architecture
For discussing architecture/built environment
Woven or interwoven perfectly captures the essence of the project Toyota is developing: a seamless blend of urban planning and the integration of every aspect of life into one harmonious, sustainable system.
The city will serve as a testing ground for autonomous transport, robotics, and artificial intelligence. It will run entirely on renewable energy and hydrogen. The homes are built from wood using traditional Japanese sukiya techniques - known for their simplicity, natural materials, and deep respect for nature. Solar panels cover the roofs, while surrounding gardens allow residents to grow their own vegetables.
You wonβt find conventional roads here. Instead, streets are divided into three types: for autonomous vehicles, pedestrians, and personal mobility devices. No traffic jams, no noise - just smooth movement in harmony with nature, all against the stunning backdrop of Mount Fuji.
Another key focus in Woven City is robotics seamlessly integrated into the urban ecosystem - think autonomous couriers, cleaning robots, and even robotic gardeners tending to plants.
Toyota has taken on a hugely ambitious mission: to create a model for the future of the entire planet. Here, theyβre testing how humanity can live sustainably - with zero emissions, smart resource use, and without losing touch with human connection and creativity. Itβs an answer to the biggest challenge of urbanization: how to make cities efficient without turning them into soulless machines.
π 1117 Mishuku, Susono, Shizuoka 410-1107
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I learned that the Nakagin Capsule Tower by Kisho Kurokawa had been demolished and decided to create another place where knowledge about it would be preserved.
There are things you learn in school or university and accept as facts - like the Earth being round or the pyramids existing in Egypt. These are constants in your mind; you never think they might change.
The Nakagin Capsule Tower is where the study of Metabolic architecture begins in universities, and it remains one of Tokyoβs key symbols among architects.
Metabolism itself emerged as a response to post-war housing shortages, with a firm gaze toward the future. Itβs no surprise it originated in Japan - a country with a tradition of building in wood and regularly rebuilding its structures.
Built in 1972, the tower embodied the idea that architecture should change and adapt to an evolving world.
It consisted of individual capsule modules (for housing or mini-offices) attached to two central cores containing utilities. The concept was that every 25β30 years, the capsules would be replaced with more modern ones. Yet, over 50 years, not a single module was ever replaced due to the high cost.
In 2022, the dilapidated structure - made uninhabitable by the asbestos used in its construction - was demolished.
It is still architecture, but now it is history.
π 8 Chome-16-10 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo, Japan 2 replies
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