Suwa City PROJECT

A new form of regional creation, combine the talents of local technology into the palm-sized mini 4WD

Discover and disseminate the appeal of precision processing technology that Suwa City boasts to the world

In every part of Japan, traditional industries and cultures of life that have been nurtured and refined by the rich nature unique to the land are alive. However, with the passage of time and the diversifying society, it is also true that the number of people who are traditional and those who inherit the culture of the land are decreasing. Therefore, local governments throughout the country are utilizing the latest methods such as moving images and ICT, rediscovering their own values, and conducting various projects to disseminate to the world.

Even in Loftwork a project aiming to disseminate and expand sales of the charm and merchandise of Japan to the world, ” USIO Design Project ” (2013-2015), a project to rediscover the charm of Ishigaki-jima cooperated with Ishigaki-shi, Okinawa Prefecture We have been conducting projects to communicate various charms and technologies such as local enterprises, people, business materials, such as the ” MORE THAN Project ” (2014 ~ 2016) worked by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

And this time, we are making tags with Suwa-shi, Nagano prefecture , we are doing SUWA design project from Suwa-shi to discover and disseminate the charm of precision processing technology proud worldwide.

To discover and disseminate the attractiveness of precision technology, the theme chosen is that mini 4WD.
How did you associate Mini 4WD, which allows you to make monozukuri easily from children to adults, with local technologies? I summarized the outline of the project over three months on a slide.

SUWA design project outline project

SUWA design project 2017 from loftwork

Importance not to complete inside but to work with outside

Techniques and precision techniques of craftsmen usually do not appear on the table quite often. In order to be interested, not only what is recognized by people of various generations, but also a common language that many people actually have in hand is necessary.

On that point, I think that Mini 4WD was a very rare platform, such as a structure combining a simple structure and expandability, and existence of a community competing daily for remodeling and speed, although being a toy. I also felt the possibility of expressing the technology still more than the company that I worked on this time.

one more. I felt that I changed my importance to convey technology and tradition is not to make a completely new product or service, I try to experimentally start from something close to home. And not to complete it internally, try to work with outside skills and abilities.

Though it may not be born quickly or things that hit, I felt the response that there was not much change in the minds of the people involved in the project.

I believe that this small change leads to a challenge to what I had thought was not good and what I had not been working on so far, leading to a big step.

AuthorRyo Kanazashi（Creative Director）

After graduating from university, I joined a real estate company, and worked in planning, sales, and media management. After that, I worked for a new business in launching a student dormitory, and was in charge of planning, designing, space direction, and management. Whilst learning about graphic and social design in my previous job, which greatly interested me, I felt the possibility of a broader application of design, and joined Loftwork. In my private life, I also work as a director for an incorporated NPO, based in Kesennuma. My motto for work is, "It's not 'what are you making?' it's 'why are you making it?'"

AuthorTomohiko Nihonyanagi（）

After graduating from Chiba University, Mr. Akimoto worked at an architectural design office. He was responsible for home and commercial facility planning. Afterward, he worked on facilities utilized by schools that were shut down in Setagaya (in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster). After being in charge of workshop and event planning, he also gained experience working as a manager of both plan integration and advertising. He also took part in various space utilization and event planning activities — working all over the country of Japan. He joined Loftwork in 2014. He is currently heading up a project to bring together local manufacturing and creative concepts in an attempt to acquire marketshare both in Japan and abroad.

Profile

AuthorMinori Kuwabara（Creative Director）

Graduated from the Department of Fundamental Design at Musashino Art University. After working in video production etc. at the media production company Drawing and Manual, took an interest in how to heighten a team's creativity and studied abroad at the Hyperisland creative business school in Sweden. After interning at W+K, joined Loftwork in 2016.
Specializes in everything from illustration and video production to workshops and team-building. Likes soccer, naps, and reading.