05GEN 06GEN
Slower, Closer,
Connecting People and Places,
and People with People.
DESIGN CONCEPT
Come Together and Bond ― Mobility that Creates Connections
Slower and Closer
We want the 05GEN and 06GEN to be forms of mobility that create connections,
linking people and places, and people with people.
The "Shimanami Kaido" connects Onomichi City on Japan’s main island with Imabari City
on the island of Shikoku via bridges running across numerous islands
in the Seto Inland Sea. Around the halfway point on the route lies Omishima Island,
where architect Toyo Ito opened the Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari in 2011.
With this event and Ito’s lead, island residents and young architects came together
to begin transforming the appeal of the island’s natural beauty, culture and community.
Yamaha Motor contributed to the project by proposing new ways to get around the island with the 05GEN and 06GEN concept models.
The 05GEN will be on display at the Steel Hut section of the museum.
Display Period: From July 4, 2016 to June 15, 2017
Toyo Ito
Born in 1941; graduated from the Department of Architecture at the University of Tokyo; representative works include the Sendai Mediatheque and "Minna no Mori" Gifu Media Cosmos libraries; accolades include The Grand Prize of AIJ from the Architectural Institute of Japan, the Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale, the Royal Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Ito also opened the Ito Juku studio in 2011 as a place to study and contemplate the future of architecture and urban planning, and the studio is involved in a number of initiatives to that effect.
05GEN CONCEPT
Wearable Mobility
This completely new type of electrically power-assisted mobility vehicle was created based on the concept of it fitting comfortably around you like clothing.
With a user-friendly design that blends in well with the surrounding environment,
the 05GEN offers personal mobility that fits perfectly into daily life and encourages new encounters.
Inspiring New Connections
The 05GEN’s compact body evokes the same feeling of size as walking under an umbrella and the sweeping roof is open to the sides and rear.
These elements reduce the feeling of distance between the rider and people nearby, making it easier to strike up a conversation.
An Invitation to Head Out
The 3-wheeled 05GEN’s features include a leaning mechanism that makes tighter turns easier,
a small storage compartment, electric power-assist for lighter pedaling and a roof that protects the rider from light rain and the sun.
All this helps make it more inviting to get out and about.
06GEN CONCEPT
A Mobile Veranda
A traditional Japanese engawa veranda creates a space that is neither indoors or outdoors, but in-between both.
The 06GEN adapts this Japanese architectural device to a vehicle, providing a space to connect the indoors and outdoors,
and naturally encouraging people to engage in conversation.
The 06GEN graciously invites people in and carries them to their destination.
Slowly
Using materials that have a look and feel reminiscent of a living room for the sofa-like seats and the floor,
and employing a seat layout only possible with a low-speed vehicle like this,
the 06GEN brings added enrichment to time spent on the move and naturally encourages people to connect.
Close and Mingle-Friendly
The design makes abundant use of curved surfaces and corners for a softer appearance
and few barriers between the inside and outside for an open ambience.
This makes the 06GEN a familiar, inviting and people-friendly vehicle that not only blends in well
with the environment but also naturally encourages conversations with passers-by.
