Author: Hiroyuki Niino

Make City by Architecture, Medium-Scale Urbanism

Make City by Architecture

The twin tower, planned since 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, has completed, at Tsudanuma Narashino-shi in Chiba Prefecture. The mixed-use buildings of shops and residentials, consist of 10-stories around 30 meters height, so that the term “tower” might be a bit of an exaggeration. The limited site generates slender tower-like volume seated on the podium (base) of commercial programs. As indicating in [Fig1] below, the left has named “West Terrace” and so as the right “East Terrace”, the design and construction have done in stages of Phase 1 and Phase 2. Each owned by different clients, the facade articulates a sense of unity and individuality as sister buildings.


[Fig1] West Terrace and East Terrace standing in left and right. The podiums coordinate in black tile but the towers express contrasting looks, aiming to create a balance of unity and diversity in the cityscape.

Mixed Use

We had a valuable opportunity of designing urban architecture accommodating local businesses such as retail stores and offices, rather than a single-purpose block consisting solely of apartment. The store base of the residential tower forms the foundation for maintaining the continuity of the streetscape of the shopping street existed before. The backyard layout or open service yard located behind the podium that functions a parking ground and an access to the residences, helps to preserve the clear edge of commercial main street. (Due to shadow regulations, the building volumes are inevitably pushed along the south side of the street.) The mosaic of various uses such as residence, business, culture and leisure, cradles lively humane city.


[Fig2] View from the southeast intersection; East Terrace sits in the foreground and West Terrace does in the background.

Anchor Tenant

Mixed-use space is an essence for creating a vibrant city, but in reality, it is difficult to guarantee good tenants merely providing space. Therefore, the key to the success of an urban development is to secure major tenants from the initial planning stage. “Anchor” refers to the equipment holding a ship to pier, it might be used as a metaphor for a tenant that firmly “anchors” a project. In this project, an appointment that the relocation of the bank, doing business originally on the site of the Phase 2 East Terrace, into the first floor of the Phase 1 West Terrace became a major driving force for the development. Furthermore, there was an agreement between the real estate company of 1st Phase client leading this project and the restaurant run by 2nd Phase client, to exchange their lands and moved into the West Terrace and the East Terrace. That is the owners themselves drove the project with passion and strong will.


[Fig3] View from southwest corner of the West Terrace, showing the bank of anchor tenant and the owner’s real estate company. East Terrace is in the back.

Street Amenity

The street in front of the building is a public promenade connecting the train station and the city hall. We have designed “stage sets” that make pedestrians to freely and easily stop by shops and take a break. At the southwest corner of the West Tower, “Spiral” (staircase) with “Umbrella” rounded roof magnets to the commercial terrace on the second floor as in showing in [Fig5]. The spiral base serves also as a bench for viewing the symbol tree and the street [Fig4].


[Fig4] [Fig5]　Umbrella & Spiral of West Terrace

Meanwhile, at the East Terrace, an approach stair covered with glass roof and its raised bench have installed to enhance the continuity between the walkway and the terrace. Moreover, a mosaic tile mural has displayed on the wall, adding color to the street as public art [Figure 6].


[Fig6] East Terrace podium elevation. Approach Stairs and Mosaic Tile public art. The building houses owner restaurant at the 2nd floor.

Green Corridor

The land adjacent along to the east side is the former riverbed of the Kikuta River, currently allocated as an uncertified road zone owned by the municipality, serving a lush green walking path or a valuable “Green Corridor” for its region connecting between sea and inland. There sits a large zelkova tree right next to the property, with many branches extending over onto the property. Luckily with the client’s requests, we did avoid cutting entirely down the tree from its bottom, instead by broadly pruning the thick branches growing into the site. The restaurant at the second floor holds a large horizontal window looking down the greenway, creating a space that enjoys fully its greenery picture view with the survived zelkova tree [Fig7]. Additionally, as Street Amenities, a secret bench has provided where people can take a break or eat their lunch while strolling. Rather than a closed exterior planting design within the site, we aimed for a landscape design that harmonizes expanding with the surrounding natural environment.


[Fig7] View of the East Terrace from Greenway. The secret bench is located behind the zelkova tree.

Medium-Scale Urban Design

In the city downtown core, even today, large-scale developments are ongoing over the place. The city scapes still keep changing radically. The dazzling towers and shopping malls designed competingly by star architects attracts people overflowingly like a festival when they launched. There is no guarantee of the same level of drawing power after 10 or 20 years. That “fatty” building of “humongous” tenant space is for large global corporations and not for small to medium-sized local businesses rooted in the community. Exemplified by “TAWAMAN, tower mansions”, massive residential skyscrapers in downtown areas have mostly fallen into investment targets, more and more out of people’s hands. Although the scale of this project has assigned by chance, it would assume that this is an appropriate or good plot size to maintain and coexist with the local economy and community. I believe that Medium-Scale Urban Design or urban community development by local stakeholders who are actually rooted in the place will lead to the regeneration of Human City.


