As Woven City gears up for its official launch this fall, the preparations are not focused solely on infrastructure. We spoke with the teams working to recruit and receive residents.
Weavers’ buddies
So far, we have seen how the briefing and interactive sessions have been organized for prospective residents. Another team is also working to ensure the Weavers have a smooth first day when they arrive this fall.
Since February, this team has run through multiple rehearsals in Woven City, checking everything including the routes that will take Weavers to their rooms, directions to the parking areas, and access for moving companies.
Things that looked good in the planning stage did not necessarily fare well once the team got on the ground. Some even pointed out that the grim expressions would do little to make Weavers excited.
From May, WbyT also began “real-life tests” in which employees and their families came to live in Woven City for short stays of around a week. To date, nearly 100 people have taken part, helping to identify points of improvement from both the resident and operational perspectives.
Shohei Iwata is part of the team preparing to welcome residents. During tests on location, he came to recognize that, rather than offering a mechanical response to each concern, it is important to see things from the other side.
Iwata
When I made an effort to figure out what lay at the root of their requests, people would tell me, “Yes, that’s it—that’s what I really need.”
I would love to serve as something like a buddy for the residents.
They will be coming here for the first time. Although this is a living laboratory, we’re going to start with something rather unrelated: building a relationship where people can come to us with any problems or worries from their daily lives. If we can resolve their concerns, they will be able to participate more in the demonstration trials, where they can experience first-hand the value of Woven City as an urban test course.
The real-life tests showed me that, if you engage with people earnestly, you can build a relationship that encourages them to open up and share their true feelings.
Once the Weavers have settled into their new life, Iwata and Narita’s teams have also been tasked with planning and operating the Woven City Weavers’ Center.
Woven City’s “community center”
“How do we get involved in the demonstration trials?” “What can I do to contribute?”
The Weavers’ Center is a facility set up to answer such questions from residents, and to offer support and peace of mind for life in Woven City.
In addition to assisting those in need, it will also serve as something like a community center, where people can casually mingle—a place where Weavers can take a break and have a chat, or children can come to do their homework.
As Kusu explained, Weavers are a vital and indispensable presence in Woven City. The center will hopefully provide the support they need, encouraging Weavers to take the first step and participate in the city’s demonstration trials.
The plan is to equip the Weavers’ Center with a support desk for inquiries and consultations, along with information and bulletin boards to encourage interaction between residents.
Earlier in the article, we noted that Kusu, Narita, Iwata and their teams were hard at work handling everything from applications to helping residents move in or out, but they are also exploring the idea of maintaining alumni connections to the city after people depart.
Before long, residents will finally arrive and bring Woven City to life. When we asked Narita what he wants the city to become, he responded with a smile.
Narita
More than anything, I think it would be wonderful if Weavers and Inventors alike saw Woven City as their own place and proactively sought to make it an even better place to live.
If we can create an atmosphere where Weavers and Inventors are driven to continue producing new forms of mobility, I think that would be the ultimate co-creation relationship.
I hope Woven City becomes a place they consider their own.
