SEIBU RAILWAY Co., Ltd., put into service its new limited express train “Laview” on Saturday, March 16, 2019. Both the exterior and interior of the Laview train were designed by world-renowned architect Kazuyo Sejima to develop a new “never seen before train car.” As the new flagship train bearing the future of Seibu Railway, its train type is designated as the 001 Series.
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Seibu Railway, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of its foundation in 2012 and the 100th anniversary of its operation in 2015, has kept coming up with innovations, including the Seibu Traveling Restaurant “52 Seats of Happiness” aboard a train with all its seats dedicated to restaurant use as well as the “40000 Series” commuter train fitted with a “Partner Zone,” which can be comfortably used by all passengers, including small children and those using baby strollers or wheelchairs. The company has developed the Laview as the new flagship train that will lead Seibu Railway on its path to the next 100 years.
The Laview’s most conspicious feature is its rounded front end while its windshield is made of three-dimensional curved glass with a curvature radius of 1,500 mm (unprecedented in Japan). Furthermore, cabin windows are furnished with large window panes, each 1,350 mm in height and 1,580 mm in width, at an equal interval, enabling passengers to enjoy a panoramic view of passing scenery. The exterior color of the car, new aluminum paint developed especially for Laview, is designed in a way to blend gently into the landscape in the city and nature. The interior, based on a warm yellow color combination, creates a soft living room-like ambience. Each seat is equipped with electrical outlets and “SEIBU FREE Wi-Fi” is available on each coach. Large 23-inch onboard video screens display information in four languages — Japanese, English, Korean and Mandarin. They all add up to provide amenities and make every passenger feel comfortable.
Along the Seibu Railway Ikebukuro and Seibu-Chichibu lines, the Moomin Valley Park was opened at Hanno in March 2019, which helps visitors experience the world view of Moomin. Also in the Chichibu area, moss pink will come into full bloom in late April.
Photo1: Train exterior
Photo2: Train interior
Photo3: Architect: Kazuyo Sejima (basic design supervision)
Photo4: Textile designer/coordinator: Yoko Ando
Photo5: Lighting designer: Shozo Toyohisa
Photo6: Architect: Yoshitaka Tanase
