exploded, causing at least 218 deaths, 7,000 injuries, and US$15 billion in property damage, as well as leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless.
Seismic Safety for Pietà Rondanini
Michelangelo’s Pietà Rondanini, a marble masterpiece worked on from 1552 to 1564, is housed in Milan’s Museum of Ancient Art of Castello Sforzesco. This emotive sculpture of the Virgin Mary mourning over Christ’s body received a state-of-the-art isolation support system designed by Miyamoto International. Tasked by the City of Milan and overseen scientifically by the Politecnico University of Milan, the system protects the statue from earthquakes and traffic-induced vibrations from the nearby metro line.
Miyamoto’s engineering included designing the support, crafting secure connections between the device and the statue, and implementing safety measures to prevent the statue from overturning during major earthquakes. Comprehensive linear and non-linear analyses were performed to assess vibration and earthquake impacts on the entire assembly. The project gained media attention when featured on Discovery Channel’s “Daily Planet” show in 2015.
