Towards a new society brought about by the coronavirus
~Integrated station-town development as a network hub~

The options for where to work will increase significantly, and we can expect a shift towards a lifestyle where people choose from multiple workplaces and networking venues depending on their daily needs, rather than just commuting in one direction from home to a city center office. For example, one day might involve working from home, a workplace near home, a city center office, and then another nearby workplace after a meeting. This shift from a centralized to a more decentralized approach to work.

Major cities around the world, including Tokyo, London, New York, Paris, and Shanghai, have extensive subway networks. Taking Tokyo as an example, the Tokyo Metro alone comprises nine lines and covers approximately 195 km. Subway stations are spread like a web across cities worldwide, making them ideal infrastructure for supporting the decentralized urban society of the post-COVID era. When considering future cities and transportation, it will be crucial to consider how to adapt the global subway network to new lifestyles.

Tokyo Metro has extended the transfer time limit for those who need to exit the ticket gates to change lines from 30 minutes to 60 minutes, and has made the previously unconnected Ginza and Ginza-itchome stations transferable. This may lead to people enjoying strolling around the city during transfers. Many urban centers around the world have multiple stations within walking distance of each other. While efforts have been made to create station-city spaces that integrate each station with the surrounding area, expanding pedestrian spaces connecting multiple stations will create a station-city integrated space that serves as a network hub fostering walkable and diverse urban activities. By connecting stations to personal transportation options such as buses, shared cars, and shared bicycles, people will be able to access a variety of activities and locations smoothly. The station-city integrated area is expected to become a space where diverse functions such as plazas, commercial facilities, workplaces, and entertainment are interconnected. To achieve this, it will also be necessary to transform street spaces from roadways into spaces for pedestrians and other forms of mobility. The newly created space can be utilized as a valuable, vibrant area for the community through area management. By making the entire area, including the street spaces, a space that generates vibrancy, it will become an infrastructure that supports real-world communication, which is expected to become increasingly valuable in the future.
These walkable area strategies cannot be realized by railway operators alone; therefore, it is crucial to create an area vision in collaboration with local governments and surrounding businesses.

A more proactive approach would be to create more open and inviting station spaces. Increasing the number of stations that are filled with natural light and allow for a natural breeze would not only enhance the comfort of travel but also contribute to safety.
Making entrances and exits easier to understand and expanding the space connecting to the ground level are also necessary, but these efforts are important not only for countermeasures against COVID-19 but also for business continuity planning (BCP) measures in the event of a disaster.

I believe the value of real-world communication in urban areas will remain high. As station-centered urban development acts as a network hub, it will become the infrastructure supporting this communication, enabling a wider range of choices than ever before, and fostering initiatives that enhance both comfort and safety. (July 10, 2020)

Top image: Kyobashi Subway Station and Tokyo Square Garden: © Forward Stroke Inc.

* "Beyond Covid-19: Society, Cities, and Architecture" is a series. Going forward, architects, planners, engineers, consultants, and others will regularly share their visions from their respective professional perspectives.