ADS-A 2021 Tokyo 2040:Toward More Livable, Sustainable and Healthier Future – Jingumae 5-chome –

The deterioration of global environmental, 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. In Japan, a 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.
The entire design studio will be focused on Jingumae 5-chome district, on the northern side of Route246 and the southern side of Omotesando. The district consists of a diverse mixture of land uses, scales, and people. The focused area in Jingume 5-chome district is located along Route 246 across the campus of Aoyama University, and within 10 – 15 minute-walk from Harajuku, Shibuya, Omotesando and Meiji Jingumae Stations. The focus area is about 5.1ha (4.5ha is owned by the Tokyo municipal government), and the United Nations University, commercial complex, housing exhibition by the historically famous Biwa Pond, ex “Children’s Castle”, and post office are located on the site. Ex “Children’s Castle” is currently vacant and the government is seeking for a reuse plan for the building. In the long run, the Tokyo Municipal Government intends to redevelop its entire properties.
The surroundings of the focus area are diverse with a variety of land uses such as single-family homes, multi-family houses, retail stores in various scales, civic buildings, office buildings, university campus and so forth. Along Miyamasu-zaka, which is a major access to the area from Shibuya Station has several redevelopment projects in addition to the ongoing major redevelopment around Shibuya Station.
The purpose of this studio is to propose a future vision and an associated comprehensive urban environment integrated with the surrounding environment including Biwa Pond for the focus area, while considering the current and transforming social, political, economic, and environmental situation as well as the possibilities and roles of the focus area at a very important location in Tokyo. The proposal needs to include 1) a hub of education, culture. research and interchange as well as 2) residential, 3) business, 4) hotel and 5) commercial facilities that complement the hub. The proposal also needs to address a step-by-step implementation plan to realize the entire development.