*This article is based on survey data and historical documents as of December 2025.

1. Genealogy of the ancient square: "functional transformation" from agora to forum

The square has always been at the core of urban structure in Western civilization. However, the roles that squares played in the two great civilizations of Greece and Rome were similar yet different. We begin our discussion by understanding the crucial differences between them.

1.1 Agora, a space for horizontal participation

The "agora" was an ancient Greek public square, as exemplified by Athens in the pre-Christian era. The word "agora" comes from the meaning of "gathering." Agoras originally arose simply as places for citizens to meet, but eventually came to function as the "engine" of the city (polis), where political, commercial, religious, and social activities intermingled.

The Agora's distinctive feature is its"Horizontality" and "Openness"The space was not physically enclosed, but organically connected to the surrounding natural landscape of mountains and the sea. Although boundary stones (horoi) gently separated the sacred and profane realms, it was a "stage for public discourse" where citizens could debate on an equal footing, enact laws, and practice direct democracy.
Here, the voices of political debate, market calls, and philosophical dialogue resonated equally.

1.2 Forum, the space of vertical authority

However, when Rome assumed hegemony, the square's appearance changed dramatically. While the "Form" inherited the multifunctionality of the agora, its essence shifted to "visualizing authority."

The Roman Forum during the Imperial period in particular was a space lined with magnificent temples, triumphal arches, and gigantic basilicas (public halls) built on artificial land created by reclaiming marshland. Surrounded by colonnades and monumental buildings, the eye is naturally drawn to the central symbol of power.
While the Agora was a space that encouraged "civic participation," the Forum was a place where imperial triumphal arches and religious ceremonies were held."Passive spectator seating"The scale of the space itself functioned as a device to convey to citizens the power of the empire and the absoluteness of the legal order.

2. Data on Modern Cities: Economic Value Generated by Walking

In the context of modern urban planning, especially the "walkable city," these ancient concepts of squares are no longer just a story in history textbooks.
The latest economic data proves that people-centered plazas and pedestrian spaces have far greater "capital efficiency" than car-centric urban designs.

2.1 Only 11 TP3T of land generates 201 TP3T of GDP

A study of 35 major US metropolitan areas (WalkUPs) revealed a surprising fact: only a small fraction of the total land area of a city is considered "walkable."1.2%However, this tiny area contains the entire United States.Approximately 20% of GDPis what is being produced.

This suggests that opportunities for innovation and consumption are concentrated in places where people walk, stay, and interact (plaza-like spaces), rather than in places where people drive through (roads).

2.2 Japanese Case: Economic Ripple Effects of "Akapla" in Sapporo

Looking at Japan, a good example is Sapporo's Kita 3-jo Plaza (commonly known as Akapla), a former roadway that has been converted into a permanent plaza and is managed by a public-private area management organization.

According to a 2019 survey, the direct economic ripple effect (production ripple effect) of holding events using this square is790 million yenThe income generation effect reached 450 million yen. The ripple effect multiplier for the investment is estimated to be 1.59 times.
By simply restructuring roads from a "passage function" to a "stay function," cities have the potential to generate this much wealth.

3. Shadows of Public Spaces: Gentrification and Noise Risk

The most sensitive issue in modern plaza development is "sound." In the agora of the past, the hustle and bustle was a sign of democracy, but in modern Japan, where silence is a precious asset, especially in areas close to residential areas.
The government and tourism sector want to create a lively atmosphere, while the residents seek peace. Building infrastructure without achieving consensus building between these two interests will leave a legacy of problems in the future.

4. Proposal for Toyako Town: A "Modern Agora" Concept Using the Volcano as a Backdrop

So how should we implement these historical and economic insights in Toyako Town, Hokkaido, where we are based?
Toyako Town is a major tourist destination with annual tourism spending of approximately 45.3 billion yen (2024), but there is a need for further improvements in quality and sustainability. What I would like to propose here is a fusion of "formal landscape" and "agora-like functions."

4.1 "Form as Borrowed Landscape" and "Dispersed Agora"

The Romans demonstrated their authority with huge stone temples, but Lake Toya already has monuments that surpass them."Mount Usu" and "Mount Showa Shinzan"is.
We don't need to create a new gigantic structure (form). We can make the most of the overwhelming volcanic scenery as a "modern form (urban backdrop)," and dot the foreground with small, human-scale interaction hubs (agora).

Specifically, the planned hand bath and foot bath will not just be used as a rest area,"Micro Agora (Small Square)"These are defined as places where tourists and local residents can exchange words spontaneously through the medium of hot water. By lining these spaces in a daisy-chain along the shopping street and connecting them with walkable routes, the entire town will be reorganized into "roofless architecture."

4.2 "Winter Placemaking" that adds value to winter

The biggest bottleneck in urban planning in Hokkaido is winter. Squares get buried in snow and become dead space. However, we need to think in reverse.

Adopting the concept of "Winter Placemaking," which is practiced in Scandinavia and Canada, the event will see snow as a "resource" rather than an "obstacle." It will feature a snow candle plaza made from cleared snow, heated benches powered by geothermal energy, and illuminations that stand out in the crisp, cool air.
Maintaining the plaza's functions year-round will be an important economic strategy for leveling out and raising tourism spending, which currently stands at 45.3 billion yen, even during the winter.