New Face Shibuya : Searching for the Double Line of Light
2018/10/02 Tomoya Furukawa + Haruka Takano + Noriko Higashi
The redevelopment of the former Tokyu Toyoko Line Shibuya Station platform and the surrounding railway site along the Shibuya River has brought about the creation of Shibuya Stream, Shibuya Bridge, a revitalized Shibuya River, a promenade, and green spaces. In this highly anticipated area, we looked for lighting heroes and villains from three different perspectives.
The successful launch of Shibuya Stream and the Shibuya River revitalization project are turning the area into a new community hub
Redevelopment has been ongoing in Shibuya for many years. This Night Walk Survey started at Shibuya Stream, which opened in September. The walk proceeded along the Shibuya River promenade to Shibuya Bridge, serving as an examination of the “Challenge of the Shibuya River Restoration.” Taking the theme of “Searching for the Double Line of Light of the Shibuya River and the Toyoko Line Trace,” we divided the walk into three teams, each focusing on the perspective of the pedestrian, the creative worker, and the urban environment.
Members listening attentively to chief Mende’s explanation 
The Shibuya River, with the river surface along the wall illuminated by blue laser light
■Team1(Creative Professionals’ Perspective）
Team 1, consisting of 11 members including chief Mende and four first-time participants, conducted a Night Walk Survey through the lens of a “creative worker,” seeking out lighting that stimulates and captivates the senses. The survey route covered Shibuya Stream → The crossing deck over National Route 246 under the Metropolitan Expressway Route 3 Shibuya Line viaduct → Excel Hotel Tokyu → The Shibuya River promenade → Shibuya Bridge → Mustard Hotel.
Shibuya Stream was open and airy with many atriums and openings, featuring a comfortable light environment with suppressed illuminance. The crossing deck over National Route 246 recreated the distinctive “kamaboko roof” (arched roof) and “shell-shaped side walls” of the former Shibuya Station platform for the Tokyu Toyoko Line, complete with embedded train rails, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia for the original design. The space was lit by spotlights aimed at the white side walls and around the rails. The resulting bounced light prevented the sense of compression often felt under viaducts, making it a “light space” (with a floor illuminance of 5–10 lux) and earning it a hero nomination. However, the Shibuya Stream logo sign installed in this space had a high luminance, and was nominated as a villain because it was “painful and glaring” to members whose eyes were dark-adapted. Additionally, an Italian-style restaurant on the second floor of Shibuya Stream presented a lighting failure: the spotlight illumination on the sign was inappropriate, meaning the shop’s vital name was invisible! This was a real waste for such a stylish establishment.
The Shibuya River, where the flow of water has been revived by a water wall, was illuminated by blue laser light from the foot of the bridges, shining onto the river wall between Inaribashi and Konnōbashi bridges. While the technique itself was debated, the affirmative side liked the “special blue light” for drawing attention to the regenerated Shibuya River.
The ceiling of the Shibuya Bridge passage featured two rows of line lighting reminiscent of overhead wires. This rhythmic light was well-matched to the architecture and naturally drew us into the depth of the building. Mustard Hotel beyond it was unanimously chosen as a hero. The entire building had a sense of uniformity, lacking excessive decoration or light, and the reception area, themed after a train ticket gate, felt playful. Although the area around Shibuya Station is undergoing redevelopment, we hope “Shibunama” (South Shibuya) will become an attractive place that provides relaxation and refreshment to creators and visitors as the only waterside area in Shibuya, making people want to hum the song “Haru no Ogawa” (Spring Stream). (Tomoya Furukawa)
The crossing deck that retains the traces of the former Tokyu Toyoko Line Shibuya Station
Line lighting in Shibuya Bridge that is reminiscent of overhead wires
Handrail lighting creates a sense of continuity and unity in the space 
A relaxing space appears along the river
■Team2（Pedestrian Perspective）
Team 2’s theme was “The pedestrian perspective: establishing a pedestrian network to create new flows of people.” We investigated how Shibuya appears to pedestrians at night. Team 2 started in front of the large staircase at Shibuya Stream and followed the promenade along the Shibuya River to Shibuya Bridge. The Shibuya River promenade runs along the former route of the Tokyu Toyoko Line tracks, a history that is referenced by the remnants of the tracks continuing into Shibuya Bridge.
At Shibuya Bridge, the track motif on the floor is reflected in the ceiling lighting, which was rated as a hero for successfully carrying on the history of the site. The overall hero of the promenade was the creation of a relaxing space by renovating the previously uninviting Shibuya River bank and providing unified lighting. The handrail lighting along the promenade was consistent and illuminated the path with a comforting, calm light. The shop signs along the promenade were not overly aggressive, and the overall balance of lighting in the area to create this atmosphere was highly praised.
Conversely, the lighting villains that stood out were fixtures born from conflicting construction plans: the light from the pole lights reflecting onto the glass surface of the pedestrian bridge, and the bollard lights that stood at the same height as the handrails, which appeared to have been added later for barrier-free access.
On the day of the Night Walk Survey, perhaps because the Christmas season was approaching, a temporary illumination display was installed over the river. This installation led to a heated debate within the team over whether it was a hero or a villain. Some argued it was a villain due to its cheap, temporary look and the flickering light that hurt the eyes, while others were positive, saying it added a nice seasonal touch and looked like a beautiful path of light when viewed from above. (Haruka Takano)
The temporary sudare style illumination, which drew mixed reactions.
It received high praise for looking like a path of light when viewed from above
Inside Shibuya Stream, the design of the former Toyoko Line tracks is incorporated into key areas. The not-too-bright lighting was highly rated
The store’s rear side is clearly visible and unattractive due to the lighting 
The Grand Staircase at Shibuya Stream: An interactive installation where light and sound can be controlled by hand
■Team3（Urban Environment Perspective）
Team 3 conducted their Night Walk Survey from the perspective of the urban environment, focusing on whether the Shibuya River revitalization had successfully changed the flow of people and if the area had become a welcoming environment for evening enjoyment.
The first thing we noticed was the flow of people moving from Meiji-dori toward Shibuya Station. Perhaps because the station construction is still ongoing, few people walked through Shibuya Stream to reach the station. The vast majority seemed to use the exterior escalators. Since Stream is primarily a dining facility with few retail shops, it didn’t seem to serve as a convenient thoroughfare for workers simply heading home from the area.
However, the large staircase installation—which has light, sound, and interactive features and has become an icon for Stream—was ultimately judged a hero by Team 3, though it sparked much debate. The consensus was that while the technique of using light to attract and entertain people is not new, it is certainly effective.
Other points of contention were the Shibuya River’s laser illumination and the temporary sudare (bamboo screen) illumination. Although these two features seem to have increased attention to the Shibuya River, with people stopping to take photos, many issues were also observed, such as cheaplooking fixtures and the unsightly view of the backs of the shops being prominently exposed.
When we asked the owner of the restaurant that hosted our social gathering about the flow of people after Stream opened, he said, “Foot traffic increased right after the opening, but it has now returned to pre-opening levels. We are looking forward to the promenade extending all the way to Daikanyama.” The pedestrian path along the Shibuya River is not suitable for continuous walking, as there are no crosswalks where it intersects with roadways and fences block the way. The reason Meiji-dori Street has more foot traffic lies in the poor flow of movement and the lack of shops along the river. From an urban environment perspective, we feel there are many areas that need improvement. (Noriko Higashi)
The promenade is interrupted by a fence, making it impossible to cross
Meiji-dori Street feels more lively
The handrail and the bollard are the same height
The presentations at the social gathering
