“Evolution of [Minato City] from 1960’s to the Present Day”

I’m attending a seminar today at Stockholm’s Museum of Architecture today, called Micro/Macro: An urban meeting between Tokyo and Stockholm. I’ve just listened to Dr Keimi Harada, mayor of Minato City, Tokyo’s business and fashion district. Here are my rough notes:

“Minato” = “port”. Tokyo unplanned, land privately owned. Central district. Co-existence of old and new buildings. Zojo-ji Temple, Hikawa Shrine.

Edo 18th century, feudalism.

Live, eat, shop, learn, ... – multi-function. Financially supports Tokyo, Japan.

1960 – barracks after the war, poor infrastructure – 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, “an incentive to accelerate…” – urban renewal, streets, etc. – especially in Minato – wider streets – population flux.

2000 – buildings of 60’s obsolete, low ceiling heights, no elevators – improper infrastructure (only 60% of planned streets completed), “aging society.”

Roppongi Hills finished in 2003 + 2 more, large. Largest redevelopment. Mr. Mori’s company, supports the district. Prior: highly dense, low-rise wooden buildings, narrow streets (fire hazard). Took 17 years to complete, step by step. Now: “large mixed-use” site. Mori insisted on “vertical Garden City” (unsure about this).

Roppongi Hills 50 million visitors first year. Twice that of Disneyland Japan.

He did a run-through of the sub-districts of Roppongi Hills. The one which has skyscrapers by Jean Nouvel, R. Rogers, etc. has 60000 people at daytime, and 6000 at night. The Shinagawa district 1700 at night (unsure of how many at daytime).

More urban renewal projected. In the near future, Minato City will have a million people at daytime, and 200000 at night.

Up until now, the same urban planning law has applied to entire Japan. Wide streets in farm villages, etc. But now there’s a new policy.

He ends his talk by saying that he hopes the redevelopment will be as well-planned as in Stockholm. And outside the auditorium I overhear him saying that he’s impressed by the planning of Stockholm.

Now it’s time for the next session.