Towards a new relationship between nature and society
Considering the future Landscape Design from the perspective of net zero water
[Part 2]

I would like to ask you about today's main theme,"Net Zero Water."This is still a new concept, and is generally understood to mean "a system in which rainwater and water used in buildings are collected in green spaces, filtered using the green spaces and soil, and reused."

That's true, but thisGenerally speaking This is about water resource management. Population growth and changes in the economic environment in, water consumption The amount is 100 years ago about 6x BySwelling, present day teeth Water Large quantities Society that uses it It has become. If the population continues to grow and urbanization continues, I'm talking about Meba Nao. Net Zero Water teeth,In this situation, Water resources utilizing natural water"Ensuring quality and quantity""Conservation and Protection"The idea behind this is.
In achieving this,waterof consumption amount Minimize Or, diversifying water sources Rthing, Reclaimed water and rainwater of Reuse As a means toSome examples include: Discharge of wastewater amount Reduction and water usage Back to the original source Back Also thought and othersIt will be possible.

Although the challenge of"managing water resources in the most optimal way"is a common one, the solution differs depending on the scale of the project andthe country orregion. For example, in the Southeast Asian project mentioned​ ​earlier​, water has traditionally been at the center of people's lives as a familiar presence​. However, rapid land subsidence due to​ ​urbanization​ ​and floods and water damage caused by climate change have made water a dangerous element that threatens life.Inthis area, where there is a risk of a larger area being submerged in the future, we thought that there are things that can only be done with a large-scale project like this one. We thought that the mission of a large-scale project is to show​ ​various solutions to the problems facing cities as a pilot project, without being bound by conventional methods.

In this sense, Mitsubishi Jisho Design has experts in architecture, urban planning,​ ​the environment, and engineering, and it was a great experience​ ​to be able to consider a comprehensive master plan from a wide range of perspectives. Even when creating a new city, it is a must to thoroughly address the problems existing cities face​.Here too, we were able to come up with various​ ​solutions.​ ​Inaddition,​ ​as a project in which a wide variety of experts from various countriesparticipated,​ ​we also played a role in introducing technology and experience from overseas. Net zero water is still a new concept, and its solutions do not always match existing rules.We need to see this​ ​as a challenge and propose solutions in collaboration with designers and engineers.

This is likely to increase the added value of the area, but it will take time for new proposals to be accepted.

This could be said to be our responsibility as designers. We must use design to fully resolve issues, so that ideas and mechanisms become the identity of the place, and lead to attracting customers and increasing asset value. If we simply say "reducing the environmental impact," business operators will only look at the cost aspect.
In such cases, I think there is a good chance of cutting maintenance and management costs by using the latest technology. However, there is a lag between the speed of technological progress and legal reform, and there are cases where "new technology is sufficient functionally, but following existing regulations would result in double costs." In such cases, it would be best to position it as a pilot project and avoid it.
For example, when we previously worked on a soil contamination cleanup project funded by the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), the objective was to "experimentally test new approaches," so while we followed basic rules, we had some freedom in how we solved the problem, and we were able to proactively research solutions and take new approaches to design. I think that if Japan also invests in this kind of "research-based design," the possibilities will expand.

In Japan, it seemsthat"water management"​ ​is​ ​often​ ​required​ ​especially​ ​insmall-scale projects such as redevelopment and renovation in urban areas.

These Issues in existing cities ChallengeIn that case,Project"Individual" "Small scaleSomething like thatand Capture figure, Effect twist Think Big Think systematically to,In other words"The challenges facing cities people Typologies (Type) As think"It is important thatIt will be. One A small solution of,A similar typology is,Diverse By location Expand Can Masu.
In the context of net zero water, In Japan"Green Infrastructure"That concept Along with"Rain Gardens (A permeable planting space that temporarily stores rainwater when it rains and allows it to seep underground over time.) I've been hearing the phrase a lot lately. I willhey In San Francisco Various In place arrive Being stomachBut,Individual Rain Gardens teeth Even though it is small, As a total amount a lot If there is, Solving big problems GaggedR. Green InfrastructureteethUrban StructureAs,An important element of urban designNanois.
Each one is Even for small projects, "First of all, what is the problem that the city has?attitudeProblemsandteeth?" "In the context what kind Positioning mosquito?" "what kind Typology It can be considered as mosquito?" "What should I do? big thing and of Relationships Can you make it??"Think If possible, Impact of Some results Can bring outShould bevinegar. Therefore, in the United States,For the development of green infrastructureSubsidies andTax benefitsetc.Set up, Active adoptionofEncouragementdoThe government itself has also been working on the side of roads and in existing parks.ThisThey are making it.

Japanesegovernments are concerned that the​ ​functions of green infrastructure cannot be quantified.Even whentalking about reducing the load on sewerage systems, their approach is,​"​I think it would be good if green infrastructure could make a contribution,​ ​but​ ​we'll build a solid sewer system with sewage...​"

America, Most cities don't have the budget to upgrade their urban infrastructure. of Japan too gradually room of Some administrations are declining Should be. now,With both green infrastructure and regular infrastructure Problem Solving In order to stomach However,When it becomes dysfunctional, Both try as hard as one can I didn't do it"By that time it's too late Overseas fromteeth, Japan Very No sense of crisis likeI can seeIslandI am.

