Tokyo Urban
Meditation Cabins

The presentation makes use of three vertical columns of information, naturally placing the text on the upper lefthand corner so that it is read first, like the order of a book. A series of small diagrams accurately describe the ease to which the project could be deployed as a modular temporary construction. The images are beautiful and convincing, however the presentation itself is dark and somber, focused on moments of nightime, and the city in the rain. This proposal is, at the same time, rendered at the dense heart of Tokyo - a center of dynamism and urban life; the presentation would benefit from using imagery to that effect. The elevational and sectional line drawings are also black and heavy in weight visually - useful for directing a reader’s eye to these elements, though a more dynamic, lively color could be experimented with. This could aid in expressing the project as an inspirational space as well as a contemplative one. Finally the project would benefit from entering further into detail, giving it a more thorough constructive analysis and layer. How are the lush plants supported and irrigated? How is the swing connected? What are the project materials and how is its structure coordinated?

This submission is, simply put, excellent. Its use of highly sophisticated rendered and line drawn imagery is advanced, and its supporting diagrams as well as historical and urban analyses go above and beyond to present a ‘total’ project - a difficult task, given this is a single-sheet entry. There are two recommendations to be made. The first is regarding the use of annotation. The project would benefit from annotation overlaid both on the line drawings as well as the rendered imagery. Designers should never be hesitant to overlay high-quality or photorealistic images with annotation to describe project intent or materiality. This level of detail is, in fact, what gives projects a critical additional layer of information that makes them deeply interesting for a reader, juror or reviewer. This layer of information also communicates a higher level of analysis and design complexity, keeping in mind that this is possible to achieve with visual simplicity. The second comment is regarding the detailing. The text describes the use of typical Japanese joinery, however this is difficult to comprehend in the project imagery. The presentation would greatly benefit from an enlarged joint detail to describe materiality and constructability.

The presentation is advanced, technically speaking, and focuses on a mix of full-scale and detailed imagery and drawings. The materiality of the render / model is excellent for describing the feel and spatial experience of the project, making this submission stand out from its competitors. The enlarged connection details are also excellent for communicating the project’s realistic constructability and deployability in any setting. An image depicting the project’s insertion within the city would be helpful to understanding its urban design intent. Could this ‘cabin’ be inserted into a plot of any shape? How does it work with its surroundings? An urban design proposal is never considered without comprehending its context, and it is recommended that the author develop some form of drawing that describes this.

The presentation is beautifully done, and is a prime example of the power of physical models and sketches to illustrate design intent, nuance, imperfection and constructability. It also proves the extent to which a select number of models can be utilized to produce several informative and visually aligned photographs. The hand sketch excellently describes the project’s insertion within an urban environment and expresses it as a well designed extension of urban or suburban Tokyo. It is recommending that the author take advantage of the images to overlay them with annotative text to describe material choices or construction notes. It is also recommended that the author include enlarged details or an enlarged photograph to explain the design intent of the project’s typical material joint.