The metropolis of the future in the Land of the Rising Sun
From Japan, the prototype of a smart city powered by renewable energy.
by
Amanda Saint
01 October 2020
6 min read
by
Amanda Saint
01 October 2020
6 min read
At the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show this past January, global mobility company Toyota announced its plans to build a prototype city of the future at the base of Mount Fuji. Named the Woven City, the plan is to have the city be a living, ongoing experiment where residents and researchers test and develop cutting-edge new technologies in a real-world environment.
With its living laboratory, the company hopes to enable scientists, engineers and inventors to advance their research into technologies such as smart homes, personal mobility, robotics and artificial intelligence within the environments for which they are planned.
When Toyota decided to close a factory sitting on a 175-acre site in Higashi-Fuji, the company realised this would be the perfect location to create a real-world test environment for future technologies they plan on developing. It could also attract outside scientists to advance their research in the Woven City. Toyota is keen on involving other future technologists and has issued an open invitation for commercial and academic partners, interested scientists and researchers from around the world to apply to live and work in this innovative city.
The research projects in the city will focus on 14 key areas for which organisations and individual scientists and researchers can apply: bringing community together, personal mobility, mobility as a service, autonomy, robotics, smart homes, connectivity through AI, multi-generational assisted living, optimizing nature and promoting health, sustainability and carbon capture, hydrogen-powered infrastructure, academic research and incubation, industry collaboration, smart construction and manufacturing.
"We welcome all those inspired to improve the way we live in the future to take advantage of this unique research ecosystem and join us in our quest to create an ever-better way of life and mobility for all," said Akio Toyoda, president of the Toyota Motor Corporation. The plan for the city is to initially become home for 2,000 residents —a mix of Toyota employees and their families, retired couples, scientists, researchers and industry and academic partners. As the city grows and develops, it's envisaged that more people will be able to move in and live there.
Toyota has commissioned Danish architectural firm, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to design the city for them. BIG have already been involved in many high-profile projects, including the Lego House in Denmark, 2 World Trade Center in New York, and Google's California headquarters —Mountain View, and their London headquarters. Known for its holistic approach to creating sustainable architecture based on analysis of how contemporary life constantly evolves and changes, BIG has won numerous environmental and innovation awards for its projects. But this is the first time they will design and build a whole city.
Bjarke Ingels, the company's founder and creative director, explains the team's approach: "a swarm of different technologies are beginning to radically change how we inhabit and navigate our cities. Connected, autonomous, emission-free and shared mobility solutions are bound to unleash a world of opportunities for new forms of urban life. With the breadth of technologies and industries we have been able to access and collaborate with the Toyota ecosystem of companies, we believe we have a unique opportunity to explore new forms of urbanity with the Woven City that could pave new paths for other cities to explore." The plan is to build the city on a grid of pathways separated into three distinct types of traffic. One will be for faster vehicles, all of which will be autonomous and emission free; the second will be for low-speed personal mobility vehicles and pedestrians; and the third will consist of park-like promenades for pedestrians only. There will also be small neighborhood parks, a large central park and a plaza for social events.
Billed as the city where "people, buildings and vehicles are connected through data and sensors," the Woven City will be 100% powered by hydrogen fuel cells and solar energy. The buildings will be constructed primarily of wood and will combine traditional Japanese joinery methods with robotic production to minimise carbon footprint. The goal is to ensure that the city's homes, laboratories, retail units and leisure areas are as sustainable as possible. Power for the buildings will come from rooftop solar photovoltaic panels, and courtyards will be enhanced with hydroponic and native plants.
The buildings will be a mix of residential, retail and research spaces so that work, leisure and play are all combined in one place. The smart homes within these buildings will all have a view of Mount Fuji and will be fully connected using sensor-based AI that will be equipped to carry out such tasks as testing people's health, automatically restocking fridges, vacuuming floors and taking out the trash. Underneath the city will be a hydrogen fuel cell network, its water filtration systems and a network for the autonomous delivery of goods in an effort to ensure the city's streets don't become clogged with traffic or road works.
Construction is due to start in early 2021, but in the meantime, the entire city is being built in the virtual world. Toyota believes that this twin digital city will enable them to get it right when building in the real world begins. According to a Toyota statement: "creating a digital twin will allow us to test our theories before we build. This, in turn, will create a one-of-a-kind digital operating system for our city —one that perhaps others will be able to use. With people, buildings and vehicles all connected and communicating with each other through data and sensors, we will be able to test AI technology in both the virtual and the physical world, thereby maximizing its potential." So as Toyota and BIG prepare to build this Woven City of the future, researchers, scientists and organisations around the world can apply to be a part of it. The goal: to develop a blueprint for successful future cities that will be built the world over.
