International Urban Design Studio 2018, Kyojima-Sumida District, Tokyo

Abstract

The Tokyo Smart City Studio is a practical capstone project housed within the Eco Urban Lab at Georgia Tech’s School of City and Regional Planning and School of Architecture. Throughout the four-month semester, students collaborate on innovative urban design solutions for some of Tokyo’s most important problems. In conjunction with the Global Carbon Project (GCP), the National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan, the Department of Urban Engineering of the University of Tokyo, and the University of Tsukuba, Georgia Tech Students tackled issues ranging from energy consumption and disaster preparedness to heat stress and a vulnerable elderly population. The group completed five comprehensive reviews, a week-long site visit to Tokyo, multiple workshopping sessions, an Architecture Exposition, and two final reports. The focus area of this year’s studio was Kyojima, a one-half kilometer neighborhood in Sumida-Ku. In the late 19th century, this neighborhood was characterized by paddy fields, marshes, and a few small factories. It’s known for its traditional Japanese crafts, tight alleyways, and wooden tenement housing. The area is dense and in need of revitalization. Kirakira Street, the neighborhood’s once bustling shopping destination, is in substantial economic decline. This document is a detailed report of all student proposals aimed at assisting community members and other Kyojima stakeholders with technological, design, and policy solutions.