Examining Architecture, Urban Planning, and Transportation Through Human Behavior and Data

Our Approach

　For a long time, discussions on architecture and urban planning have been underpinned by experience and intuition. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. However, now that architecture is spreading throughout cities and cities are spreading across the country, there are undoubtedly areas that cannot be reached by intuition alone.

　In this laboratory, we use field measurements and mathematical modelling to examine everything from the interior of buildings to the national landscape. Whether it is the gaze of visitors in an art gallery, the coexistence of pedestrians and vehicles in urban streetscapes, seasonal changes in city parks, the layout of roadside rest areas, or mobility in the decarbonisation era—though the scales may differ, the approach to posing questions remains the same. How can we evaluate people’s behaviour and the use of space in a quantitative and fair manner? We hold weekly discussions focused entirely on this single question.

　You do not need to be proficient in mathematics or programming upon entry. Every year, students who have acquired the necessary skills after joining the program go on to present at international conferences, publish peer-reviewed papers and graduate.