Today’s Solutions: March 28, 2024

Adding more greenery to our built environment can go a long way in making our cities more resilient in the face of climate change. That’s why, here at The Optimist Daily, we love seeing urban development projects that seamlessly interweave nature with the built environment.

The Toranomon Urban Redevelopment Project in Tokyo, for example, aims to achieve that by creating a new standard for sustainability in urban planning. In addition to boasting more than 24,000 square meters of green space, the entire neighborhood will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy.

Led by Mori Building Company, the development is slated for completion in 2023 and will seek WELL and LEED certification. If the project achieves these goals, it would become one of the largest areas on the planet to receive both certifications.

Located in central Tokyo, the concept of the project is to build a “Modern Urban Village.” It will mainly consist of residential buildings and a luxury hotel, where people will be living in harmony with nature.

To achieve this, the architects behind the project go against the traditional technique of building the structures first and then filling in the empty space with landscaping. Instead, the buildings will be built in tandem with the existing green space, blending in and complementing the landscape, rather than serving as the primary focal point.

The final project will include a 6,000-square-meter central square filled with trees, flowers, and waterscapes, as well as community vegetable gardens to promote self-sufficiency.

Image source: Mori Building Company

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Rowing against the current: Botswana’s women safari guides inspire and empower

In the calm of Botswana's Okavango Delta, where the morning sun creates a golden glow on the water's surface, an amazing metamorphosis is occurring. ...

Read More

The future of healing: 3D printing skin directly onto open wounds

Pennsylvania State University researchers achieved a major medical science breakthrough by being the first team ever to 3D print real human skin tissue directly ...

Read More

These solar-powered barges can scoop up 50 tons of plastic from rivers each day

While removing the plastic waste that currently contaminates the ocean today will be crucial for protecting marine ecosystems, it is arguably more important that ...

Read More

A bold step towards climate action and job creation: The American Climate Corps

The White House announced the creation of the American Climate Corps, a breakthrough program that will transform the climate action landscape. This ambitious project ...

Read More