[Fig8] Distant view of East Terrace, looking from City Hall Plaza

2026.05.11 HN

Tokyo Old River Urbanism 3, Akasaka, SOTOBORI-Dori (Outer Moat Ave)

“Tokyo Old River Urbanism” was planed, from the beginning, to conclude with Akasaka, where my office is located. Due to the infinite existence of culverts or old river remains in Tokyo, I will dive around forever unless make a break at some point. So, I would like to excuse, for the time being, to go ashore from the bottom of the culvert. To review the tours, in order, around Edo Castle(EC), #1: Yanaka, North or Demon Gate of EC, #2: Harajyuku, East of EC and this #3: Akasaka, South or Back-Demon Gate of EC [Map 1].


[Map1]: “SOTOBORI-Dori (Outer Moat Avenue)” 　Tokyo – Shinbashi – Akasaka – Ichigaya – Iidabashi – Ochanomizu – Nihonbashi – Tokyo.  Urban ring road of old outer moat for Edo castle (Partially Open), total length Approx.13km.  Base map © 2020 google

Akasaka and Tameike-Pond

According to Sandayu Dokumamushi, an actor or comedian(?), very popular with his lovely and witty poisonous tongue (Arashi of “Ultraman” for our generation!), there used to run river through downtown Akasaka. Famous area in Akasaka is the vast amusement blocks from Akasaka-Mitsuke to Akasaka Station where bunch of bars, restaurants and CABAKURA (cabaret club) or so called “YORU-NO-MISE (nightlife shops)” are located. Although I usually walk around this neighborhood, I couldn’t come up the idea of where the river was flowing immediately. However, if examine it carefully, as indicating the place name “Tameike (reservoir pond)”, the district of Akasaka 3-chome is a lowland / downtown along “Sotobori (outer moat)”, on the edge of the mountain of Hie Shrine. The river in Akasaka, about which Arashi explained, seems to be one of the waterways circulating freely along Sotobori-moat(see [Map2]).

[Map2]:  Old Map (in Meiji Era) ©goo CHIZU

However, even if we walk along the culverts of waterways in Akasaka, it seems that our Blog will turns to the story about drinking for beers and Sake at good small bars, so for this occasion, I would like take you go along and around Sotobori-dori Avenue (see [Map 1]). Though, if instantly dive 13km at once, we will run out of oxygen, so let’s divide the loop reasonably from Ginza to Akasaka (see [Map 3]).


[Map3]: SOTOBORI Street JONAN (Castle South) Area Walk. Ginza (Sukiyabashi) – Shinbashi – Toranomon – Tameike – Akasaka – Benkeibashi. Total length Approx.4km.  Base map © 2020 google

Ginza, Sukiyabashi

OK then, let’s get started with our old river diving. Up until last two explorations, we have targeted our culvert tours into the back alleys, escaping from the wide street to the side or MINOR-street, but this time, we will explore exactly along MAIN streets of the urban front. The departure point is from the intersection of Sukiya-bashi (bashi means bridge) at Ginza station. Since I haven’t been to Ginza for long time, I was surprised that the subway station has been totally renewed and clean. I could barely go up to the ground from the C3 stairs after getting lost in the maze of a brand new commercial facility. For architects like me, the building of Hermès, architecture of industrial appearance of glass blocks, will be the landmark [Photo 1]. Needless to say this is an excellent building, but when viewed in the morning of winter with long shadow, this perfection or “cleanliness” brings us the impression of mechanical and cold. To enjoy the real beauty of this monument, you have to wait until twilight with warm lighting on. (Sorry Mr. Piano, for only this photo of side..)


[Photo 1] “Sukiyabashi Crossing” The gray glass block building on the right is Hermès Ginza designed by Renzo Piano, the Pritzker Laureate

Ginza

A row of Willow trees along Sotobori-dori Ave

Walking from the intersection of Sukiyabashi, you can find that varieties of “BUILDING”s along Sotobori Ave in Ginza, the mixtures of old and new fabrics around 10 stories height, are lined up densely like a long wall. Although usual for foreigner, buildings in Ginza are built attached to each other, and the visual relation between street and building, figure and ground, is clearly defined, as shaping of Western-like gestalt. On the other hand, the silhouette maintains randomness like of Asian city because its height and size vary. Willow trees are planted along on the sidewalk [Photo 2]. In Japan, the impression of willow has traditionally been the tree of ghostly, dim and damp waterside. Particularly along Sotobori street in Ginza, the buildings are tightly continued on both east and west sides, and the sidewalks are bit dark even in the daytime. In the Meiji era more than a hundred years ago, the period when the moat was buried underground, cherry and pine were planted, but the trees died due to the high groundwater level. Then, against their will (?), people change to willow trees suitable for wetlands. The story tells that this land can no longer escape from the memory of water.


[Photo 2] A roadside tree of willows on Ginza Sotobori Street. Symbolizes the memory of the waterside.

Shinbashi

Town of heavy drinker office workers

About 700m down south along Sotobori street of willow trees from the intersection of Sukiyabashi, you will reach “just straight” to the Shinbashi crossing. At the last two travels, we did walk along the street of old-water, derived from the shape of “winding” natural river, but here we are walking the street of artificial shape based on the grid-like planned town division of Ginza. Shinbashi is famous for “SALARY-MAN” especially for workers who love drinking and reminds many of us a scene at the station square that funky “OJISAN (not necessarily OLD men)” who got drunk interviewed on TV. Like both Akasaka and Shinbashi (and also famous Yoshihara), “SHITAMACH (downtown or low land town)” along water might have the seeds of entertainment. “MIZU-SHOBAI”, literally Water-Business, such as bar, restaurants and nightclub, comes from the memory of real “water”? Going below the elevated railway tracks, you will find GUARD-SHITA (under the guard, place of drinking under railway viaduct), celebrated Shinbashi classic, the vibes of human back alley for SALARY-MAN [Photo 3]. As nobody would expect that they open at the time, but there seems to be many places in Osaka where you can drink from the morning! (You can learn lots of interesting stories about Osaka and its people from popular TV program ‘Himitsu no Kenmin SHOW’.)


