Nihonmachi/Japantown is a place of dualities — a dedication of Japanese culture and tradition in an American city, an emblem of remembrance and celebration, a community rooted in resilient local institutions and families and welcoming of visitors and allies with Nihonmachi Alley as a gateway for all from S Jackson Street. 

Our vision for Nihonmachi Alley is to build on this duality in the form of above and below for both day and night— creating a sculptural lighting framework above and improving the ground for pedestrians below. This strategy aims to respect and maintain existing design initiatives along the vertical edges (art installations on the building walls and Chiyo’s Garden), accommodate for existing operations, and invite future activity and engagement. By focusing the vision on the ground surface and lighting above specific to the right-of-way, the proposal enhances and builds on what is already there, a continuous effort to provide a safe and enjoyable experience through the alley at both day and night. 

Through simple moves of improving the ground and providing more purposeful lighting above, our proposal aims to create a framework for community involvement and input that is focused and intentional. We all have a connection to the dualities of day and night, light and shadow. Working closely with the community, we aim to extract what these dualities can be specific to spirit and community of Japantown/Nihonmachi.