A tired cab driver waits for the traffic lights to change- Akihabara turns in for the night about 10 o’clock.
To finish off the first full day….
These two structures are found directly opposite from each other across a quiet road in Harajuku. One a modern garage and one a traditional torii.
Harry
All three of these scenes are found within the Harumi Island Triton Square, an office and residential complex consisting of three high rise towers, and one much shorter tower. The extreme juxtaposition of styles was entertaining rather than uncomfortable or bizarre.
Harry
Filed under: Architecture, Development, Education, Group, Photography, Tokyo
These are some internal and external views of the Harumi Island, where the UR is based. The place contains a mish-mash of styles; concluding with this “Brindley Place” (Birmingham, UK) style garden. This is not a “Zen” garden by any means of the word- but the presence of a small river, a delicate water fountain, and a bending bridge are very suggestive of this popular Japanese style. Both the internal and external spaces are very polished- it is almost like the island is a 3D travel brochure; corporate in its majesty. Alas this is not the true Tokyo- we wanted to see something more Raw…*insert sushi joke here*
Nimesh
The Urban Renaissance Agency (UR) is working throughout Tokyo confronting social problems and problems that may arise in the future;
“Japan is currently faced with various new challenges that must be confronted in order to revive attractive and energetic cities in which people shine with joy”
As part of their presentation the UR took us to their presentation room at Harumi Triton Square which had a huge scale model of central Tokyo.
The model has taken three years to construct, and is a working progress as the development of Tokyo is ongoing
The UR revolves around its five ‘core factors’;
- Revival of “idle land” into multipurpose communities
- Creation of new bases for the upcoming generations in which people, products and culture are entwined
- Aiming for the realisation of safe cities that can withstand earthquakes and fire disasters
- Realisation of comfortable living with work and living spaces within close proximity
- Renew cities and lifestyles by reconstructing old housing
There are reclaimed islands in Tokyo Bay on which planning permission is being sought and final surveys are being carried out
The UR presentation made sense of the apparent organised madness we had seen up to this point and was a brilliant way to start our week of exploring Tokyo.
More information on the UR and their five ‘core factors’ can be found at their website;
http://www.ur-net.go.jp/profile/english/index.html
Harry
We have only been through tokyo by coach and metro and have yet to delve into the extreme density that we have only been able to see from the edge; catching the occasional glimpse past the surface of tightly packed apartment blocks, that continue into the distance, the concrete occasionally punctured by a rising skyscraper, a rebel in its material and shape.
These spaces between are intriguing as they look barely wide enough for a car to squeeze down, and grow dark compared to the glaring white of the facades on either side, and yet it seems these are the spaces that the floods of people in the main streets heading for the metro or train seem to appear from; like tributaries, but fixed to their grid and unable to erode away the square corners of Tokyo.
The edge is only penetrated by the smallest of cracks, click to enlarge
The reason for so much conformity is due to the rebuilding of Tokyo on a huge scale twice in the last century. First in 1923 after the Great Kanto Earthquake and second after the bombings in the second world war. Both times the prefab, concrete slab construction led to the styles as a necessity from the need for high density living spaces quickly.
Harry