[Photo 3] Bars at GUARD-SHITA in Shinbashi

Toranomon

Showcase of high-rise

At the Shinbashi intersection, turn perpendicularly to the right or west (accurately northwest) direction to proceed along Sotobori street toward Toranomon. The more you move forward, the wider the road width expands and the brighter the Sotobori street becomes because the silhouette gradually changes from the rows of wall-like collective fabrics in Ginza to the free-standing skyscrapers with open spaces approaching to Toranomon and Kasumigaseki. Tranomon intersection locates approx. at 900m from Shinbashi GUARD-SHITA. There sits the building of the Ministry of Education, accurately the Ministry of Education Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), of retro brick landmark. Just next to MEXT, stands the Kasumigaseki Building (completed in 1968), the first modern high-rise in Japan. Because this district concentrates many high-rise buildings, from the dawn of skyscraper in Japan half a century ago to the latest Toranomon Hills, you can learn the history at once. Although the construction technology has improved and the design option has increased, Kasumigaseki Building of 51 years old, pure crystallization of structural rationalism half a century ago, is strong.


[Photo 4] Brick Building of MEXT (former office of Ministry of Education, completed in 1932)

Tameike Tower Base Remains

How to inherit the urban memory

There is Tameike Tower Base Remains, the stone foundation of YAGURA gate or turret on the opposite side of retro MEXT along Sotobori within the site of SHOSEN MITSUI headquater. Although Tameike intersection is still ahead, it seems that this point is the eastern end of Tameike pond. In many cases, such preserved remains in Tokyo have become dead spaces where people often pass them through without interest. Rather than leaving it quietly like a tombstone, why cannot we think of it as an opportunity of designing an attractive urban space, a little more actively as a centripetal element of urban amenities, landscapes and architecture? For example, one idea is SAYADO (shead of important building or treasure) of 24 open public atrium housed within the space. Because of cultural property, it will be difficult to negotiate with the government to actualize this idea. Incidentally, there is Edo Castle’s Outer Moat Ruins Underground Exhibition Room on the site of the MEXT, HONMARU (head section) of the authority, opposite side of the turret base ruins. Wherever dig the ground in the Tokyo central area for redevelopment, ruins will appear. It will not possible to realize the urban design of making the best use of ruins until the project allows for taking the advance survey of ruins excavation.


[Photo 5] Tameike Tower Base Remains

Lowland of Tameike pond and Hill of Samurai

Urban Design of Tokugawa Ieyasu

Shaped a straight line from Shinbashi to Toranomon, Sotobori street draws a large bow-shaped curve, from Toranomon to Akasaka-Mitsuke, along the edge of the cliff on the hill of Edo Castle. At Tameike intersection, connected to Roppongi street, we will pass beneath the elevated structure of SHUTOKO, Metropolitan Expressway, running north and south. It runs above the lowland of Sotobori, but runs beneath the high ground of northern Edo Castle side, the hill of Kasumigaseki governmental district. That is, Edo Castle is located on the hilltop, taking full advantage of the natural terrain. Originally, Edo was an “untouchable wetland,” and some historian novelally explained that Hideyoshi Toyotomi, gave the “troublesome” land to the emerging rivals Ieyasu Tokugawa. Contrary to his expectations, next Shogun Ieyasu has created a magnificent castle town. The idea and practice of smart urban planning is not only in the skillful relationship of natural terrain, but also in the utilization of water resources. Sotobori is not a stagnant moat of dead water. It was an environmental facility that circulates water around using the flow of the river up from Nihonbashi River down to Sumida River, and was an urban infrastructure that supports daily life such as water transportation and clean water supply for citizens. More than that, Sotobori outer moat was also a corridor of greenery, culture and leisure that integrates forests, temples and shrines for people. This is why Shogun Ieyasu is said to be the great Urban Designer.


[Photo 6] Tameike intersection

After the Tameike crossing and then looking at the hill or mountain, on the right of the Sotobori in the north, of Prime Minister’s Official Residence and of Hie Shrine, we finally arrived back to the downtown area of Akasaka. Although Hie Shrine with its triangular Torii gate is the god of mountain, it used to be also a waterside sanctuary looking down over the pond.


[Photo 7] Hie Shrine

Akasaka

Remains of Waterway at Back Alley

Now that finally arrived in Akasaka, we have to find the waterway that was flowing through the town. According to the old map of the Edo period, there is a narrow waterway running right next to along Sotobori. Let’s find this channel. Entering the side street, you can soon to catch a narrow alley surrounded by buildings [Photo 8]. There also find some drainage gutters, and that is, this alley is probably the ONE. This reminds the old Shibuya River where buildings were lined along facing their backs to the river. It seems that we are getting better at finding the culvert. Mr Arashi, is this the river you were talking about?

