The multi layered and self organized urban centers of Tokyo, Odaiba was master planned to accommodate an array of skyscrapers connected by a transportation network and green space. Although the site offers vast territories unprecedented in Tokyo, development by the private sector has been slow primarily due to its significant scale.
The lack of human scale places significant risk upon investors and discourages small businesses to move in, resulting in less programmatic diversity and an ineptitude in being able to adapt to the needs of an ever changing society.
In order to create a viable environment for a wide array of businesses to coexist and flourish, Soup City draws inspiration from the field like urbanism of Tokyo as a model for successful development. The active ribbon contains a series of service and entertainment programs such as retail, theaters, hotels, etc, which serve to attract various visitors into the complex.
The open ribbon is resizable rentable floor space, capable of accommodating small to large offices and private apartment blocks. Lastly, the transportation ribbon provides a means for servicing goods and moving visitors to and from specific locations within the complex.
It also provides parking spaces along its length. Unlike the stacked floor configuration of a conventional skyscraper, the linear organization of each ribbon allows for various components to grow or shrink without compromising the original structure.
