"Aesthetics X Future Education" Exhibition -- Taiwan Re-Designs School Campuses to Realize Aesthetics in Life
TAIPEI, Dec. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the 2019 birth data released by Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics, "Executive Yuan", the number of new births in Taiwan decreased by 45% over 25 years since 1994. Low birth rate is a universal phenomenon, which leads to fewer students and extra unused spaces on campus--these may be old classrooms, unused gyms, or atriums and corridors, which have become storage spaces of random objects and security blind spots. On the other hand, with fewer students, many schools with long histories are facing fiercer recruitment competition, as these schools usually have old campuses and outdated facilities, and lack comprehensive planning of spatial utilization. In light of these, "Ministry of Education" launched the "Design Movement on Campus" project in 2019.Left: Renovation of Beigang Elementary School in Xizhi District, New Taipei City. (Design Team: Üroborus Studiolab); Right: Renovation of Cafeteria at Xindong Elementary School, Tainan City. (Design Team: Yamakawa Design).
In 2020's "Design Movement on Campus" project, Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI) uses design to change the way the public sector thinks and operates, and establishes a platform to bridge the needs of schools and interdisciplinary design expertise. "Design Movement on Campus" transforms site of education through design. Nine schools in Taiwan participated in the renovation project in 2019, and 25 participated in 2020; 13 renowned experts in various aspects served as advisors and jurors, and 20 local design teams were responsible for design planning and execution. Using subtraction design, the designers focus on users and introduce aesthetics to learning environment. Enhancing the aesthetics on campus is only a part of the renovation project, which also introduces design thinking to schools, facilitating the internalization of aesthetic consciousness through different stages of aesthetic education and learning. Through real experiences, the project encourages children to observe and reflect on life and proactively seek interdisciplinary solutions for problems, while also observing and improving the living environment and culture through concrete actions.
"Design Movement on Campus" investigates and solves problems on campus through design thinking, and this executive model has won high praises from jurors of the Good Design Award in Japan, emerging from a pool of 4,769 submissions to win the Gold honor (20 winners globally). Among the many participating schools, "My Secret Base: Beigang Elementary School Classroom Renovation" in Xizhi District, New Taipei City, executed by Uroborus Studiolab won the Golden Pin Design Award 2020 Best Design recognition.
Aesthetics must be nurtured in daily life, and aesthetic education for citizens must start from campus. In the future, the implementation of "Design Movement on Campus" will continue, and sow the seeds of aesthetics, one school at a time, to nurture the aesthetic competency of citizens for a sustainable world in the future. Design is not just human-centric, it also serves for social development.
For more achievements of the project:
Exhibition: "Aesthetics X Future Education" Exhibition (Free Admission)
Period: December 11, 2020 - February 21, 2021
Location: Room 01 and 02, Taiwan Design Museum, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (No. 133, Guangfu South Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City)
Exhibition Information: https://www.songyancourt.com/en/