With about two thirds of the population commuting every day, the railways system is the beating heart of Tokyo’s urban daily life. Major railway stations, which primarily function as nodes in the...Show moreWith about two thirds of the population commuting every day, the railways system is the beating heart of Tokyo’s urban daily life. Major railway stations, which primarily function as nodes in the transportation network, have developed from humble wooden structures into massive sites of consumption, destination themselves, which act as economic, social and cultural hubs. A major factor behind this development is private railway companies' extensive engagement in the real estate sector, which throughout the 20th century has resulted in the birth of new commercial spaces within the context of the station: the terminal department store (a department store inside of the station managed by a railway company), the ekichika (an underground area of the station), and more recently, the ekinaka (the area within the gates of the station). This thesis explores the relationship between city and railway station through a contextualization of the three spaces mentioned above and the case study of Shinjuku, the busiest station in the world. The analysis shows that by reintegrating urban spaces in the context of the station, private railway companies have created a new urban playground for the passenger, decontextualized from the idea of commuting.Show less
