“Tokyo Review special edition 004: History of TOD (4)” Typical TOD sample: Shiodome Area This time, I would like to introduce one more typical example of TOD in Tokyo, Shiodome Sio-Site.
Shiodome area originally was a reclaimed land in Edo Era and had been occupied by Samurai such as Matsudaira-Higonokami of Aizu-prefecture. When the first railway in Japan was constructed in 1872, the government needed a large site to build a station, and thus they obtained these lands.
This former Shimbashi station was used as a passenger station for a while, but it transferred its role to Tokyo Station when it was completed in 1914. After, to make use of Shimbashi station’s vast area, it was reused as a freight station, and was renamed to Shiodome Station. For a long period, it contributed greatly to Japan’s economic growth. In 1986 it gave over its function to the Tokyo Freight Terminal Station (Yashio, Shinagawa Ward) .
The 31-hectare site of former Shiodome Station remained untouched as it was owned by the JNR Clearing Corporation. In 1995, the discussion for the master planning started, focusing on the urban development utilizing private-sector vitality.
Shiodome area is suitable for business being close to the administrative district Kasumigaseki, and the center of business Shimbashi-Toranomon-Kamiyacho. At the same time, it is in a good condition for five-star hotels and high end residential being close to Hama-rikyu garden, Ginza and Tsukiji. As for transportation, it’s a 5-10 minute walk from Shimbashi Station, moreover, Shiodome Station of LRT “Yurikamome” and subway O-edo line had also been decided to be constructed.
The Tokyo metropolitan government consolidated the stakeholders and compiled the master plan of the Land Readjustment Project which divides the whole area into 11 blocks.
The greatest feature of the master plan was the multiple use of the 6-layered space in some blocks: LRT Yurikamome (3rd floor above the ground), pedestrian deck (2nd floor), road (the ground floor), underground pedestrian space (basement 2), Subway O-edo Line station concourse and underground vehicular Loop (B3), railway of O-edo Line (B4). Especially, the underground walking space on the B2 floor is in contact with the roads in this section and all five districts are connected at the same level to facilitate movement between the blocks. In addition, natural light enters through the large opening, and the floor height is 11-meters, which makes it a comfortable underground space.
In 2004, Shiodome Sio-Site had almost been completed as a complex development district with 13 high rise buildings, 4 hotels, many restaurants and shops, which contained 61-thousand workers and 6-thousand inhabitants.
Buildings of the former Shimbashi Station were restored on the north side of the “block 2” where the Shiodome City Center and the Matsushita Electric Works headquarters building are located. The railroad history exhibition room located in this building here has the remains of Shimbashi Station and some pictures reflecting the history of Shiodome. Please visit the exhibition if you are interested.