THIS WEBSITE (AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN) DOES NOT CONTAIN OR CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE, OR SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE SECURITIES OR IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA) OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF ANY U.S. PERSON AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE SECURITIES ACT (A "U.S. PERSON"), AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION WOULD REQUIRE THE APPROVAL OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES OR OTHERWISE BE UNLAWFUL (THE "OTHER COUNTRIES"). THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR PURSUANT TO THE CORRESPONDING REGULATIONS IN FORCE IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR THE “OTHER COUNTRIES” AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO A U.S. PERSON UNLESS THE SECURITIES ARE REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT IS AVAILABLE. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SUCH SECURITIES IS INTENDED TO BE MADE IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR IN THE “OTHER COUNTRIES.”
In any Member State of the European Economic Area ("EEA"), the information contained in this website is only directed at and may only be communicated to persons who are "qualified investors" ("Qualified Investors") within the meaning of Article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the "Prospectus Regulation").
The information to which this website gives access is directed only at persons (i) who are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (ii) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Order or (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is only available to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons, or in the EEA, with Qualified Investors. Any person who is not a relevant person, a Qualified Investor or otherwise permitted under applicable law or regulation to access the information, should not act or rely on the information contained herein.
Confirmation of Understanding and Acceptance of Disclaimer
These materials are for informational purposes only and are not directed to, nor are they intended for, access by persons located or resident in the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa or any of the Other Countries. I certify that:
I am not resident of, or located in, the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa or any of the Other Countries or I am not a U.S. Person; or
If I am a resident of, or located in, the EEA, I am a Qualified Investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation; or
If I am a resident of, or located in, the United Kingdom, I am a Qualified Investor and a relevant person.
I have read and understood the disclaimer set out above. I understand that it may affect my rights. I agree to be bound by its terms and I am permitted under applicable law and regulations to proceed to the following parts of this website.
WARNING: the above certification constitutes a "self-certification" pursuant to Decree of the President of the Italian Republic No. 445 of 28 December 2000. False certifications are punishable by law.
You must read the following information before continuing.
The information contained in this segment of the website is not intended for, and must not be accessed or distributed or disseminated to persons resident or physically present in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan or any other jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to do so. The information also is not intended for, and must not be accessed or distributed or disseminated to persons resident or physically present in Italy who are not “qualified investors” (investitori qualificati), as defined in Article 2, letter e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the “Prospectus Regulation”) pursuant to Article 1, fourth paragraph, letter a) of the Prospectus Regulation as implemented in Italy by Article 35, paragraph 1, letter d) of CONSOB regulation No. 20307 of February 15, 2018.
By clicking the button below labeled “I agree”, you are certifying that (A) if you are in the European Economic Area, you are a “Qualified Investor”; (B) you are not accessing this portion of the website from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada or Japan; (C) if you are a resident or physically present in Italy, you are a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation as implemented in Italy by Article 35, paragraph 1, letter d) of CONSOB regulation No. 20307 of February 15, 2018; and (D) you are not located in a jurisdiction where it is unlawful to access this portion of the website.
You acknowledge that the information and statements contained in the document you are accessing on this website speak only as of the date of such document (or such other date(s) specified therein), and such information and statements may become inaccurate, stale and/or out-of-date thereafter and should not be relied upon for any investment decision.
You acknowledge that the materials on this website that you are accessing are confidential and intended only for you and you agree you will not forward, reproduce, copy, download or publish any of such materials (electronically or otherwise) to any other person if this is not in accordance with the law.
You acknowledge that the access to information and documents contained on this portion of the website may be illegal in certain jurisdictions, and only certain categories of persons may be authorized to access this portion of the website. If you are not authorized to access the information and document contained on this portion of the website or you are not sure that you are permitted to view these materials, you should leave this portion of the website.
You acknowledge that no registration or approval has been obtained and Eni Gas e Luce S.p.A. società benefit and its affiliates assume no responsibility if there is a violation of applicable law and regulation by any person.
By clicking the button below labeled “I agree”, you are confirming that you have read and understood the disclaimer above.
If you cannot so confirm, you must exit this portion of the website