Nikken Sekkei, Nikken Sekkei Research Institute, CULUMU, LIFULL, and the University of Tokyo Launch Industry-Academia Collaboration and Joint Research on Inclusive Design for Daily Life and Urban Development
Aiming to Improve Accessibility and Inclusivity in Daily Life

Nikken Sekkei Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: President and CEO; Atsushi Omatsu, hereinafter “Nikken Sekkei”), Nikken Sekkei Research Institute Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Takayuki Ishikawa, hereinafter “NSRI”), Inclusive Design Studio CULUMU (Operated by STYZ Co., Ltd., Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Tatsuya Tanaka, hereinafter “CULUMU”),LIFULL Co., Ltd. (Location: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director President and CEO: Yuji Ito; hereinafter “LIFULL”),and the Yuji Matsuda Laboratory, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo (National University Corporation; located in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo; hereinafter “The University of Tokyo”) are launching a joint research project aimed at improving accessibility and inclusivity in daily life and urban development, starting with a survey of housing-related issues and needs.
This research first aims to accumulate insights in the housing sector, with a view to eventually expanding into the development of mechanisms to enhance inclusivity in urban spaces and society as a whole. Furthermore, by leveraging the research findings and collaborating with a diverse range of experts, stakeholders, and companies beyond the joint research team, the initiative will expand its activities to promote the practical implementation of better living environments and urban development.

Japan’s population is aging rapidly, and the number of “housing-vulnerable” individuals—such as the elderly and people with disabilities—who require special consideration is increasing. However, at present, there is a lack of sufficient objective information and metrics to help these individuals select housing where they can continue to live with peace of mind while adapting to changes in their physical and mental health.
Against this backdrop, this joint research project will first identify and systematize the housing performance and conditions necessary for older adults and people with disabilities to continue living in their homes. We aim to encourage housing providers to incorporate the needs of housing-vulnerable groups into their design, development, and service offerings, and to build a social framework that makes it easier for residents themselves to select appropriate housing.Furthermore, by leveraging our housing-related insights and expertise in developing indicators, we aim to contribute to improving inclusivity and accessibility in architecture and urban spaces in the future.

As older adults and people with disabilities experience physical and mental changes, they may find themselves unable to continue living in their current homes. In this study, we define such individuals as “housing-vulnerable” and will investigate the needs they seek when selecting housing, with the aim of systematizing these needs (by classifying them according to user type).We anticipate that this will provide appropriate information to suppliers of spec homes and apartment complexes, while also making it easier for users (the housing-vulnerable) to select suitable housing. The specific research content is as follows.
Survey of the Needs of the Housing-Vulnerable
We will conduct interviews and home visits with individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as the elderly and people with disabilities, to gather information on the difficulties and requests they face regarding housing and daily life.
Organization of Needs
We will analyze the collected data and classify and organize it according to user characteristics and life stages to clarify the overall picture of diverse needs. This systematization is not limited to housing but can also be applied to understanding the diverse needs of users within urban spaces.

The social issues this initiative aims to address cannot be overcome through the efforts of a single company or university alone. Only by bringing together organizations with diverse areas of expertise and working in collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders—including users and those directly affected—can we achieve meaningful results.
For universities, the benefits include the ability to incorporate the voices and activities of actual users into their research, accelerate the pace of social implementation, and expand the potential for their findings to permeate the market.
For companies, this enables activities based on multifaceted perspectives and data while ensuring academic legitimacy that is recognized in the public sphere. Furthermore, by advancing a series of processes—such as research, design, distribution, and evaluation—in conjunction with an academic foundation, companies can strengthen the momentum for social implementation.
This joint research project represents the first step in a co-creation initiative that fuses the strengths of both parties to realize better lifestyles and urban environments.

Yuji Matsuda, Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo (Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Architecture)
• Academic supervision of the entire research project; oversight of research design and analytical methods
• Clarifying the concept of inclusive design and constructing a theoretical framework
• Ensuring the academic validity of research findings and applying insights from domestic and international case studies

Nikken Sekkei
• Laws, ordinances, and technical advice regarding architecture and urban planning
• Provision of expertise on accessibility and universal design in architecture and the urban environment
• Providing design process techniques that incorporate an inclusive design approach

Nikken Sekkei Research Institute Co., Ltd. (NSRI)
• Providing research expertise in social surveys, data collection, and analysis
• Organizing and analyzing existing research and data
• Support for the development of indicators from a policy and institutional perspective

CULUMU
• Leveraging networks with diverse stakeholder groups and communities
• Incorporating the voices of those directly affected through a participatory approach in research
• Verifying the social impact of various evaluations and developing methodologies

LIFULL, Inc.
• Utilizing data from the real estate and housing information service “LIFULL HOME'S”
• Providing a marketing perspective to support market expansion
• Providing empirical insights to overcome barriers to information access

Nikken Sekkei is a professional services firm specializing in architectural and civil engineering design and supervision, urban design, and related research, planning, and consulting services. For 120 years since its founding in 1900, Nikken Sekkei has been committed to creating value through "social environment design," which aims to solve both explicit and implicit social issues, in order to meet the demands of society and the diverse needs of its clients. To date, it has been involved in various projects in Japan, China, ASEAN, and the Middle East, and in recent years has expanded into India and Europe.

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