Postscript: The topography around this area gradually rises from the lowest Sotobori-dori toward Roppongi in the southwest. I found that, in the past, many waterways flowed into Sotobori, and there run many culverts of the side alleys from the southwest to the northeast, in the short side direction or like “ribs”, connecting directly to Sotobori or “spine”. Although I was looking for a long culvert that runs parallel to Sotobori, I later found that all the side alleys in Akasaka have a “something” ambience.


[Photo 8] Street of old waterway in Akasaka

Akasaka-Mitsuke, Benkei Bridge

I walked a lot and was wondering if I should be back to the office here or not, but it is still some time until lunch. Because come this far, we should go to and finish the dive on the open water of Sotobori at Benkei Bridge in Akasaka-Mitsuke [Photo 9]. There locates on top of the slope Akasaka Gate Rremains, the historic site of Ishigaki stone wall base. Mitsuke is a guard gate to the castle. Basically, Mitsuke was placed at the corner of the moat bridge. Many Mitsuke were set up around Edo, and “Edo Castle 36 MITSUKEs”, including Akasaka-Mitsuke, celebrated as sightseeing destinations. Toranomon and Ichigaya are also one of 36. From here, the moat is covered as the ground of Sotobori Park, and from Ichigaya, the moat is uncovered again, connecting to the upstream, Kanda River. Kanda-Gawa River is an artificial valley, cutting through Ochanomizu, or Hongo plateau, constructed as the Sotobori outer moat.


[Photo 9] Benkei Bridge, Akasaka-Mitsuke

There is a fishing pond at the foot of Benkei Bridge. This left-behind moat shapes a crescent, interestingly mysterious space where natural and artificial forms are intertwined in multiple layers, surrounded by the greenery of Sotobori Park and Akasaka Imperial Palace, the curves of the Metropolitan Expressway and tall buildings along the waterside [Photo 10] . Also at Ichigaya, there is a famous fishing pond often used for film and drama locations. Fishing spots in the city center are surreal and picturesque.


[Photo 10] Fishing moat at the foot of Benkei Bridge

The last photo is the view from the overpass at the Akasaka-Mitsuke intersection [Photo 11]. Running directly below is the multi-level crossing of Aoyama street and Sotobori street, and above is the outer circumference of the SYUTOKO Metropolitan Expressway No. 4 Shinjuku Line. Another elevated road, a short distance away on the right, is the inner loop of the Shinjuku Line, running along the edge of the Forest of Sotobori fishing pond. The landscape of water and greenery of the moat, Ishigaki stone walls, skyscrapers, complex civil monsters of highway snakes and overhead intersection are very Tokyo-like and SF-resque. After rushed around the Sotobori culvert from Ginza to Akasaka, I realized, over again, the intention and scenario of Shogun Ieyasu, embedded in the ground of the current cityscape of Tokyo. But could this such an outstanding urban designer really imagine the landscape, after 400 years, overwritten by the elevated highways and skyscrapers? Mr Ieyasu, in his special case, might have imagined it.


[Photo 11] Akasaka Mitsuke, grade separation of the Metropolitan Expressway

Hiroyuki Niino, Dec07, 2020

 

Tokyo Old River Urbanism 2, Harajuku Cat Street, Former Shibuya-gawa River Promenade Road

Most famous ANKYO (culvert) in Tokyo?

Many Tokyo Walkers will answer to this question “Cat Street” in Harajuku. The question itself might be nonsense, because the word ANKYO is bit of technical and little-known for people, not talking about you of course! The official name is “Former Shibuya-gawa River Promenade Road”. The reason that the name ends not just “Promenade” but “Promenade Road” would imply that the street planned both for pedestrian and for cars. Although “Cat Street” on the Shibuya or south side above Omotesando street is popular, we, ANKYO divers, must start diving from Killer Street (Gaien-Nishi-Dori Street). The start diving point is TERRAZZA, Italian name meaning “Earth”, an exposed concrete edifice. He (or she?) looks exactly like the gatekeeper or guardian of Cat Street ANKYO. Short distance from new national stadium.

 


[Map]: “Cat Street (former Shibuya-gawa River Promenade Road)” The total length is approx. 1.7km from Killer Street (Gaien-Nishi-Dori) to Meiji-Dori Street  at Miyashita Park.  Base map © 2020 google

TERRAZZA / Gatekeeper at Killer Street


[Photo 1]: “TERRAZZA” Designed by AMORPHE (Kiyoshi Sey Takeyama ), completed in 1991, short distance from new national stadium and contained Jaguar Aoyama Showroom on the 1st floor. 5 minutes from Kitasando of Metro Fukutoshin Line or Gaienmae of Metro Ginza Line.

