Practical Research on the Street Revitalization Design in a Downtown Urban Area (Ueno District)
We are proposing and implementing a street revitalization design for the downtown area of Ueno, an area within walking distance from Hongo campus, that is both “walkable” and “inclusive”.
Originally, the streets of Ueno were used as a resting place and a venue for festivals, which created its foundation as a walkable city. The aim of this project is to revitalize the street network in Ueno, which has become car-oriented since COVID-19 caused an urban transformation in the area.
The project team was organized by the Urban Design Laboratory in collaboration with local real estate owners and shop owners. A grassroots, bottom-up activities process was adopted to incorporate the voices of local residents.
Overview of activities
We are investigating the history of street utilization (such as the “pedestrian paradise”), which the Ueno district once actively engaged in, and holding an empirical study on the bars and restaurants that currently operate on street spaces.
We designed and installed the “Gaito (= Streetlight) Stand,” a stand with a removable table to be attached to existing streetlights to create an open-air drinking space on Nakamachi-dori[1] , a street where the level of public safety is deteriorating. We tested and verified its effectiveness through an activity survey.
On Nakamachi-dori, we are expanding from the regenerative design of its streets to that of its vacant spaces. For example, we are designing and implementing a system to allow tenants of vacant buildings to utilize their rooftop spaces as public spaces that can be used by local residents.
We hold workshops with local residents regularly to improve the pedestrian space on Shinobazu-dori, a wide road for cars that divides Shinobazu Pond and the Ueno area.
Accomplishments
The “Gaito Stand” was shown to be an effective tool for attracting people to stay in and enjoy the downtown streets without overcrowding.
The “Gaito Stand” won the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2021 for its simplicity and potential to be implemented by store owners and significantly change the city.
Our activities on Nakamachi-dori were highly acclaimed by the entire Ueno community, and a project to create a street design vision for all of Ueno in cooperation with the local government and police is now underway.
