Interview and text: Amada Tasuku (Future Design Shibuya)
What is STYLY?
A platform for updating experiences and cities
——First of all, please tell us again what kind of company STYLY is.
We provide a tool called STYLY that allows anyone to create and send 3D spaces.
We are also working on creating new experiential opportunities using STYLY, such as projects with entertainment elements like AIR RACE X(※) in collaboration with FDS.
*AIR RACE X: An aerial motorsport using the latest technology, where the world's best pilots compete remotely in precision piloting of small aircraft and time.https://www.airracex.com
These projects require creators who can create spaces, so from the beginning we have focused not only on providing STYLY, but also on nurturing the creators who use it.
Ultimately, I hope that creators, businesses, and local governments will find new ways to use STYLY that go beyond our imagination, and that new cultures and businesses will continue to be born by using STYLY as a platform. Ultimately, I'm happiest when STYLY is used without our knowledge.
--You are also involved in initiatives involving local governments and urban development.
The same approach applies to projects related to urban development; we simply act as a platform provider, and we believe it is important to create an environment in which local residents can utilise it to update their city themselves.
For example, in the “NIIGATA XR Project” in Niigata City, we first worked with local businesses to create a 3D model of the city on STYLY, making it possible for anyone to broadcast content into the city.
On top of that, we designed a curriculum and opened a school to train local creators, and students solicited topics from local companies and proposed XR projects as solutions to those topics. Niigata City provided subsidies to local companies for implementing XR content, and we also produced flagship content that made use of local culture and industry, such as AR that people could enjoy while waiting for the fireworks and live performances by local VTubers.
This project is now in its third year, and recently local companies such as television stations have been taking the lead in developing content, and they have begun to tell us in return what they have done. In terms of nurturing creators, the cycle in which the people we have trained then go on to train the next generation of creators is gradually spreading.
What kind of city will Shibuya be in the future?
Shibuya, where attractive cosplayers gather
——STYLY, how do you imagine society will change as technology advances?
Since its founding, STYLY has set the goal of creating an "era of wearing space." Wearing space means enjoying your favorite space and controlling the information of the space, just like wearing clothes.
For example, if you're an entertainment lover, you'll be able to see your favorite character in the space in front of you, talk to them all the time, eat meals with them, and live your life surrounded by that kind of space. If you're someone who wants to work hard, you'll always have your desktop screen in the corner of your field of vision. Nowadays, we live our lives looking at our smartphones and computer screens, but we'll be liberated from screens and the whole space will become the object of our information exchange. We believe that the time is coming when we'll live our lives surrounded by our favorite space instead of a screen.
--In that future, what kind of changes do you think will occur in the city of Shibuya, for example?
When we live in an age where it is normal to wear spaces on our bodies, the appearance of cityscapes, for example, may become even simpler.
Shibuya is currently filled with physical outdoor advertising such as signage and billboards, which is one of the charms of the city, but if each person in Shibuya is clothed in their own space, advertising can be displayed only in the space of the person who is viewing it. If that were to happen, the signage and billboards in Shibuya today might disappear, and the city might become flat with all the walls, or perhaps instead of advertising, greenery would increase, making the city rich in nature.
--That's interesting. We're physically in the same city, but what we see is different from the person next to us. And when we take off our goggles, it's all nature. (laughs)
The city of Shibuya itself is a public space, and it seems that various spaces will overlap. We call this "layers." For example, you can layer fashion, art, or any number of other spatial layers on top of the city of Shibuya. When you go to Shibuya, you can switch to the layer you like.
--Peoplecan choose their cosplay based on their own personal tastes. A town like Shibuya seems like it will become a place where diverse and attractive cosplayers gather.
That's true. It's a city where many different cultures come together, so it would be fun to think about how to create layers there together with more creators and businesses.
Of course, official Shibuya cosplayers are also available, so if you come to Shibuya you should be able to choose between cosplayers made by individuals and official Shibuya cosplayers.
