Shimokita Whiteout / Architecture
CAt Studio / Tokyo

What makes Shimokitazawa attractive like that? We think is the activities of various people on the streets. L ess traffic situation seems to make it possible. Take a short look on the Street of Shimokitazawa. The pedestrians, shoppers, peddlers, singers… We are reminded that streets can be so attractive if car traffic is subtracted!

Let's explain by “Black / White” theory *, which we usually use for the architectural design, the ‘Street' of Shimokitazawa is ‘White' as we cannot find many similar area in Tokyo . In A rchitecture, the more ‘White' space there is , the better the space become. And the same is equally true of the ‘Street' , the public space of the city.

On the first glance, the redevelopment plan by the government gives Shimokitazawa big amounts of space around the station. But, in fact, it just paint ed this city all in ‘Black' like the other “ Station Square ” in Tokyo , which we mass-produced in 20 th century.

Our mission is, to maximize the possibility of Shimokitazawa as the “ White Street ”, to develop methods, to apply it to the real environment and to find out the spontaneous ideas from the city. Passing by the Shimokitazawa Street painted in ‘White', we must envisage the transient, amorphous city model beyond the 20 th century city created by the land use zoning.

Participants from any fields are very welcomed if you have the power of observation, presentation, or quickness. But, we really want you to have the interests of the physical approach.

We could operate in any media. It could be a big painting, a full-scale installation, a video, a CG animation, a model, a drawing, even a wall. The point is… it should be LIVE.

 

[notes]

“BLACK” = Spaces each of which have only one respective usage. Normally the name of the room indicates how it is used. (ex. kitchen, toilet, bedroom, or highway.)

“WHITE” = Spaces which change their functions and names, according to the users' activities inside. ( ex. Plaza )

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26 th , Introduction of theme, member's time, initial observation

27 th , chose the specific discipline, discussion

28 th , Hard working.

29 th , Finalization and presentation.