Urban Typhoon Workshop
Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
We invite creative spirits from Japan and abroad to brainstorm on the present and future of Shimokitazawa, at a time when the government is planning a 26 meter-wide road cutting through its culturally vibrant streets.Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
The Urban Typhoon workshop is a global experiment in participatory design. It is directly connected to the various subcultures of Shimokitazawa and its grassroots community groups.......
The workshop has various areas of concentration and modes of intervention, including: architecture & design studios, art installations, political café, oral history, graphic communication, video, etc.......
The objective is to produce alternatives to the government's plan as well as a multimedia testimony to the unique spirit of Shimokitazawa. The workshop itself is a joyous and participatory takeover of the city.
The Urban Typhoon Workshop is connected to 2 other events:
1) Urban Design & Ubiquitous Society Symposium, June 28, 2006:
Special event organized by the Interdisciplinary Institute of Information Studies at the University of Tokyo. This symposium will investigate the potential of ubiquitous information technology for architecture and urban planning based on citizen participation.
2) Cultural Typhoon Symposium, June 30 – July 2, 2006:
Annual inter-university event attended by hundreds of scholars from Japan and the rest of the world. This year Cultural Typhoon takes place in Shimokitazawa and focuses on the theme of urban culture. The outcome of the Urban Typhoon workshop will be presented and discussed during the Symposium.
See http://www.cultural-typhoon.org
