“Tokyo Neo-Farmers”

Author: Ainhoa Church 

Publisher: Polytechnic School of Madrid

Photography: William Mulvihill

This research examines the potential of vacant spaces in Tokyo to be repurposed through urban agriculture interventions, with a focus on activating the latent dispositions of various urban elements such as streets, rooftops, vacant lots, courtyards, and underground spaces. Through a detailed typological analysis, it seeks to identify the characteristics and capacities of these underused spaces, with the aim of typifying and categorizing them according to their potential for urban agriculture. It starts with the analysis of existing case studies in which urban agriculture has already demonstrated its viability and its capacity to integrate into the dense metropolitan fabric.

The research methodology is based on the use of geospatial mapping (GIS) tools and three-dimensional modeling to analyze how these spaces can be transformed and optimized. The work also explores the current regulatory framework that regulates land use in Tokyo and how it could be modified to facilitate the integration of urban agriculture. In this sense, the concept of “undeclared disposition” is investigated, which refers to the hidden potential of certain lands that are not officially designated for agriculture, but that could be transformed through adjustments to current regulations.

This study not only analyzes innovative proposals for intervention in spaces such as rooftops, abandoned lots or train stations, but also considers how these initiatives can enhance interactions between the built environment and nature, generating an impact beyond the productive aspect towards the cultural and social. Finally, future scenarios are presented for Tokyo, where urban agriculture becomes a key component of the ecological, social and regulatory regeneration of the urban landscape, offering a methodology adaptable to other global cities with similar problems.