Maebashi, the capital city of Japan’s Gunma prefecture, lies just 100 kilometers northwest of Tokyo at the base of Mount Akagi. The four seasons come in full force here, with muggy, hot summers and dry, cold winds in winter.

Over the past decade, Maebashi has been working to reinvent itself as a budding ar t destination, drawing in creatives from around the world. By becoming a creative, design- centered city that prioritizes green spaces, slow-living, and overall well-being, Maebashi strives to solidify its brand identity as a “creative slow city.”

Despite revitalization efforts, foot traffic remains sparse, as most people prefer using cars to move around downtown, spending most of their time in the suburbs. This contributes to ongoing issues like traffic congestion at major intersections and poor pedestrian infrastructure.

To realize a walkable, design-first downtown, Gunma prefecture invites local and international designers, architects, urbanists, and landscape architects to lead the redesigning of Maebashi into a global creative hub. This competition aims to collect innovative proposals for a forward-thinking, inspired “transit mall” design that is pedestrian-oriented while contributing to the city’s art-focused revival movement.