--I'd also like to think about what kind of public layer Shibuya can provide.
For example, I think it would be interesting to open up one of the official layers of Shibuya, to the idea that "Shibuya is a city where art can be freely disseminated," and create an environment within that that would allow anyone to install and exhibit their own artwork in the city.
Technology can help create a future where you can cherish your individuality
--For example, I think there are some people who are a little scared of technological advances these days, saying things like "AI might take my job." How do you feel about that, Kai?
I think it's a natural feeling. Ever since the old days, when new technology has emerged, for example, when cameras were first invented, people would say that "taking a picture takes away your soul," when cars came out, "people will become lazy," and when the Internet came out, "communication will become less important," and so on. I think there have been various discussions each time, but the conclusion was that technological progress could not be stopped. So I would like to think about how to make good use of technology, and how I can use it to live a comfortable life.
--Indeed, your talk about a future in which we can wear space could be seen as a way to use technology to help us live more comfortably and true to ourselves in society.
I believe that technology will allow us to value the things that are truly important to us. As technology advances and we can do more, we will be able to face our true selves and ask ourselves what we really want to do, what we really like, and value those things even more.
Just to digress, there is a "Umi-chan Bot" in the STYLY Slack channel. It was created by our CEO Yamaguchi. When you press a stamp, it will give you a comment. It will send messages like, "That's great news, the future is getting closer and it's exciting!", but actually, according to Yamaguchi, Umi-chan Bot was created by extracting only the "light" part of me. So it only says really positive things. Sometimes I think that Umi-chan Bot is too positive and has a different personality from me, but when I listen to Umi-chan Bot's stories for a long time, I find myself leaning towards him.
As we move towards a society where we live alongside AI in the future, perhaps when introducing myself I will say that Kai-chan Bot and I are the set. It would be interesting to think that even the definition of who I am will have to be decided when combined with technology, and what part of myself is myself.
I feel that being able to decide for yourself your own definition, your true essence, and what you want to face is important when thinking about the future.
Put on your device and look up at the city skyline
"This all started in Shibuya."
--Speaking of your activities in Shibuya, I'd also like to hear about AIR RACE X, also known as the "F1 of the sky," which took place in the streets of Shibuya last year.
AIR RACE X 2023 – SHIBUYA DIGITAL ROUND
Organized by: Air Race X Executive Committee
(Future Design Shibuya General Incorporated Association, STYLY Inc., Pathfinder Inc., NOIZ, Strategic Partners Inc.)
AIR RACE X is a fusion of the AIR RACE competition, also known as the F1 of the sky, and digital technology. Each pilot will fly remotely in advance in various parts of the world, and the flight data acquired will be visualized using XR technology. In the world's first attempt, "SHIBUYA DIGITAL ROUND," a public viewing audience of 600 people experienced the excitement of racing planes flying at high speeds through the streets of Shibuya.
For STYLY, AIR RACE X was a big turning point in the sense that it was a project that combined real-world cityscapes with XR technology, moving towards an era in which we can wear space. I think it was a big deal for the company to be able to take on the challenge of something that would be impossible in reality, like racing planes in the sky above Shibuya.
In that sense, I think that bringing the layer of motorsports to the streets of Shibuya was significant for both the sports industry and the city. I think it was an example of how a sport of that scale could be attracted to the physically limited streets of Shibuya, while presenting a new form of sport that is sustainable in terms of cost and the environment.
The moment that really got to me was when all the people at the public viewing venue looked up at the sky with their smartphones and goggles. I was a little thrilled to be able to witness such a historic moment. In the future, when events using this kind of technology become established, I would like to say, "This started in Shibuya." In particular, AIR RACE X should be able to be done in any country or place from now on. At that time, I would like to say with a smug face, "Did you know?" (laughs) "It started in Shibuya," and I can say it.
＜INFO＞
Apple Vision Pro opens up the future of vision: The day when smartphones disappear
Written by Nobuhiko Watanabe, COO, STYLY Inc.
