On March 3rd, 2017 (Fri), a kickoff symposium for the Center for Designed Futures, a center created to facilitate collaborative education and research within Kyushu University, was held.

After opening speeches by Director and Deputy President Mr. Maruno Shunichi and Mr. Akira Yasukouchi, the President of the Graduate School of Design, in the first session, Ms. Atsuko Nishigaki, the Director of the Lifestyle Culture, Creation, and Industry Section at the Business Information Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, delivered a keynote speech on the topic of the “Future Expectations of Design”.

Ms. Nishigaki talked about the large changes in design thinking and that it has been reorganized into not only things that can be grasped visually but also into tangible, intangible and fused areas including methods and social contribution activities. Today, design is considered an activity that accurately grasps user needs, design concepts to create the optimal products and services. An example presented was the current “Cool Japan Policy” led by the government, where various projects utilizing the power of design are implemented to promote and disseminate the charms of the many places in Japan to an international audience. Lastly, she ended her speech on the process of creating an abundant and fulfilling society through design.

In the second session, President of the Center for Designed Futures, Mr. Yoshitsugu Morita, presented the initiatives of the center and the design studies consortium, which establishment in the future is being considered. In the panel discussion following that, Professor Takeshi Sunaga from Tokyo University of the Arts, Professor Toshimasa Yamanaka, the President of the Art Faculty of the University of Tsukuba, Professor Katsuhiko Kushi from the Kyoto Institute of Technology, Assistant Professor Kenta Ono from Chiba University, Director Kishiro from the Japan Institute for Design Promotion, Director Kazuo Tanaka from the Japan Industrial Designers’ Association, Deputy President Masahiro Kiyosumi of the Center for Designed Futures debated the role of design in the creation of the future society.

In the panel discussion, after presenting each university’s initiatives in design education, some of the topics discussed included the potential of design in helping to create a new world, the spread of the role of design in not only industry but in creating society such as contributing to civic life and culture, the necessity of the systemization of practical design studies which can connect these diverse research fields, and the necessity of collaborative research between design universities and with academic, business, and governmental circles.

Panel Discussion