ADS-A 2023 Tokyo 2040: Towards a More Livable, Sustainable and Healthier Future -Nihonbashi-Kanda-

The deterioration of the global environment, nationalism, social and economic disparities, health issues as well as the emergence of new technologies such as DX, AI and autonomous vehicles require us to change the way to design cities and buildings. Japan’s unique form of urbanism is being questioned, and rapid population decline and aging are also urgent issues to solve. Furthermore, the global epidemic of COVID-19 and associated mobility restrictions have transformed work and private life patterns and significantly changed people’s values.
Under these circumstances, cities need to be designed more diverse, compact, well-connected with street networks and public transit systems, resistant to infectious diseases, and to accommodate new technologies. Districts and buildings need to be designed to accommodate a variety of human activities and to be more responsive to the local environment, context and culture. Utilization of existing spatial resources is also an important issue.
This design studio focuses on the Nihonbashi and Kanda area that is bordered by railroad tracks to the north-east, Chuo Street to the east, and the Nihonbashi River to the south and the west. On the south side of the Nihonbashi River, major redevelopment projects are underway along with the submersion of the elevated freeway running over the river. The area is bisected by Edo Street, which runs east-west in the center of the area into the Kanda district and Nihonbashi district, which have completely different urban structures.
The purpose of this studio is to analyze and understand these different urban structures and edge conditions, and to propose a streetscape as well as a mixed-use development and public space designs consisting of commercial,business, and hotel facilities, while incorporating unique Japanese spaces such as the space under the elevated railway, a riverside promenade, and a station plaza into the distinctive city blocks in the area.