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There were three outstanding speakers in the lecture, namely Prof. Shinichi Ito, Prof. Takaaki Bando, and Prof. Isshin Sasaki.

The first session began with a presentation by Prof. Shinichi Ito on the topic of “The Relationship between Space and Furniture”. He explained that humans can create similarity and harmony between space and furniture by combining appropriate colors and shapes.

“Furniture shape and color influence the architecture of a space. However, a function or utility of a piece of furniture must also be considered,” he said.

Furthermore, differences in human preferences in different eras lead to differences in architectural trends. For example, in the 20th century, people preferred houses that were not in direct contact with nature, while in the 21st century, people lean more towards homes that are directly connected with nature.

Structure also plays an important role in determining furniture design. “Mathematical and physical calculations are also important in determining the shape of furniture in a certain space,” he said.

The next session featured a presentation by Prof. Takaaki Bando, who presented material themed “Exploring the Archetypes of Design: Why Did Homo Sapiens Begin to Create Art”. He explained the concept of “morphopoiesis”, a concept originating from archetype design. Morphopoiesis comes from the words “morph,” meaning form, and “poiesis,” or poetics.

He elaborated on concepts such as the afterimage of the sun, visible mimicry, negative mimicry, and ambiguous mimicry.

Afterimage of the sun is a flash of light that appears after exposure to sunlight, forming a circular shape that includes colors like green, blue, and red.

Meanwhile, visible mimicry is a type of mimicry that can be seen in patterns, shapes, and unique colors. “There exist many beautiful shapes and colors within nature. Animals, plants, and natural environments form harmonious arrangements,” he said.

An example of visible mimicry is the “eye” pattern present in the wings of butterflies, which resembles the shape of the afterimage of the sun.

He also explained the connection between the afterimage of the sun and visible mimicry. “Other living beings decorate their bodies with sun afterimages, while humans incorporate it into painting patterns as a form of creative expression,” he uttered.

Negative mimicry is mimicry that aims to conceal the identity of an object, whereas ambiguous mimicry is mimicry that leads to dual interpretations.

Finally, Prof. Isshin Sasaki presented on the topic “Design as a Tool for Cultivating Local Identity”.

He shared his research on an exhibition of Wakasa Lacquerware design. Wakasa Lacquerware is a traditional craft design originating from Obama Village, Fukui Prefecture, inspired by the shapes and patterns of the sea in Wakasa Bay.

He created Wakasa lacquerware designs using two main materials, namely white fabric and pecchin (chopstick fragments). “Both the fabric and pecchin come from the Fukui region, so the design highlights local identity,” he said.

In developing his research, he designed four aspects as tools for building local identity. “We developed a space, workshop, animation, and webpage to present Wakasa Lacquerware designs,” he said.

He explained that the exhibition was held in a studio with stretched cloth and scattered pecchin for the visitors to enjoy. Other than that, there was a story-sharing session about chopsticks from visitors, along with an animation about chopsticks and their daily uses. 

Translator: Nadya Fini Nabila (Management, 2026)