Research & Staff

Program of Spatial Planning & Design

Prof. DEGUCHI Atsushi
Urban Design, Spatial Planning


Based on the fields of urban design and planning, we explore the spatial design and planning for urban sustainability in scales from street level to region level. Following the needs for low carbon society, we focus on the researches on compact city design and area management. As an international approach, we promote the field surveys on foreign cities based on the previous research achievements, and identify the “Asian Urbanism”by inquiring the unique sustainable forms and styles of Asian cities. As a pragmatic approach, we promote the design and management projects in collaboration with the local communities in the Urban Design Center Kashiwanoha (UDCK).

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Prof. OKABE Akiko



Environmental approach can change drastically the definition of “Design”. We have been seeking the way of designing the relation between global environment and our real life by design practice of diversified field. In Japan under aging and depopulation, we have developed Gonjiro project, communal activities derived by thatching roof of traditional rural house. On the other hand, we have field activities in a slum area in growing city of Jakarta. We have designed with local community how to improve living environment respecting self-help knowledge. Global environmental issues can be questioned by small but real and physical design. The socio-environmental design is a challenge of co-creation with present, future and past generation.

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Prof. SEIKE Tsuyoshi
Building Construction Method for Environment


Our research activities mainly focus on two themes. First is on the environmental consideration of architecture, a major urban component, through it's development process: construction, maintenance, improvement, rehabilitation, conservation and destruction. Second is on the decision-making process on how to construct architecture which can contribute to the environment. Both of these themes are related with the discussion including the use of the environmental information system in spatial planning and policy. For example, we examine the exterior wall system, which is deeply connected with the outside environment, through out it's design process and the construction system on the view point of building construction. Also we discuss the information system for the technology of building construction which can contribute to the environment.

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Prof. SAKUMA Tetsuya (moved to Graduate School of Engineering as of Apr.1, 2020)
Environmental Acoustics, Architectural Acoustics


Our research fields are on methods of prediction and evaluation, techniques of design and control for living environments, particularly sound environment in buildings and in urban space. Aiming at balanced planning for sound environment, we are tackling problems on architectural acoustics, noise/vibration, communication, soundscape, etc. from various aspects, such as physical, psychological, physiological, social and cultural. We are also pursuing how future living environments and life styles should be regarding comfortability and health, through integrated evaluation of living environments and investigation into residents' consciousness and behavior.

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Assoc. Prof. SATO Jun
Architectural Structure


Structure in architecture is appearing diverse forms composed of diverse materials, constructed by diverse methods, and exposed to diverse impacts. If we could compose a single structural design method for those complicated targets, we would be able to design more material oriented forms based on shape of elements, nonlinear phenomenon, geometry, craftsmanship and energy consumption. It will also be valuable for engineering situation that we should make decision under conditions of some unknown phenomenon existent, or attempting to design and construct forms so complicated they are difficult to even draw.

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Assoc. Prof. KOZAKI Miki
Environmental Psychology, Environmental Engineering


Our research fields are environmental psychology and environmental engineering, focusing on visual information such as lighting and visual environment. We measure spatial lighting environment to grasp physical factors and evaluate pleasantness and other indicators to examine psychological aspects of a person experiencing the space. By considering their relationship, we can understand how people perceive the environment and which conditions make people pleasant, enabling to discover better designs. By studying problems surrounding us, our research topics have ranged from basic research, such as spatial brightness, to lighting plans of commercial facilities, improving acceptability of visual information, such as signs, and evaluation of spatial impression and its systematization.