kitaku, nagoya, 北区

yesterday on christmas day, i went to meet my grandma to celebrate her 83 years old birthday. around her place, there is a gigantic condo developed, and i went to see it.

its called "Urbania Shiga Park (アーバニア志賀公園) and developed by one of the biggest real-estate agency in japan named UR. on UR's homepage, it is introduced as "a good environment with rich greenery." yet i somehow cant really agree with it. ok,  i thought its bit newer than 8 years old, but come on, the design of the architecture looks as if it is from the 1960s of functionalist ideal (or maybe bit too exaggerated tho). the shape of buildings are all same or at least very similar, and they were so colorless. as these gigantic blocks were just placed one to another, there was no exciting rhythm. 

i do agree that to some extent it created some livable environment than ordinary obsolete condos which could be observed elsewhere in japan, after seeing hammerby sjostad in stockholm i dont really want to say that this development provides the best atmosphere.

then what could have been changed from here? easy way should be to use different colors and bring more benches. they would provide better atmosphere for pedestrians and residents to enjoy the area by walking, staying out, seeing and so on. although its way to late, but the location and the shape of individual buildings should be bit more differentiated. theres nothing more boring to see the same continuing boring shaped&colored boxes. by doing so, there should be more vibrant rhythm provided. it is unfortunate that such way would cost way more than just building the same boxes straight i guess, and surely less efficiently accommodate people. but i strongly believe that accommodation shouldnt be something ruled mainly by efficiency. hopefully this sort of trend of building something cost efficient will stop in the coming decade, or ill be the cornerstone to make it changed.