 

Let’s walk along Cat Street from the upstream. When you enter the corner of TERRAZZA, you will enjoy KUNEKUNE (curvy or twisted in Japanese) street like Hebimichi(Snake Road) in Yanaka. “KUNEKUNE” creates a maze-like street where you can barely see over ahead. The sense of spatial coziness surrounded by small buildings and the visual sequences of various building elements vibrated by the walking rhythm comfortably stimulate our body sensations. Originally, the riverside in the city used to be “SHITAMACHI” (downtown or low-land town) where people nest collectively and densely. Despite the river is buried over transforming into the road, thanks to its narrow width, the possibility of large scale re-development is quite low due to the planning restrictions depending on the street width. Even if the buildings along the street are replacing into new one, the original scale of town or the memories of  “SHITAMACHI” land cannot be hidden. “KUNEKUNE” also has the effect of slowing down the vehicular traffic speed, creating safe and comfortable space for pedestrians. Nicollet Mall by Lawrence Halprin, though the difference of scale and character, is a good example of urban design to benefit this “KUNEKUNE” effects. This neighborhood has not (yet) occupied by global brands, keeping many young privately owned shops, good small business(!), for example of the beauty salon and fashion industries, originating vigorous Shibuya / Harajuku culture. At the start from TERRAZZA, walking the first half part of the cat street about 700 to 800m, you will reach Omotesando street. However, the TUJI or intersection between Omotesando and Cat Street is only for pedestrian so that the cars cannot pass through. The same condition at the opposite Shibuya side blocks direct car access from the crossing. This is one of the major reasons in preserving a pedestrian paradise condition on Cat Street as it is today. Importantly the street is a dead-end for cars at the one side, not a road prohibiting 100% of vehicular access. Inclusive for both. It cannot turn into a dangerous loophole for high-speed traffic sometimes unexpectedly spawning in our dense and populated residential areas in Tokyo.

 


[Photo 2]:”The neighborhood of Jingumae block 3″ On the first part of Cat Street, the mixtures of various shops such as cafes, bakeries, hairdressing salon, apparel shops and etc. co-exist in the quiet residential streets. The closer to Omotesando street, the more commercial buildings are appearing.

 

GYRE / Gatekeeper at Omotesando Street

When reaching to Omotesando, you will find again an iconic gatekeeper building at the entry of the next Cat Street. While the Italian TERRAZZA with a deep chiseled face standing at Killer Street, the gatekeeper of Omotesando GYRE was formed by the cutting edge Dutch architects group MVRDV. Funky architectural expression: the boxes are stacking out with slight rotation, or GYRE-ed, like toy blocks. This operation of GYRE-ed stacking generates various terrace conditions around envelop so that you can climb up this architectural “topography” to the rooftop. Both the old and new gatekeeper architecture TERRAZZA and GYRE on Cat Street share a common concept that creates new “topography” in the architecture. However, their design approaches are different. While TERRAZZA expresses, with the brutal form of exposed concrete, a representational, ambiguous and static “façade” reflecting the contemporaneity in 80s, GYRE devotes to producing (only) diversity and dynamism in space by the simple operation of stacking abstract boxes. Therefore, the architecture holds childishness, or challengingly speaking “ugliness” indifferent to the beauty of the façade in the classical value. This intentional “ugliness” designed by the Dutch architectural elite weirdly and naturally fits into the fragmental and confused landscape of Tokyo or the city of without coherence. It can be said that the master-amateur-piece architecture in Tokyo.

 


[Photo 3]:　“GYLE”　Designed by Takenaka + MVRDV, completed in 2007. The façade from Omotesando street.

Let’s explore down the river. When entering the corner of this block stacking building, Cat Street re-starts again. While the first half part is a relatively quiet environment maintaining the ambience of a residential area, the second half part is a commercial street lined up apparel tenant buildings with large glass windows. The city holds high metabolism that new buildings or tissues replace one after another, there exists the building just in the middle of first track construction. The cityscape is messy with no sense of unity, but the fabrics of the low-rise small buildings from 2 to 5 stories are very human and village-like looking. Such scape can be categorized to be “happened to be born” scenery, it would be very difficult to intentionally materialize such a quality of “beauty”.

 


[Photo 4]: “The neighborhood of Jingumae block 6″ On the latter half, Shibuya side, of Cat Street is a fashionable commercial district lined with various apparel tenants. Although mediocre disappointing streetscape, the asphalt pavement distinctively and interestingly traces the history of old river flow.

Terminal station / Miyashita Park

After passing through the stream full of young Tokyo walkers and reaching Meiji-dori street, you will find a huge artificial ground of Miyashita Park. Also at the end of Cat Street, a symbolic gatekeeper has enshrined. This linear site in Shibuya has been very popular for many students as diploma project sanctuary over the generations, including our around 50(!), who ambitiously challenge to create powerful urban architecture but the final answer has been realized to flatten various young dreams. Starting from TERRAZZA , GYLE and to the terminal Miyashita Park (the proportion of this building is exactly like station), all three are talking consistently about the story how to make new “Topography” in architecture. Architecture is “Topography”. When I have stood on to the rooftop ground of Miyashita Park, that linear open space reminds me of the High Line in Lower Manhattan. Although the space is a bit of too “GOCHAGOCHA” (complicated or messed up) and, I think, lacks a sense of openness as park, this “GOCHAGOCHA” field symbolizes “TOKYO-ness” both in good and bad meanings.

 


[Photo 5]: “Miyashita Park”

When come to this point, the uncovered Shibuya River is almost around the corner. Following the trace of the river and going down to the ground from the grand staircase of Miyashita Park, you can get a bird-eye view of the roof of “Nonbei-Yokocho“(the alley of drunker) from the stair landing. “Nonbei-Yokocho” is the remain of the barracks densely standing along the river.

