- ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN | CONCEPTUAL
- JUL 2017
- Graduate design studio “Architecture in the next 50 years”
- Department of Architecture | The University of Tokyo
A worst-case combination of a megaquake and massive flooding in the Arakawa riverfront region could leave 4 million residents and commuters stranded and most of the area within 3 km from the River under 3 m+ of water. In its aftermath, the “Ridge”—a 30-m high, 50 km-long megastructure constructed within a week using highly standardized and prefabricated structural and functional units—would loom over the affected area on both sides of the River.
The superstructure would function as an evacuation shelter and also as a separation barrier for permanent afforestation of the Arakawa riverfront. Its height is determined so that the units can be stacked with regular crane trucks, and the width is calculated so that the 3-4 persons accommodated per meter per floor can each have at least 10 m2 of private space.
This speculative design concept presents a rather radical solution to the potential scenario—relocation from areas with high disaster risk, as much as it visualizes the ruthless reality in the form of architecture.
