Jorge Almazán and I wrote an op-ed for Nikkei Asia, in which we argue that Tokyo’s current “once in a century” modernization push is risking to destroy the city’s unique urbanism. The city’s archetypical neighborhoods came about in the postwar period without planning, but they need increasing protection from large-scale redevelopments.
Here are the first two paragraphs. Get in touch if you want to read the full text:
“Despite being the largest urban agglomeration in the world, Tokyo works. It is surprisingly human in scale, walkable and safe. Its success is rooted not in a high-rise, futuristic cityscape but in its intimate neighbourhoods. These dense, low-rise, often mixed-use enclaves — traditionally rich in small retail and businesses, community ties and flexible spaces — have made Tokyo one of the most liveable cities in the world.
But this Tokyo is under threat. A new wave of large-scale redevelopments, imposed from the top down without planning or long-term vision, is reshaping the urban fabric — particularly around train stations. The new developments replace commercial streets for privatized plazas that eliminate true public space. Without stronger protections, Tokyo risks losing the very model that made it so successful. (…)”
A lot of people are talking about Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City, a book that came out last year and which I was finally able to read. It is a great resource for all of us interested in describing that elusive “charge” of Japan’s capital. Few have been as successful in this task as the authors. While there are a lot of (generally very favorable) reviews out there already, I have jotted down some of my thoughts