 


[Photo 6]: “Nonbei-Yokocho” (the alley of drunker). Viewing from grand stair of Miyashita Park.

 

Open (to) the river / Shibuya Stream

From here you have to be trouble around the labyrinth of Shibuya station zone. No matter how many times visited to Shibuya, I will lose the orientation… When barely reach Aoyama-dori street, you will find “Shibuya Stream”. The urban project positively adopted the Shibuya River as front space, which had been abandoned away as back space of dim and dirty drainage river for long time. This hydrophilic new public space enhances the valley-like topography of Shibu-YA(valley) surrounded by buildings. In general the rivers in the city have high potential as commercial space. (Ask Jon Jerde.) Edo-Tokyo originally was water city of rivers and canals for example like Venice, Amsterdam and Suzhou. Old River Urbanism is idea for awakening the memory of water. It is interesting of the contrast of architectural gestures that Shibuya Stream worships the river “thankfully” while the existing buildings turn their back “annoyingly”. The success of Shibuya Stream will lead to many follower projects, commercial complexes that bring the river back to front. After the riverside renovated too clean and organized, I even miss our ordinal scenery of the former dirty Shibuya River. Since arrived at the KAIKYO (open river / antonym of ANKYO) at last, we should finish our diving tour along old Shibuya River, pretended to be “Earth Diver” exciting essay about Tokyo genius loci written by Shinichi Nakazawa.

 


[Photo 7]: “Shibuya Stream” Valley or Canyon surrounded by tall buildings, symbolizing and enhancing Shibuya-Valley. One of the successful examples of a commercial public space skillfully designed the good relationship between city and river.

2020.11.15 Hiroyuki Niino

Tokyo Old River Urbanism 1, Yanaka “Yomisedori” & “Hebimichi”

Tokyo ANKYO (Old River) Street

As you may learn from popular TV travel show “BURATAMORI”, there exist many land-filled rivers and canals or ANKYO (culvert, old-river) in Tokyo. Interestingly and mysteriously, many of those culverts are transformed into fascinating streets where many people gather. From this blog, I would like to tour with you of some ANKYO streets in Tokyo where the god of the river sleeps. Well then, let’s walk “Yanaka” town first from now on.


[Map 1] AIZOME-GAWA River used to cut across the center of law land YANESEN     The river flows parallel to KASUGA-DORI street where the Chiyoda Line runs underground. Currently “Yomise-dori Street (Night Market Street)” and “Hebi-michi Road (Snake Road)” where pedestrians and bicycles are actively occupying or urban spine of everyday life. Photoshoped from Google Map (Map data © 2020 Google)

 

YANESEN

Yanaka is one of the popular districts often featured in various travel TV programs and magazines. The large area spreading from Taito Ward to Bunkyo Ward is called particularly YA-NE-SEN (Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi), and the sense of presence is rising up as a hotspot of small new urban culture in Japan. Yanaka is so called TERAMACHI (Temple Town) scattering many temples and graveyards. Although broad urban void “Yanaka Cemetery” where the Tokugawa Shogun Family burying, symbolizes one of the most famous characters of the district, Yanaka or YANESEN, located next to the Art University of Tokyo in Ueno and the Tokyo University in Hongo, categorizes as cultural neighborhood where students, university professors and artists have traditionally and collectively lived. Thanks to the miraculously unaffected by the war, the plenty of old houses and alleys are still surviving. Such valuable old urban fabric is the greatest magnet of this district. Recently, foreign tourists visit YANESEN in search of authentic and “cool” downtown scenery in Japan. Old wooden townhouses and residences have been gradually renovated and revived as cafes, galleries, and inns such as for Airbnb short stay. When you enter the street from the intersection of Uenosakuragi, you will find the showcase of old buildings from the Meiji to the Showa era such as “Former Yoshidaya Sake Brewery Shop”, “Kayaba Coffee”, “Sky The Bathhouse” gallery conversion from traditional public bathhouse, and “ATARI [Photo 1]” renovated commercial campus used to be traditional collective housing cluster with small cul-de-sac, NAGAYA. You can walk there from Ueno Park in a minute.


[Photo 1] “ATARI”     Renovation of NAGAYA, traditional urban cluster housing. A commercial complex consisting of restaurants such as beer hall and bakery and multi-purpose rental space mainly for exhibition. When you enter this alley or cul-de-sac, you can feel a sense of immersion as if you are back in the old world of Showa era surrounded by Nagaya rowhouses.

 

Yanaka = Lowland = Downtown

I would assume that the origin of the place name “Yanaka” does represents not the hill of Yanaka Cemetery , “Ya-Naka” literally means “Valley-Center”, but the valley between the Hongo plateau in the west and the hill of Yanaka in the east, that is, Yanaka characterizes “lowland = downtown”.  Aizome River flows the exact center of “lowland = downtown”. It runs north and south from Nagaike in the former Komagome Village in Toshima Ward to Shinobazu Pond in Ueno [Map1]. As it was named “Aizomegawa” or “Indigo Dyeing River”, the dyeing industry was used to be thriving along the river. One of the popular destinations “Yanaka Ginza” is main approach slope connecting from west side lowland Downton area along the River to east side High-land Temple Town.


