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Thursday Course for Undergraduate Students

Social design is a practice that addresses social issues through artistic creation. It seeks to enhance the aesthetic quality of everyday life, prioritizing social impact over economic gain. Awareness of social design has grown since the second half of the 20th century, driven by a growing emphasis on the social responsibility of designers. The course will cover contemporary initiatives in Japan. In this course, students will explore the principles of social design, analyze relevant cases, and develop project proposals, culminating in a final poster presentation.

schedule >>> overview


Introduction


01 : Social Design 02 : Case Analysis 03 : Case Analysis

Discussion


04 : Social Problem 05 : Aesthetics 06 : Participation 07 : Community 08 : Well-being

Proposal


09 : Proposal 10 : Poster Making 11 : Presentation 12 : Presentation


Social Design

Oct. 2 (Thu)

After defining social design, we’ll examine its historical development. Building on this foundation, you will identify your own project focus—either a social issue, such as discrimination, or a medium, such as architecture—and research relevant examples.


Case Analysis


Oct. 9 (Thu)

We will identify key perspectives for analyzing social design examples—such as the issue, the design outcome, the designer's expertise, and the collaborators. Use these to analyze your chosen example.


Social Problem

Oct. 16 (Thu)

After reflecting on the nature of social issues, participants will share the difficulties people face in their daily lives, classify them, and discuss their interconnections. Each participant will identify a target problem to focus on.