Jorge Almazán is a Tokyo-based architect and a researcher and an educator at the graduate Center for Space and Environment Design Engineering at Keio University, where he leads Studiolab, a university-based collaboration platform dedicated to design innovation and research.
He is also the author of Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City, which is the focus of this interview.
In this conversation, we cover Tokyo’s design, Yokocho alleyways, public spaces in Tokyo, and plenty more!
I hope you have as much fun as I did, so please enjoy my conversation with Jorge Almazán.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page on https://compoundingpodcast.com/ep61
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Show Notes:
[00:00:31] - [First question] - Jorge’s background with Japan
[00:03:59] - “Made in Tokyo” and its influence on Jorge
[00:07:44] - The process for writing Emergent Tokyo
[00:13:07] - Describing Tokyo’s 5 Emergent Patterns
[00:18:52] - Jorge’s personal favourite emergent pattern
[00:21:28] - The beauty of smaller spaces
[00:30:48] - “Designing the Spontaneous City” and the contradictions there
[00:36:15] - Tokyo’s Neighbourhoods and housing affordability
[00:51:20] - Why the lack of benches and seating in public spaces in Tokyo?
[01:01:08] - Trying to formulate a model of emergent urbanism based on Tokyo.
[01:08:49] - Wrapping up
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Connect with Jorge:
Jorge Almazán Architects’ Website: https://www.jorgealmazan.net/
Jorge Almazan Studiolab YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj2AfrCOYhgwLW7cSreSQ8g
Connect with Jorge on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-almaz%C3%A1n-a07038199/
Connect with Jorge on Twitter: https://twitter.com/J_Almazan_Arch
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Mentioned/Recommended Content:
Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City: https://amzn.to/3M7rwu0
Made in Tokyo by Junzo Kuroda & Momoyo Kaijima: https://amzn.to/430FkNg
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