In addition, the vertical division of the Japanese government is also an issue, andthere are few sections that​ ​seek to solve comprehensive problems by categorizing them and developing them in different places. How about in the United States? Are there people who are very broad-minded sewer officers or who act as a liaison between the parks department and the seweragedepartment?

​Takingthe city of San Francisco as an example, the one promoting rain gardens is the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission SFPUC​(​), a department that handles public infrastructure. With a very tight budget, they are looking for ways to​"​reduce the burden on existing infrastructure"in response to"​aging urban infrastructure." They are changing their perspective because they know that​ ​traditionalmethodscannot​ ​be​ ​sustained in the future.
City master plans are a good example.​ ​Today, with global warming and climate change getting a lot of attention, sea level rise should also be an element​ ​thatshould be​ ​addressed in master plans, but it cannot be fully addressed with conventional​ ​urban planning methods.​ ​We need to think of new ways of doing things. This​ ​is a proposal for​ ​the intersection of land and water, but rather than simply building a seawall,​ ​we need to think of attractive proposals that integrate it with open spaces. Recently, local governments have been hosting these kinds of competitions.

This also relates to the topic of net-zero water, but Oumi​ ​has repeatedly stated that "Landscape Design design is important in striking a balance between natural resources and human society."

Natural Resources ・Natural environment and human society teeth, this Until now, it has been a binary opposition To thought Be enemy was. from nowteeth,theselid One System of Symbiosis LetI mustNo, it won't happen. Susta stomach The word "nability" has become very popular. But this word Still trapped in binary oppositions Ta In terms of thinking,"society but Having a negative impact on the environment There are" "Minimize the negative effects as much as possible, Sustainable Society Let's make it happen"That It was a way of thinking andI think so.Yo Maintaining the status quo in, More Yo Ku It should not be.
Meanwhile, Regenerative (Regenerative) The word is trending.this is, Rather than a binary opposition, it is more about society and the environment. Integrate (Integration) and circulates, An ever-evolving way of thinking As, I believe there is great potential.
In addition, I've been wondering lately Of "hybrid ・ This is the Urban Ecosystems project at the University of Washington. ・ Teaching planning Marina Alberti This is what someone has proposed,"The urban ecosystem,already It's a hybrid"That is what it means. Today Urban ecosystems are a part of human society. and technology and nature have created an environment with complex interrelationships. can be It is not a binary opposition, but is already integrated. was She sees it as something that is part of the urban ecosystem. a How to Then, the conventional It is impossible to think about cities in this way, and new methods will be needed., Instead of trying to control things as we have done in the past, we need to accept a certain degree of uncertainty and work to improve the structure of the city. or It's important to plan your relationships, she said. I am.
Honestly, I still can't digest it. But,I I think that's a very interesting idea. I am. Nature and society in the city ・ human ・ Relationships with nature, the future Technology Also added the law of nature, One A new image of the city Tanaka I think that will come out, and What I sayIn light of this,"Regenerative medicine as an approach to both society and the environmentand others, In the end, we realize that this perspective is based on the premise of control."A balancing act"instead"Balanced a How to"This is a relationship that is different from the past. could belike Think I am.

For example, does this mean that the nature in central Tokyo is already integrated?

If we think about ecology in a binary oppositional way, we have the notion that"when humans intervene in the natural world, the quality of nature declines."​However, much of the nature in cities is created and managed by humans, so perhaps it does not follow the rules of the natural world as seen by ecologists in the first place. Although the reality is already a hybrid ecosystem, current urban planning still views nature in a binary oppositional way,and"nature"​based on this perspective doesn't have much meaning... is what she is trying to say.
This dichotomy leads to the idea that"nature = something very wild,"which leads to the idea that"​it needs to be controlled."Isn't it true that humans are already controlling nature in cities? However, this is scary, and while she suggests this, she is also concerned that humans could change the shape of nature in various ways to suit their own values and purposes. The solution she seeks is to"further enhance human culture while properly understanding the relationships."​She is saying that rather than humans selfishly changing the shape​ ​of nature, we should think more comprehensively about how it should be.

Using flower beds along Ginza Chuo-doriCompetition between Landscape Design artists"Ginza Exotic"So,Office ma's theme is global warming caused by climate change.In tropical plantsWhile brightening up the streets,theProgressA warning toI rang it..Here, we will use ICT technology to: QR Code Using Ta Information dissemination in public spacesAlsoI am.Spatial hardware design from Information Dissemination To Connecting mechanisms Manufacturing is also increasing in the Landscape Design world. Are you there?

The first thing I think​ ​is that the word "connect" has been seenin various projects recently. Diversity is very important in society, and I think everyone is paying a lot of attention to the possibilities that this creates. However, I think"accepting diversity"​only​ ​has meaning when we accept it, understand it, and connect with it. Landscape Design is a job with a high level of publicness. The concept of public itself means being open to the surroundings and connecting with each other, so I think we should always think about"how much people with diverse values can share​ ​and understand each other's individual values and perspectives.​"It is also important to create opportunities for​ ​people to broaden their horizons, and​ ​to create an environment where generations and races that do not usually intersect can feel comfortable together. In this sense, I feel that society will be looking for​ ​this kind of"connection"in the future.

Rather than a binary opposition of whether it is necessary or not,I think we received some very thought-provoking opinions. Thank you very much for today.