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2023.08.04

Architectural Design firm proposes new mobility concept and creates prototype

Considering mobility as an urban element for the new era, we will redesign "urban mobility" for the future.

Download the release here.

Mitsubishi Jisho Design Inc. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Junichi Tanisawa) has created a booklet titled "SMS: Seamless Mobility System," which compiles ideas for a new era of mobility that they position as a "tool that connects cities, architecture, and people." Going forward, they will introduce and deploy this booklet in a variety of urban and architectural proposals, aiming to further strengthen their proposal capabilities.
We have also produced a prototype of an electric kick scooter, one of the mobility products featured in this magazine. We will continue to verify and improve it so that it can be put to practical use.

Left: Examples of various types of mobility proposed in the "SMS: Seamless Mobility System." Right: Cities, buildings, and people are integrated through SMS.

From the perspective of an "urban and architectural expert"
Considering "new mobility mechanisms" as "ways of using cities and architecture"

As an Architectural Design firm that plans and consults on a wide range of urban and large-scale developments both in Japan and overseas, we are expected to provide proposals that look to the future, including not only the hard aspects of cities such as buildings and streets, but also the soft aspects based on rapid technological innovation, such as the creation of smart cities.
Here, our design firm proposes an "SMS" (Seamless Mobility System) that goes beyond the traditional role of urban transportation as "infrastructure that will make cities more advanced." This is infrastructure that makes people's movement seamless both inside and outside buildings by fusing the following three types of "movement" into one, allowing people to use space more freely and giving diversity and variability to cities.

For inquiries regarding obtaining the "SMS" booklet or for clarification of its contents, please contact us at the address listed below.
Mitsubishi Jisho Design website inquiry form https://krs.bz/mjd_cs/m/contact/

■ Contents of "SMS: Seamless Mobility System" (example)

Rather than just illustrating the appearance of various types of mobility, we will also depict, as a "proposal from an Architectural Design firm," how the "appearance of the city" will change with the introduction of a variety of SMS.
The SMS proposed in this book will accommodate a wide range of users, from individuals to small groups to mass transit, while also addressing the various themes facing modern cities, such as "realizing an inclusive society," "vertical mobility," and "intra-urban logistics," and will update the entire city.

■ Mobility proposal examples in this booklet

Pod Bus [Number of passengers: 1-2 (max. 4)] (design patent pending)
This mobility solution is on a scale that allows pedestrians and the street to share the same space. By docking with the vertical rails installed in a building, passengers can move seamlessly from the street to the upper floors. Wheelchairs are also accessible. It is also a proposal for what skyscrapers should be like in an inclusive society.
Trunkbot
This mobility is especially useful for elderly people and those who have difficulty walking for long periods of time. The proposal is to "support and encourage people to walk as much as possible" by carrying luggage or serving as a temporary seat. It can also be repurposed to solve logistics issues within cities.
Non-Stop Shuttle [Number of passengers: Multiple - Mass transit/Public use] (Design patent pending)
"Cruising Mobility" operates within the "walking distance + alpha" range that cannot be covered by existing wide-area public transportation. It travels along fixed routes within the city. "Mobility X Archi" (right), which also has a flat floor platform, is a "moving architectural space" that can move freely. It can be deployed in the necessary places in the city according to the necessary purpose, and can also be used by connecting it to buildings.

Developing and manufacturing the next-generation electric kick scooter that will "achieve high compatibility with architecture and public transportation"

For the most basic type of single-person mobility among the SMS series, we have produced a prototype that can actually be driven by a person after verifying a full-scale mockup using CG modeling and 3D printing. We will continue to make improvements.

Scooter PM01 [Number of passengers: 1] (design patent pending)
Unlike electric scooters currently on the market, this scooter is foldable and extremely compact. It aims to be as easy to carry as an umbrella on public transportation (buses, trains, etc.) and inside buildings. The storage and charging mechanism is also extremely small, and the port is easy to install, so it can be used as a base for transportation anywhere, indoors or outdoors, such as on the streets or in building corridors. It can be rented and returned immediately when and where it is needed. Its distinctive feature is that it allows you to travel close to your destination with the help of mobility.

Concept design. The body and handlebars can be folded and the rear wheel tucked away to create a thin plate-like shape.
One of the proposed SMS, "Mobility x Archi" (design patent pending), is intended as a "moving architectural space" and is a "moving mobility station" with a port built into the side of the vehicle. By operating multiple types of mobility in this way, flexible service provision is possible (left).
In addition, storage space is minimized and can be combined with architectural elements such as plants and furniture, making the port fit seamlessly into the space (right).

■ About the Scooter PM01 Prototype

After verifying the design using a 3D printer, we created a prototype that can carry a person and run with a motor and battery mounted on a thin body as per the concept. The handle and body are equipped with a folding mechanism, making it possible to carry it like an umbrella.

*Specific small motorized bicycles must meet safety standards under the Road Traffic Act in order to be driven on public roads. This prototype is currently under development and was photographed on private property.

■ The "SMS" project team, centered around a design studio

The "SMS: Seamless Mobility System" is one of Mitsubishi Jisho Design 's initiatives based on its "White Infrastructure" concept.

About Mitsubishi Jisho Design Design Studio

In today's society, where industrial structure is changing and values are diversifying, this department brings together various knowledge within the company and exerts its comprehensive strength as an organizational design office in order to formulate strategies with an eye to the future. Based on over 130 years of know-how in urban development and Architectural Design, we propose creative solutions that maximize value through research and analysis of the social environment. Through the services listed below, we have already demonstrated our presence in numerous projects, from city-scale to the renovation and Interior Design of existing facilities, and have responded to the needs of a diverse range of clients.

■ Main service menu of the Design Studio

■ Project Examples

The "ENEOS Multi-Mobility Station" (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, to be completed in February 2023), where the "Scoter PM01" prototype featured in this release was photographed, is a regional hub that will develop multiple electric mobility sharing services. It was designed by a design studio.

that's all

Contact for inquiries regarding this matter

Mitsubishi Jisho Design Inc. Public Relations Office
TEL 03-3287-5001

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