[Photo2] “Yanaka Ginza”     There locates various tiny shops for tourists. The width of the street is about 3 to 4 meters, everyday-busy alley like Hokousya-tengoku (Pedestrian Paradise), very popular tourist destination in Yanaka. When you walk up the street from this gate, you will soon get to Yanaka Cemetery.

 

Yomisedori Street (Nightmarket Street)

Walking through “Yanaka Ginza” from the high land of Yanaka Cemetery, you will arrive at the Tsuji-intersection [Photo 2].  Yomise-dori is a shopping street that goes to the left or down to the south from this crossing. This is the everywhere street for daily shopping, everyday living space for locals, with greengrocer, fishmonger, “supermarket” (the “supermarket” in the Showa era in shopping street are reasonably small), convenience store, and multi-tenant buildings. Such human scenery where you can go shopping by “Mamachari (Mother’s Bike)” remains in the core of Tokyo.


[Photo3] “Yomisedori Street (Nightmarket Street)”     Contrast to Yanaka Ginza mainly for visitors, Yomisedori is a real Shitamachi (low-town or downtown) street that supports the daily lives of locals such as fishmonger, greengrocer, and small “supermarket”.

 

Hebi-michi Road (Snake Road)

Let’s continue walking toward south (to Ueno) along the old river. After passing through the spine of ” Yomisedori Street “, you will come to a winding or snaky-curved road called “Hebimichi”. The narrow maze-like road and the sequence of masonry block walls and hedges of residential blocks have something interesting vibes, and this is the one, the ANKYO (culvert), exactly looking for!  However, you are in a quiet residential area, please stay calm during walk. Along this even residential “Hebimichi Road”, fashionably renovated shops are gradually popping up. According to the radio I happened to hear the other day, an actor Maiko Kawakami, one of the characters of the first series of “KINPACHI SENSEI”, runs a store around here of Swedish accessories and glass works made by her own. Let’s get back to the walk, after passing this “snaky-curved” Hebimichi experience, the road becomes a little wider and straighter. In a sense, it is “normal” townscape with a mixture of shops, houses, buildings and parking lots. Let’s go pass through quickly. Go further down the street and cross Kototoi street, you will get back to the alley world and discover the stone building, Ishiguura (Warehouse made by stone) [Photo 4]. This is the building renovated into a Udon noodle shop while maintaining the original appearance of Ishigura, designed by Kengo Kuma. The other day when I was guided friends to Yanaka, we did stop by this Udon for supper but we could not have it because the reservation was full even though it was a weekday evening. This was a second trial for me, the first challenge 2 or 3 yeas ago for lunch was at the out of service or closing day. Although I will try, at the final third time lucky, to revenge someday, we could find, at the first time lucky, a good Soba noodle restaurant run by twin sisters instead. After all, I much prefer Soba for Sake. If you have a chance to visit Yanaka, please experience not only popular tourist spots in High-land temple town and “Yanaka Ginza” but also “Sitamachi downtown street” along on the old Aizome River, where you can feel its real and lively vibes!


[Photo4] “KAMACHIKU”     A Udon noodle restaurant renovated from Ishigura, a warehouse made by stone masonry. Like the old scape of Nihonbashi river in Edo period, this is the memory of the river where many Kura (warehouses) were lined up along.

Hiroyuki Niino , Oct25, 2020

 

Hymn for New York, 19 years from 911

Today is September 11th 2020, 19 years have passed since that event.　In the summer of 2001, I was about to move to NY from Boston. I was finishing to work at the site office of Boston Convention Center, transferring to Rafael Vinoly Architects in NY and busy for preparing moving such as looking for room and etc. It was probably last weekend of August when I was finished packing up my little luggage and moved to new apartment at Upper West Side in Manhattan. During looking for an apartment in NY, the real estate agent enthusiastically recommended me an old apartment in Tribeca with Rent Stabilization. The room was very cool, a kind of loft style with high ceiling space. Something exactly like you can see in some movies of success stories in NY, for example “Big” of Tom Hanks. Rent stabilization is a legal guarantee that the rent will not raise for a certain period of time. It aims to protect the residence rights of the inhabitants rooted in that neighborhood and contributes to preserve historic city, especially like in NY. To exemplify it very frankly, the purpose is to protect the everyday life of common residents in Lower Manhattan and to fight against the soulless urban development of money-making-first real estate agencies, as Jane Jacobs and other folks have tried. Tribeca is the area where many cultural figures such as artists and university professors live. For example, Ryuichi Sakamoto, a Japanese composer, has a residence in Tribeca. The room in Tribeca was a bit over budget, so I have signed to apartment in Upper West.


