Making better cities on Make a Great Monday. Here comes a ‘why didn’t we think of this sooner moment.’
When reading this, remember the world’s population continues to snowball, surpassing 8 billion people in 2022, with projections indicating continued growth into the coming decades. Simultaneously, there has been a pronounced shift in population distribution, with more people choosing to live in urban areas. The search for better economic opportunities, education, healthcare, and a higher quality of life drives urbanization. As a result, cities are experiencing unprecedented expansion, especially in developing regions.
I learned a new Japanese word, ‘zakkyo’. The term ‘zakkyo’ originates from the Japanese words ‘zakkan’, which means lease, and ‘kyo’, which means apartment. It refers to properties where a different entity owns the land than the building itself. These buildings are prevalent in urban areas like Tokyo, where land prices are exceptionally high. Zakkyo is also translated as ‘mixed-use’ and refers specifically to buildings—generally of 3 to 8 stories—containing a variety of restaurants, shops, and offices.
Noah Smith writes about economics and other interesting things on his blog, Noahopinion. His story, A Better Way to Build a Downtown, is informative and includes fabulous illustrations to support his findings.
I want to share a summary:
- The article introduces the concept of “zakkyo” buildings, a unique form of mixed-use development prevalent in Japanese cities.
- Unlike the typical “shop-top” developments in many dense urban areas worldwide, where shops occupy the ground floor and residential or office spaces are above, zakkyo buildings feature commercial spaces on all floors.
- Zakkyo buildings are characterized by visible signs for upper-floor businesses and direct street access to stairways and elevators, making it easy for pedestrians to discover and access shops on higher floors.
- This vertical arrangement allows various businesses, such as restaurants, shops, and offices, to coexist within a single building.
Benefits:
- The author argues that zakkyo buildings contribute significantly to the vibrant consumer culture in Japanese cities by increasing commercial density and variety.
- This design enhances the visual appeal of Japanese cities with their iconic illuminated signs and facilitates a higher concentration of businesses in a given area.
- As a result, consumers can explore a greater variety of shops with less effort, increasing the likelihood of serendipitous discoveries and boosting business customer acquisition.
The article highlights how zakkyo buildings contribute to the unique urban landscape of Japanese cities, where bustling commercial districts can coexist with quiet residential neighbourhoods nearby. This is partly due to the concentration of retail activity in specific areas, reducing foot traffic in nearby residential zones. The author suggests that this model allows for a harmonious balance between vibrant shopping areas and peaceful living spaces, a feature that is particularly notable in cities like Tokyo.
Zakkyo buildings increase a neighbourhood’s commercial density — the number of shops within a given surface area. If you stack businesses on top of other businesses instead of putting them all on the ground floor, you can fit more businesses into every square kilometre (or square mile). This increases variety for consumers —you can try out many different things with a given amount of effort.
One staggering comparison is this:
Zakkyo buildings are part of why Japan is such a consumer paradise. Greater Tokyo has 160,000 restaurants, compared to only 13,000 in Paris and 25,000 in NYC. Some of that is because of the Japanese government’s strong support for small retail businesses. However, some of it is probably due to Zakkyo buildings, which make it possible to sustain more small independent shops.
The article suggests changes in zoning regulations and a relaxation of restrictions on business signage to encourage the adoption of zakkyo buildings in other countries. The author believes that urbanists and city planners should recognise the potential benefits of zakkyo buildings as an alternative to traditional shop-top development. By learning from Japan’s innovative approach to urban retail, cities could enhance their commercial landscapes and create more dynamic urban environments.
