Monozukuri (Craftsmanship) Rooted in Culture, Connecting Coexistence with Nature

When I was in elementary school, my dream was to become an architect. Even in high school, I was considering going to a university with an engineering faculty where I could study architecture. However, I learned that architecture has various fields such as environmental engineering, structural engineering, and design, and I realized that what I wanted to do was design. Until then, I had been vaguely studying for entrance exams, keeping pace with my peers who were aiming for national and public universities. But around that time, I found myself drawn to SFC, which deals not only with architectural design but also with design in a broader sense.

At the time, I also struggled with narrowing down my wide range of interests to a single field of study. Because of this, I became even more attracted to SFC, which offered an environment where I could learn a wide variety of things I wanted to do. After much hesitation, I finally decided to take the entrance exam for SFC.

In my first year, while focusing on paving a path in architecture, I took classes in a wide range of fields, including programming, disaster prevention, environmental science, and social sciences. In the process, I realized that what I wanted to do was not so much architecture, but something larger, like the environment and space. With regard to the environment in particular, there are many ways to engage with it, from establishing rules like the Basic Environment Act to methods that encourage changes in people's awareness and behavior, such as developing services aimed at behavioral reform. Among the various means, environmentally conscious buildings are rooted in the land as "tangible things" and have a long-lasting impact. As I contemplated these things, my perspective on the essence and potential role of "mono" (things) themselves, and the influence they possess, broadened. And since architecture is also essentially a "mono," I decided to start with "monozukuri" (making things).

Therefore, attracted by concepts I heard at the joint information session for XD labs, such as "Kankyō (environmental) Design" and "democratization of design," I decided to join the Hiroya Tanaka Lab.

In the Hiroya Tanaka Lab, where I belong, we research methods of expression for creating "mono" (things) from digital data using "digital fabrication (Fab)" from a design engineering perspective. In digital fabrication, we mainly use 3D printers to transform digital data into real-world "mono." Although 3D printers may seem digital, they have many analog aspects, and when creating something new, we repeatedly adjust the materials and conditions.

Therefore, selecting materials and understanding their properties is crucial, and we start with material research for any unfamiliar materials. Approaching from the material side can also lead to new discoveries and ideas. For example, mycelium can become a lightweight material with excellent insulation and fire resistance, so it is used as insulation in architecture. Also, by changing the composition of bioplastics to achieve sufficient softness after drying, it can become a modeling method for creating unexpected shapes. In this way, by swinging back and forth like a pendulum—searching for materials suitable for a product, or conversely, thinking about a product from its material—we can enhance the techniques and expressive power of digital fabrication.

I also studied abroad to broaden my horizons internationally. I studied abroad in Amsterdam, a leader in environmentally conscious urban design, where I learned about urban planning and infrastructure from a sustainability perspective. There, I discovered that the field of monozukuri I had been working in is closely related to the concept of "circularity" (resource circulation). This became an opportunity for me to think about "working on the theme of circularity" and "contributing to society." Also, while studying abroad, I was selected to exhibit in the circularity section of "Milan Design Week 2023." From that experience, I realized that even if a design is wonderful, it is difficult to sustain it without a perspective on how to integrate it into existing social systems. However, I do not believe that sustainability and environmental consideration are the greatest values that design should provide. Since monozukuri inevitably generates waste, I believe we should explore materials and methods that do not burden the environment from the outset.

I am currently very interested in bio-based materials such as fungi, microorganisms, soil, shells, and seaweed. This is because materials created by nature have the characteristic of returning to nature relatively quickly, even after being processed by humans. Using such materials, I want to propose, through the power of design, things that are socially, environmentally, and culturally circular.

In my research so far, I have created blocks to assist coral spawning, which cannot migrate north fast enough due to global warming; packaging that suppresses ocean acidification and improves water quality; and products with a leaf vein motif. Now, I am attempting to research design that connects such "mono" (things) with "culture." For example, suppose we release a substance into the sea or a river to improve water quality. Instead of just releasing it, we would design it with a background related to a culture or custom of releasing things into water, like the Tōrō nagashi (floating lantern) ceremony. Recently, plastic is sometimes used for lanterns, but by combining biodegradable materials with customs, I am exploring ways for them to become naturally established. By "adhering" "mono" to culture, the culture becomes more refined, and the "mono" evolves along with it. I believe there is a way for the people around us, and by extension the environment itself, to be enriched through "mono." Looking back on my research to date, it has spanned a wide range of scales and fields, including engineering, biology, cities and infrastructure, and design and culture. I believe I was able to learn so broadly thanks to the flexible and interdisciplinary environment at SFC.

In my fourth year, building on my research so far and with a desire to focus on the marine environment, I plan to proceed with monozukuri using materials such as seaweed, sand, and shells from the Tokyo area. While also considering graduate school, I will advance my research for my graduation thesis from both the perspective of a theme specific to urban areas and the development of technical tools.