Planning for Sustainable Asian Cities: The 11th APSA International Congress, Tokyo, 2011

Abstract

The 11th International Congress of the Asian Planning Schools Association (APSA) held in Tokyo, Japan from 19 to 21 September 2011 brought together over 200 scholars and practitioners from Asian countries and beyond. During the Congress, 177 papers were presented in several dozens of sessions and 16 posters were exhibited. In addition to the participants from Asian countries, delegates also came from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Turkey, the US, Israel, and Sweden. The Congress tackled the question of how to plan sustainable Asian cities through five different but interrelated themes: 'Inclusion, contestation and empowerment'; 'Managing and planning metropolitan change'; 'Environmental sustainability and resilience'; 'Transport, infrastructure and mobility; and 'Culture, conservation and tourism'. The Congress also highlighted planning and design issues in Asian cities through the organisation of two workshops: 'Planning education in Asian planning schools' and 'Contemporary community design and governance in Asian cities'. Finally, in response to Japan's recent Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, the Congress organised a symposium on 'Disaster prevention and reconstruction after major natural and manmade disasters'. Opening ceremony and keynote speech In the opening ceremony, Professor Anthony Gar Oh Yeh (University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China) introduced the Asian Planning Schools Association and gave an address reflecting on its twenty-year experience. The 1st International Congress (formerly named the International Congress of City and Regional Planning Schools and Departments of Asian Universities) was organised by the Department of Urban Engineering at the University of Tokyo in November 1991. The 2nd International Congress of Asian Planning Schools held at the University of Hong Kong in 1993, and witnessed the establishment of the Asian Planning Schools Association. In Hong Kong, the participants agreed that a formal network for exchange and collaboration needed to be established to enhance planning education and research among Asian countries. Since then, the biennial APSA Congress has provided a platform for idea exchange about planning challenges and opportunities in Asian cities for academics, researchers and practitioners not only among Asian countries but from all over the world. Tadao Ando, an internationally renowned Japanese architect and Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, gave an informed keynote lecture titled 'Architecture in City'. Despite the fact that Ando did not have formal training in architecture, he has been highly recognised in both practice and education. By using his project practices in Japan, such as those in Tokyo and Osaka, as examples, Ando emphasised that the important thing is to increase the use of natural resources such as green infrastructure in planning and design. For Ando, the city should be made of citizens with pride. The city is made by sustainability and passion. He also commented on current architectural education in Japan. Conference sessions In an age of globalisation, the 11th APSA International Congress took up the task of reconsidering traditional urban planning concepts and instruments in Asian cities for future sustainable urban planning. The Congress provided a forum for reporting on the investigation of urban planning and research and for sharing professional and academic expertise. To this end, five main themes with 25 sub-themes were presented and discussed (see Table 1). Technical tour The Congress offered delegates an interesting technical tour exploring major development models of Tokyo: the Otemachi-Marunouchi-Yurakucho (OMY) district; the Tokyo Station restoration project; Tokyo Midtown; and Roppongi Hills. Situated in the heart of metropolitan Tokyo, the 120 ha. OMY district is a center of international business in Japan. The development and reinforcement of this district has played an essential role in helping Tokyo and even Japan itself continue its growth as one of the leaders in the global economy. …