Jiewon Song + Sanghoon Youm + CAT LAB

What can expansive redevelopment contribute to a city? In densely-populated urban landscapes, architecture takes on a fundamentally public persona. It's within this interplay between private and public sectors that truly habitable urban spaces emerge. Tokyo's commitment to heritage-focused urban renewal showcases this delicate dance between societal benefit and individual compromise. Specifically, the revitalization projects in the Nihonbashi and Marunouchi districts underscore the intricate balance between economic interests and historical preservation.

 

Tokyo's urban metamorphosis is marked by its grandiosity and the unified efforts spanning multiple institutional and societal mechanisms. These efforts are manifest in the form of sweeping public announcements, robust disaster evacuation facilities, and enhanced pedestrian pathways. In exchange, developers receive incentives that modify traditional floor area ratios. This exhibition delves deep into the historical evolution of the Nihonbashi and Marunouchi districts. Through 'Voidscape' drawings, we capture and represent the resulting urban tapestry, offering a three-dimensional perspective of ground-level spaces.

 

When we view public spaces through a 3D lens―emphasizing vertical and horizontal proportions over mere area―it offers fresh insights into the urban fabric. Tokyo's approach, which involves leveraging floor area ratios, ambitious development projects, and the expansive reach of its public spaces, prompts us to reflect on the symbiotic relationship between economic interests and public welfare in high-density settings.

 

- Jiewon Song is an expert in urban planning and heritage studies. She holds a PhD in Urban Planning, The University of Tokyo; an MS in Historic Preservation, Columbia University; and an MA in Cultural Heritage Studies, University College London. She also earned a BA in Sociology, Ewha Womans University. Currently, she works as a principal investigator at the Environmental Planning Institute of Seoul National University after conducting extensive fieldwork for global urban heritage projects.

 

 Sang Hoon Youm graduated from Seoul National University and Columbia University and he is currently an Associate Professor at Yonsei University and runs the CAT Architecture & Urban Design Lab. His research focuses on architectural & urban design strategies, urban boundaries, architectural welfare, and psychology & architectural design. His architectural design and research has been commissioned and exhibited worldwide and have received various architectural awards.

 

Team: Jiwon Kang, Minji Kim, Hyeongseok Kim, Hyelim Yu, Ara Cho, Sumin Hong