Keio University Syllabus and Timetable

At the Hiromi Hosoya Laboratory, Keio University, we explore new forms of spatial expression through both design and research, by tracing the shifting relationships among people, objects, and space that emerge between architecture and the city - an attempt to read the underlying structures of a society in constant transformation.

Historically, cities were places where production, commerce, living, and working coexisted, all woven into a single urban fabric. With the advent of modern industrialization and the implementation of zoning regulations, these functions were separated, and the spatial continuity of the city was fragmented. Today, as industry transitions through digital technologies, emission-free systems, and a shift from mass production to creativity-driven and knowledge-based practices, the relationship between cities, production, and everyday life is once again being reconsidered.

Our research laboratory explores spatial possibilities where living, working, and making can intersect once more. We are not simply interested in conventional mixed-use development, but rather in a deeper reintegration of livelihood and everyday life into the built environment.
This inquiry is not limited to the urban context. It also extends into rural areas, where we examine how similar forms of integration may reshape patterns of life and work, and in doing so, rethink the evolving relationship between urban and rural regions.

Since 2024, we have also been engaged in a collaborative project with the Hiroto Kobayashi Laboratory titled Hand Made, which investigates new forms of habitation for mobile construction workers in India.

“Cities have always been places where production and commerce, working and living are physically and functionally integrated. Only with the rise of modern industry have zoning regulations been introduced to separate these functions in space. However, what is the role of such regulations when industry is digitized increasingly emission-free, and based on innovation more than mass production? How should working and living be combined to make mobility and energy consumption become more sustainable? And what are the opportunities in creating urban areas based on social equity and resilience, in a volatile world characterized by digital disruption, migration and demographic shifts?” (The Industrious City, 2021, Lars Müller Publisher).
“The Industrious City” is a study exploring new synergies emerging between production, service, leisure, and living within the context of Switzerland’s decentralized urban landscape. Building upon this approach, our research lab focuses on case studies within Japan, including regional cities and depopulated areas. In an era where enhancing wakable and livable areas is increasingly emphasized, it is essential to reconsider the nature of human activities, the services provided, and the design of spaces. Specifically, ensuring access to diverse services requires addressing how function such as production, commerce, workplaces, and residence are spatially allocated through land-use design, as well as how access to these functions is facilitated through mobility planning. These changes have the potential to influence people’s choices of workplaces and residences, potentially leading to a decrease in employment density in city centers while increasing residential density. As a result, land use in urban centers may diversify, and regional living areas may substitute some urban functions. This could foster a new relationship where urban centers and regional areas complement each other by sharing specific functions. Furthermore, “The Industrious City” represents a Swiss vision for the future of urban and industrial culture, serving as a case study for achieving resilience in contemporary society. Building on this vision, our research group seeks to explore new synergies between production, services, leisure, and living within the Japanese and Asian context.

Selected Research Projects:
• Rethink Oiso (Integral Design Plan for Oiso Town)
• O-ISO1000 (A Vision for Coexistence Between Humans and Nature Over the Next 1,000 Years)
• Walkable Town (Developing a Community from Small Steps)
• Hand Made (Research on New Forms of Habitat for Migrant Construction Workers in India), and more.

In our research group, we adopt a different approach from conventional urban planning or Machizukuri methods in Japan. Centering on the concept of sustainability that does not rely on economic growth, we effectively combine top-down and bottom-up approaches. Furthermore, by integrating analog and digital methodologies, we strive to realize a more comprehensive, holistic, and innovative urban design.

At the Hiromi Hosoya Laboratory, Keio University, we explore new forms of spatial expression through both design and research, by tracing the shifting relationships among people, objects, and space that emerge between architecture and the city - an attempt to read the underlying structures of a society in constant transformation.

Historically, cities were places where production, commerce, living, and working coexisted, all woven into a single urban fabric. With the advent of modern industrialization and the implementation of zoning regulations, these functions were separated, and the spatial continuity of the city was fragmented. Today, as industry transitions through digital technologies, emission-free systems, and a shift from mass production to creativity-driven and knowledge-based practices, the relationship between cities, production, and everyday life is once again being reconsidered. Our research laboratory explores spatial possibilities where living, working, and making can intersect once more. We are not simply interested in conventional mixed-use development, but rather in a deeper reintegration of livelihood and everyday life into the built environment.

This inquiry is not limited to the urban context. It also extends into rural areas, where we examine how similar forms of integration may reshape patterns of life and work, and in doing so, rethink the evolving relationship between urban and rural regions.

Since 2024, we have also been engaged in a collaborative project with the Hiroto Kobayashi Laboratory titled Hand Made, which investigates new forms of habitation for mobile construction workers in India.

More research projects may be added.

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The Industrious City – Urban Industry in the Digital Age,
Edited by Hiromi Hosoya and Markus Schaefer,
Lars Müller Publication 2021

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