Rethinking Pocket Parks
Small-scale parks and tactical urbanism
As is the case in Edogawa Ward, when walking through densely populated residential areas in Tokyo, one often encounters not-so-large "parks" that suddenly appear between houses. With few play structures, they have more of an atmosphere of vacant lots than parks.
While these parks, known as "pocket parks," serve the purpose of preventing the spread of fire in urban planning, they often become "places that belong to no one" in daily life. They are not places where children play during the day, and at night, they can become a source of anxiety regarding suspicious individuals or fall into disrepair, becoming a headache for residents.
Because these small parks are often established when the government buys land that happens to be for sale, they do not seem to be based on a clear plan, and it is likely impossible to fully reflect the consensus of the surrounding residents. It is therefore understandable that they might generate indifference among the local community.
The key to transforming these "spaces for protecting life" into local resources for daily life might be "tactical urbanism," a method of tentatively utilizing space through small, citizen-led initiatives.
As satellites for waterfront parks and greenways
A feature of urban development in Edogawa Ward is its network of "waterfront parks and greenways" that have revitalized former irrigation canals. By leveraging these rich waterfront flow lines and positioning isolated pocket parks as "satellites" (branches) of the greenways, it should be possible to design ways to guide people into the back alleys and create new vibrancy.
For example, information signs could be placed at key points along the greenways, and road markings could be used to invite pedestrians. Furthermore, as an "incentive" for visiting, unique functions not found on the greenways could be added. If the greenway is a "path for walking," these could be small libraries (book boxes) or outdoor workspaces for "staying." If they are opened up for stamp rallies visiting specific parks or as community gardens where residents arrange potted plants, visitors will have a reason to stop by, and residents will gain a sense of pride and security through the "eyes on the street."
As bases for flood countermeasures
This networking truly proves its worth during emergencies such as floods.
In Edogawa Ward, a zero-meter zone where wide-area evacuation is recommended, wouldn't it be effective to redefine these isolated spaces as "terminals of a disaster prevention network" or "reserve bases for vertical evacuation"?
For example, structures that are used as bulletin boards in daily life could be transformed into "mooring points for rescue boats" during flooding or "evacuation ladders (installation sites)" used during vertical evacuation. Additionally, if art objects that double as water level gauges are installed, they could serve as places for environmental education in daily life and as signals that warn of danger at a glance when water levels rise.
To make them our own gardens
To establish such uses, "daily occupation" by residents is essential. Through activities like weekend mobile cafes or creating vegetable gardens with raised planters, if residents recognize these spaces as "their own gardens," a spirit of mutual aid—knowing who is where—will naturally function during emergencies.
In terms of equipment, ordinary "stove benches" can become cooking bases during fires, and solar streetlights can serve as lifelines that connect isolated residents with information by acting as smartphone charging and Wi-Fi hubs during power outages.
It is far too wasteful to leave pocket parks as mere "vacant lots." By drawing people in from the artery of the waterfront greenway and utilizing them as "floating islands in the alleys" that connect lives during floods, we can cultivate the back alleys from a tactical perspective. By balancing daily vibrancy with emergency safety, these once-isolated spaces can evolve into "local hopes" that possess the richness and strength characteristic of Edogawa Ward.