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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