View from the window of room on the 10th floor of the apartment at West 100 Street, looking north, Columbia University campus behind the tall apartments. I often lied to friends, “I can see Central Park and the Hudson River from my room,” but it was half true that “if” I leaned out from the window, I could actually see Central Park on the right and the Hudson River on the left. This apartment is also quite old, but it seems that it still exists.     Photo in December 2002

 

On the morning of September 11th, I was following unfamiliar commuting steps; walk about 3 minutes from the apartment at the intersection of W100 Street and Broadway, take the red line of the subway at the nearest station of 96 Street and get off at Houston Street, then I was walking to the office on 50 Vandam Street. When went up to the ground from basement, I noticed the street was noisy. A fire broke out at the World Trade Center (WTC), about 20 blocks away, and there revealed a large hole in the tower when taking a close look. At first, everyone was wondering it was an accident or something. We couldn’t understand that someone intentionally smashed the plane until “second” passenger plane flew very low over our heads, I saw the plane, and went straight down to the WTC. For the time being, I got into the office, watching the TV screen. In the broadcast, someone explained “Such modern skyscraper will never collapse” and nobody could expect that it would happen next. However, the camera perfectly captured that WTC twin towers were falling down to the ground very easily. The video image of the TV was exactly like that of a movie. Although it endured the impact of a passenger plane crash, due to the heat-sensitive structure of steel frame skyscraper, the failure of sprinklers cause to collapse “beautifully” like traditional Japanese Toy Game, DARUMA OTOSHI (DARUMA Doll Drop). What happened after the collapse is exactly as you know of. Thanks to about 2km distance, we could avoid direct blast. However the black dust or ashes, like a huge cumulonimbus cloud, was slowly approaching, then I had to evacuate from the office.

At 50 Vandam Street, the Vinoly office was located, next to famous Soho district. This neighborhood was originally an industrial district housed many warehouses. They renovated an old warehouse into an architecture office. The building consists of three stories, the 1st floor of “the reception hall where models are displayed and the piano room of Mr. Vinoly”, the basement of “model shop”, and the top floor of “the drawing room with a high ceiling, the main workplace of about 50 to 60 staffs”. Although a good work place, they did recently move out from this place because long-standing contract expired. Located about 1.8km (1.1 miles) to the site, we could see quite well the abstract silhouette of the twin towers designed by Minoru Yamasaki.

 

Because of course the subway entirely stopped, I went home by walk up to my apartment at Upper West  about two hours. TV said “America is under attack” and so that everyone spent anxious days at home for a while and scarring that the next terrorism may come again. If I took the “cool” apartment in Tribeca close to the site, I would have spent several months very inconveniently without electricity and water. So I didn’t go to work for a while and evacuated at home watching TV for a couple of days. Then I got a  phone call from my boss who was still working in peaceful Boston. He asked with a bit of angry tone, “Hiro-san, how long have you been evacuating?” I replied “How can I get to work during the subway was stopping?” He asked “Why not bike to the office?” I answered ” Yes! I will go to the office by my bike now!” This is the story how my bicycle commuting life in NY instantly began.


Mountain bike I was riding in Boston and NY. During Boston, I was biking around the suburban mountains (off-road) with colleagues.

 

From 100th Street, going straight down to south, I have reached probably to 14 Street in 20 to 30 minutes. Then there constructed barricade all along 14 street and many police officers were standing to shut out the blocks of lower area. What I saw was exactly the real “Lockdown”. Although I thought that I could not pass through this gate, I was afraid that the boss would complain again if I returned back to home without trying anything, then I challenged to one of the policeman and asked very sensitively presenting my business card “Can I enter this gate? Our office is located at lower side.” Contrary to my expectations, the officer promptly said “You are OK to enter.” While the street of Manhattan is organized by grid system, the old area of lower Manhattan is disoriented like maze. The grid city is really convenient for “Lockdown” because until around at 14 Street there consists orthogonal street pattern so that the security line to block out lower area was formed conveniently. Our working life has re-started immediately like this. When I was back to the office, our big boss Vinoly was working and joking as usual. I remember he was making ridiculous jokes to Muslim(?) staff and laughing us at. In less than a week TV addressed “Get back to normal!” and consequently strong New Yorkers began to return to their everyday lives. In probably about a month, the subway also restarted to Houston Street, so I didn’t have to commute by bicycle for that longer period than I expected.

 

After that event, I lived in NY for about two years. During that period, I was also involved in a competition for the redevelopment of the former WTC site called Ground Zero. The Japanese are ridiculed as working bees, but I thought that the people in NY would work much harder. I would like to share more stories about NY during that time, but I don’t have enough photos left to post on my blog. I didn’t feel like taking pictures for a while after Sep.11. At the 20 years ago, we had no iPhone since Jobs did not bring the great device to the world yet. I lost many images taken by digital camera due to the crash of my computers. My Macintosh were broken many times…  About 8 years ago, I have returned to NY to visit a friend who worked at the WTC construction site office, but at that time Hurricane Sandy came and entered NY after a couples of days delayed. Unfortunately, the construction site was flooded out and I could not visit the site after all. Colleagues and friends in NY jokingly complained me that “Something bad happens when Hiro comes to NY.” Although I have lived for just about two years, but when I returned to Manhattan, I curiously felt like I was rewinding ten years backwards and went back to home.

 

Since September 11th, I am afraid that the world has changed taking something bad directions more and more. Finally Trump became president of the United States. Furthermore the pandemic of covid-19 has attacked around the world. Since the year of 2020 for me is the 20th anniversary from GSD graduation, I was planning a reunion trip to Boston and NY, but in vain.  I hope that the world will get back to “normal”  with the good news about presidential election sometime soon.

 


A shot of Manhattan Island “secretly” taken from the window of “almost empty” cabin on the way home at the last and first visit to NY since I left NY, about 10 years ago. You can see the WTC Freedom Tower under construction.     Photo in November 2012