An "invisible" train being designed by one of Japan's top architects is set to roll out in Tokyo during 2018. The commuter train uses semi-transparent and semi-reflective materials that cause it to look almost invisible as it rolls through a city or the countryside. Kazuyo Sejima has the vision of the train blending in with various types of urban and rural sceneries to co-exist with them.
Sejima said in a press release that the trains will travel in environments ranging from Chichibu's mountains to downtown Tokyo, according to Newsweek. She also wants a large number of passengers to have the chance to relax like in a living room, and then want to ride the train again.
In 1995 Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa founded the SANAA architecture firm, and during the past three decades the company has become famous for its use of light and space. Sejima was commissioned to design the futuristic train in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Seibu Group.
The Seibu Group owns Seibu Railways, which runs train services in Tokyo and nearby Saitama. Sejima's and Nishizawa's company has made famous designs including the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York, Rolex Learning Center in Switzerland, Serpentine Pavilion in London, and Christian Dior Building in Tokyo, according to CNN.
The architectural firm also won the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2010, which is the highest honor in architecture. The award's jurors stated that it explores light, space, transparency, and materials to create a synthesis.
Sejima has used the one-of-a-kind architectural design in the past on buildings including the Le Louvre Lens Museum north of Paris.
This is also not the first time an architect has developed the concept of an invisible train. Land Rover's Transparent Bonnet Concept lets drivers see through the vehicle's frame to the ground, while Samsung's "safety trucks" allow people behind the wheel to see through big vehicles.
In related news, the world's most famous luxury train once known as Orient Express has become more luxurious. The train has been featured in Agatha Christie novels and James Bond movies.
Today the dining car of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express continues to become more lavish. The restored train added a champagne bar last year, and now features a menu that includes sandwiches made with thin layers of pressed caviar.
Here's Samsung's "invisible truck":