Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima, a partner at SANAA , is designing a new limited line of express trains for Japan, to be rolled out in 2018. Commissioned by the Seibu Group—which owns Seibu Railway, among other brands—to celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary, this will be the first train design by Sejima, who won the Pritzker Prize with partner Ryue Nishizawa in 2010. The renderings display a reflective surface reminiscent of Airstream travel trailers. This mirrored approach is intended to reflect the urban skyscrapers and rolling hills and mountains of the Japanese countryside, seamlessly blending into any scenery it traverses.
The interiors will be designed to encourage comfort and relaxation and to ease the strain of commuting. “This will be an express train for everyone, like an intimate living room where people can spend their free time in their own way,” Seibu Group said in a statement. “We aim to provide a new public space, almost parklike, where people will come together. It’s more than just a means of movement, it’s a destination in its own right. The train will serve commuters, people seeking relaxation, and tourists drawn by its unique appearance.”
Sejima’s new line of express trains will form the flagship fleet, continuing Seibu’s Red Arrow series of trains—a popular route connecting Tokyo to regions in central Japan—which had previously focused its design on bold lines that stand out from the landscape.
Leave a Reply