quake + design

Design Competition with theme: ‘Life in Shelter after the Quake’

Let us solve social problems with the “Power of Design” – studio-L organized this first social design project in 2008.  This project started from our awareness that “Design” should contribute to solving numerous social problems in Japan and around the world. This is something that young designers should be more aware of.

The theme was “Earthquake”. In Japan, where we are always exposed to the danger of earthquakes with large magnitudes, we need to speak up and make proposals about this particular problem.

We included ideas which we wished when we were students. We wanted to tackle more social problems, make more friends and receive comments from professionals. As an incentive, we offered a national travel award. All of suggestions still have a good chance to materialize into projects. To do this, we have created a new workshop framework – competition.

An Opportunity to Feel a New Possibility of Design

Twenty-two teams (44 students) participated from all over the country and speculated various issues faced by refugees in a school gymnasium which is typically used as a temporary shelter. In the workshop in Kobe, students received lectures and/or listened to talks of personal experiences, before exchanging ideas. Eleven teams’ (22 students) proposed ideas were selected and presented in Fukuoka, Kyushu. After the reviews and experiences of refugees were taken into account and a brush-up session with the organizers, their proposals were exhibited both in Kobe and Tokyo.  A book entitled “What Design Can Do Against Earthquakes“ (NTT Publishing Co., Ltd.) was published. Students had the chances to explore the new possibilities of design. We provided this information to designers, media, local government and social entrepreneurs to see the possibilities of implementing new design ideas.