YDS

This is an urban research to design the future of Tokyo. The intention is to re-incarnate Tokyo is surrounded by many rivers and Tokyo Bay.

Tokyo used to be a ‘City of Water’ like London or Paris. There are Themes River in London, Seine River in Paris, and these rivers have intimate relationship with urban spaces.

A big bay invigorates the city of Amsterdam, and the city of Venice is surrounded by the sea Grand Canal penetrates the city.

In these cities, their life has close relationships with the water. Thus, the intentions are to reconsider the urbanity in Tokyo by examining its history and doing detailed investigations of Tokyo.

In Tokyo, there were big engineering works, filling up the bay and making several rivers, in the early Edo period. Nevertheless, most of these rivers are placed under the Metropolitan Expressway during high growth period.

In London and Paris, everyday life and architectures face the rivers. On the other hand, life and architectures turn their backs on the rivers in Tokyo. The practice considers there are huge potentials in Tokyo by activating the spaces of waters where many rivers and Tokyo Bay exists.

By conducting this investigation, the practice had many turning points in dealing with architectures and urban designs as well as considering Tokyo.