The Sumida Transcripts: Imagination Projected

Abstract

The thesis transcribes a methodology to design with artifacts of cultural landscapes. This methodological experiment unfolds in three episodes—deconstruction, reconstruction, and projection. It begins with Picture Book Sumida River A Glance of Both Shores, a series of Hokusai’s woodblock prints along the Sumida River. Mass-produced in the early 19th century, the prints reflected and cultivated the public imagination of the river. Upon them, the thesis executes a series of acts to produce interventions in the contemporary landscapes. The serial actions allow the project to oscillate between reality and images. The resulting street painting interventions aim to pivot the external perception of the river, which became obscured during modern urbanization, with optical harmony and dissonance. In doing so, the thesis contributes to the discourse around design methodology, representation, and public imagination.