TOKYO
Mess is More
1210101075 SAUMYAJIT BISWAS
1210101085 VIDHI DESAI
Introduction
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is a thriving
metropolis renowned for its remarkable urban
planning.
Its growth and development have been
influenced by several factors, including its
topography, climate, population dynamics,
settlement patterns, city center, transportation
systems, residential units, and notable capital
complexes.
Source: [Link]
This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of these salient features and the planning strategies that have contributed
to Tokyo's remarkable urban landscape.
Population
Population commuting into Tokyo Proportion of workers in Tokyo metropolis Tokyo is one of the most densely
metropolis by prefecture (2010) by place of residence (2010)
populated cities globally, with a population
exceeding 13 million residents in the city
proper and over 37 million in the Greater
Tokyo Area.
The city's remarkable population growth
has necessitated innovative solutions in
housing, transportation, and infrastructure.
Source: [Link]
History
The year 1603 marks the beginning of the Edo period.
When a new ruler came into power and moved the military
capital of japan from kyoto to edo which is modern day
Tokyo.
Until about 150 years ago. Japan had a very clear caste
system,and this social structure had a large influence on
where people lived and how each neighborhood
functioned.
If you lived in a lower caste as a commoner, you would live
in much more tightly packed neighborhoods that resulted
in something closer to a grid system.
Wealthy neighborhood Commoner neighborhood
These moats visible on both old maps of Edo and current maps of Tokyo are another example of how the city was
different from the start.
Topographical map of tokyo
Tokyo can be divided into the high city and the low city on These were built hundreds of years ago to serve as a moat
the top of the hills. These red areas, buildings are less for a castle that stood here, Edo Castle.
vulnerable to floods and earthquakes. So these is where
people of higher class built. Then as the city grew, the
lower places filled in with commoners.
Today, the imperial palace stands on these
grounds and the surrounding greenery is a
great anchor point when looking at a current
map of the city.
Natural Calamities
This is the edge of a tectonic plate, and its along this rim
where 80% of the world’s seismic activity and 75% of the
world’s volcanic activity occurs, both of which characterize
Japan.
Due to the earthquakes and volcanoes, three fourths of
Japan is mountainous. Hower, the basin that tokyo sits in
is unusually flat.
Urbanization of Tokyo ( 1960s to 2010s )
The history of contemporary Tokyo city planning starts in 1956,
when the National Capital Region Development Law was
established.
Also the central government announced the end of post-war
reconstruction period. It was a beginning of economic revival and
renewed growth of urban population.
The First National Capital Region Development Plan of 1958
designated a broad greenbelt around the existing built up area of
Tokyo. The main idea was to control the expansion of urban
structure and to develop satellite towns beyond green belt.
Morphology
During the course of the second half of twentieth century Tokyo was characterized by rapid urban growth and development,
increasing industrialization and urban sprawl that caused an environmental crisis.
Zoning
Zoning appears to have been a national law since the City
Planning Law of 1968. Cities or municipalities certainly have a
degree of control over how they execute zoning, but guidelines
start at the national level.
Land use zoning is a control on building use and provides a basis
to regulate land use and building form.
There are 12 types of land use districts within the Urbanization
Promotion Area.
The locations of schools, libraries, hospitals, child-care centers,
markets, etc. are not regulated by land use zoning, but are dealt
with in the City Planning of public facilities.
Height limits to allow the sun to shine on the street
makes sense, and one can argue that you need some
space between buildings to allow some air flow.
So, the farther the building is set back from the street,
the higher it can be. The wider the street, the higher
the buildings that can be built next to it.
These rules are sometimes omitted from certain
places where they want to build higher buildings, like
offices in skyscrapers for instance.
Metabolic growth
The rulebook that controls Tokyo is flexible. The
future vision of the city is outlined but not
planned in detail.
The rulebook cedes remarkable power to
individuals, and together they are given the
chance to build community and larger urban
forms.
There is however a gap between what is possible to build and what
is usually built.
Economics and culture limit the kinds of housing that appears on
the streets.
The thing is, with such a flexible framework, there are few limitations
to what can be tried.
Street Pattern
The Tokyo of today is the result of centuries of
development and the combination of a bunch
of settlements.
Tokyo is much more complex and irregular
than most western cities.
Tokyo's street pattern is characterized by
mixed land use, where residential, commercial,
and entertainment areas often coexist within
the same neighborhood.
The central business districts like Marunouchi and Ginza Tokyo has many narrow and winding streets, especially in older
feature organized grids of streets. neighborhoods like Asakusa and Yanaka.
Settlement pattern
The settlement pattern in Tokyo on an
urban scale is characterized by a
highly organized and efficient layout.
With a mix of towering skyscrapers in
the central business districts and more
low-rise residential neighborhoods as
one moves towards the outskirts.
Tokyo's settlement pattern showcases
a harmonious coexistence of urban
development, green spaces, and
cultural heritage.
Tokyo's zoning regulations are flexible and
adaptable, allowing for a diverse range of land
uses and architectural styles. This flexibility
fosters innovation and diversity in urban
design.
Despite its density, Tokyo offers an abundance
of green spaces and parks. These areas not
only provide recreational opportunities but also
enhance the city's livability and air quality.
Tokyo has communities offer a range of
services, from local shopping to schools and
healthcare, reducing the need for residents to
travel long distances for daily necessities.
City centre
The city center of Tokyo, often referred to as the
"heart" of the city, is the bustling district of
Chiyoda.
Landmarks such as the Imperial Palace and
government buildings coexist with commercial
and cultural hubs like Ginza and Akihabara.
The development of Chiyoda has been carefully
planned to maintain a balance between
modernization and preservation of historical
heritage.
Location : Akihabara crossing
Transportation
Tokyo boasts an efficient and extensive
transportation network, including an intricate
subway system, commuter trains, buses, and a
network of elevated highways.
The integration of these systems has allowed
for seamless connectivity, reduced congestion,
and facilitated easy access to various parts of
the city and its suburbs.
Residential Units
The city's high population density has led to the development of
unique residential units.
Tokyo features a variety of housing types, from traditional
single-family homes to modern high-rise apartments.
Micro-apartments and shared housing solutions have also gained
popularity, reflecting the city's commitment to maximizing limited
space.
While providing affordable housing for all sectors through the use of
mixed zoning.
Cyclicity : Sustained, evolutionary Platform : Traditional Japanese city
character of the movement that planning system based on a
provides a universal form of modular scheme, was the division
communication between living of the territory for the matrix blocks.
beings and the environment.
Network : Organic cultural tradition Water : The lack of land resources
create the concept of integrity a and well-developed network of
complex structure of the inland canals of the ancient Edo, led
compounds that are in constant to the development of artificial
relationship with the outside world. islands.
Unit : Canonical forms of Japanese Air : Traditional construction raised
architecture are simple, and the above ground buildings, in addition
diversity of the environment isn't to a forced reaction to humidity
achieved by the compilation of climate is also due to the
forms or its elements. characteristic of the Japanese
desire for privacy.
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