L-Yuka Yoshida

Yuka Yoshida Re.CLAIM In search of the space to reconnect with the Nihonbashi River Dirk Vreekenstraat 171 1019DP Amsterdam 0644821855 yyoshida510@gmail.com Landscape Architect

Amsterdam Academy of Architecture Graduation Projects 2014-2015 Landscape Architecture

Landscape Architecture

Yuka Yoshida Re.CLAIM In search of the space to reconnect with the Nihonbashi River

Changing people’s perception influences complex urban issues. I believe that the same can be said of complex urban landscape challenges we are facing. Re.CLAIM is a design proposal that aims to slowly change the perception of the Nihonbashi River in order to reconnect people to the urban river in the city centre of Tokyo.

Since the 1960’s, Nihonbashi River, a river with a historically significant bridge from the Edo period (1603-1868), known as the epicenter of Edo (current Tokyo) culture, has been covered by the concrete structure of a metropolitan motorway. This is the result of the tight schedule to open the motorway for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and the attitude toward the urban river during the postwar economic boom (1950-1970’s).

There have been discussions about replacing the highway with an underground tunnel, yet by focusing the discussion on the national scale issues, such as the motorway, the desire to reclaim the river has been put on hold. Today, a massive concrete motorway covers 90% of Nihonbashi River, and the entire river is bounded by the concrete floodwalls to protect the lowland from the extreme high tide. In addition, rows of buildings are facing their backs to the river limiting the visual connection from the land. Even the few open spaces have no relationship to water. It is also vertically restricted by seven subway lines which are running just a few metres below the river bottom, and the Shinkansen high speed railway lines intersect at the location of the bridge to Tokyo Station. The under-utilised spaces along the river are making it even more difficult to feel the presence of water quietly running through the city. The negative perception towards the space under the motoway, have isolated the Nihonbashi River, both emotionally and physically, from the urban life of surrounding areas.

For this complex but culturally and environmentally significant river, the design proposal of Re.CLAIM finds the smallest existing elements in the limited condition to make he Nihonbashi River more visible from the surrounding areas. Without knowing the destiny of the motorway, design can improve to influence the future of the Nihonbashi River. The under-utilised spaces along the river are opportunities for improvement, and change the way people experience the world under the motorway. Seeing the necessity to strengthen the floodwalls for the expected natural disasters serves as the catalyst for the project, which aims to start the change now. Showing the spatial quality of the neglected river will gradually lead to the improvement of the perception for a better future in terms of urban life and the connection with the Nihonbashi River.

Graduation date 16 10 2014

Commission members Maike van Stiphout (mentor) Paul Achterberg Boris Hocks

Additional members for the examination Joost van Hezewijk Nikol Dietz

Yuka Yoshida

Palette of reclaimed floodwalls

Landscape Architecture

HERE

Nihonbashi River, invisible from the sky

To k

yo

urban drainage M

opolitan Area e tr urban drainage

m en t ov e lm tida

Nihonbashi River and Kanda Watershed in Tokyo Prefecture

Nihonbashi Bridge in Edo Period (1603 to 1868)

Influence from Urban area and Tokyo Bay

Nihonbashi Bridge today

What can we do now?

Existing Condition

The unforseeable future of the metropolitan motorway

Yuka Yoshida

Effect Cause

Dividing Floodwall

Nihonbashi River

Connecting floodwall

Urban Activities

Urban Activities + Nihonbashi River

+ Life

support wall existing wall

1 year

5 year

10 year

20 year

Influence of the intervention - Reclaimed River Over time

Landscape Architecture

Existing

Reclaimed

Case Study I

Existing

Reclaimed

Case Study II

Existing

Reclaimed

Case Study III

Existing

Reclaimed

Case Study IV

Yuka Yoshida

Case Study II

Case Study III

Case Study IV

Amsterdam Academy of Architecture

Architects, urbanists and landscape architects learn the profession at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture through an intensive combination of work and study. They work in small, partly interdisciplinary groups and are supervised by a select group of practising fellow professionals.

There is a wide range of options within the programme so that students can put together their own trajectory and specialisation.

With the inclusion of the course in Urbanism in 1957 and Landscape Architecture in 1972, the Academy is the only architecture school in the Netherlands to bring together the three spatial design disciplines under one roof.

Some 350 guest tutors are involved in teaching every year. Each of them is a practising designer or a specific expert in his or her particular subject. The three heads of department also have design practices of their own in addition to their work for the Academy. This structure yields an enormous dynamism and energy and ensures that the courses remain closely linked to the current state of the discipline.

The courses consist of projects, exercises and lectures. First-year and second-year students also engage in morphological studies. Students work on their own or in small groups. The design

projects form the backbone of the syllabus.

On the basis of a specific design assignment, students develop knowledge, insight and skills.

The exercises are focused on training in those skills that are essential for recognising and solving design problems, such as analytical techniques, knowledge of the repertoire, the use of materials, text analysis, and writing. Many of the exercises are linked to the design projects.

The morphological studies concentrate on the making of spatial objects, with the emphasis on creative process and implementation. Students experiment with materials and media forms and gain experience in converting an idea into a creation.

During the periods between the terms there are workshops, study trips in the Netherlands and abroad, and other activities. This is also the preferred moment for international exchange projects. The Academy regularly invites foreign students for the workshops and recruits wellknown designers from the Netherlands and further afield as tutors.

Graduates from the Academy of Architecture are entitled to the following titles: Architect, Master of Science; Urbanist, Master of Science and Landscape Architect, Master of Science.