Experiences in Nishiki 2 District
Akito Murayama, Ph.D. | Denver | September 15, 2016

About Nishiki 2 District
Research-Practice Partnership in Nishiki 2, Nagoya City, Japan

Textile Wholesaler District in Transition• Located in the urban center ofNagoya City (Population: 2.3 million)• Prospered as textile wholesaler
district after WWII
• Textile wholesaler industry declining
for several decades• Many wholesalers closing theirbusinesses• Vacant floors and surface “coin”
parking lots
• Many property owners “waiting forthe right moment” for redevelopment

From Community Visioningto Low Carbon Initiative• 2004: Community Development
Council formed by property owners
and business owners• 2008-2011: Intensive community
visioning Process for 2030, followed
by several community-led projects• 2011-2013: Research on design andimplementation of low carbon blocks
in Nagoya University• 2013: Designation of Low Carbon
Model District• 2014-2015: Research on low carbon
lifestyle innovation funded by MoE

Mistakes and some Achievements
Research-Practice Partnership in Nishiki 2 District, Nagoya City

Focus on Built Environment• Community visioning process started
with vague dialogue about the future• Researchers in university wereplanners, architects and civilengineers• Many issues were related to the built
environment - buildings and publicspaces• The district model helped people tofocus on the actual built environment• Strong opposition to downzoning and
TDR proposed by researchers –almost “fired”

Complicated Environmental Simulation• Nagoya University research teamconducted an environmental simulation toshow the potential reduction of CO2
emission in the fields of urban
environment, transport, logistics, buildings
and energy• Invited community leaders to the researchsymposium - “too difficult to understand,but we want to do something good for thecommunity and the earth”• Science communication important• Pamphlet for local people

What is “Low Carbon”? Any Benefits?
• Low carbon projects launched in bycommunity leaders andprofessionals (researchers andpractitioners)• Nagoya City recognize theimportance of community-led low
carbon projects in existing urban
areas (not only “smart communities”
in new development or major
redevelopment)• Difficult for community stakeholders
understand the concept• “Spiral up” learning seminars

Tactical Urbanism Approach• Wood Utilization Project initiated byresearchers of forestry, woodmaterial, architecture and planningfocused on public space and building
interiors in Nishiki 2 District• “Street Wood Deck Project”,“Sidewalk Widening Social
Experiment” and other actions
mobilized the community• Long-term planning and assessment
is difficult but short-term actions areeasy to understand and fun (enoughdiscussing in meetings)

Assessing the Community Projects

Assessing the Community Projects

Relationship with the “Departments”• Nagoya City departments aresegregated - urban planning,transport planning, roadmanagement, environment, industry
promotion, etc.
• Nagoya University schools anddepartments were segregated but
improved by an interdisciplinary
education and research program on“clinical environmental studies”• No “departments” in a community• Supporters must be integrated
before engaging in a community

Keys to SuccessResearch-Practice Partnership in Nishiki 2 District, Nagoya City

Keys to Success in Partnership• “City lab” for university researchers• Listen to the community about issues and possibilities before conducting any
research in a “city lab”
• Matching of community needs and research objectives, make clear what
researchers (and students) can do and cannot do• Science communication essential in showing the research result• Building trust with community in a long run - participating in local festivals• Continuous mobilization of different researchers - there are ups and downs ofindividual researchers• ¥ to the community - research funds

Thank You!
Contact: Akito Murayama, murayama@up.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

https://jp.linkedin.com/in/akitomurayama
http://www.facebook.com/akito.murayama/
http://up.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/%7emurayama/