On June 2 to 7, 2018 Benilde Hub of Innovation for Inclusion (HIFI) partnered with the Japan Foundation Manila to gather three very important groups: Japan-based design collective Ishinomaki Laboratory, Benilde’s Environment Studies Cluster - Industrial Design, and Benilde’s community partners in the Kapitbahayan Program through the Center for Social Action.
The event called: ISHINOMAKI LAB x HIFI meant to share the value of civic action and human-centered product development through a specially-developed Design Thinking module by Habi Education Lab with Benilde HIFI, and a hands-on woodworking workshop with Ishinomaki Laboratory.
Ishinomaki Laboratory shared their journey of inciting civic action through product design in Japan after the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that hit the city of Ishinomaki. From the group came designer Keiji Ashizawa and woodworking artisan Takahiro Chiba who mentored the Benilde Industrial Design students and community partners in developing durable and elegant furniture using only wood, screws, and nails.
The works exhibited here aim to address challenges the participants found around the area and in the lives of the partner communities. These are the works’ first prototype and will then be tested on-ground, with the community whom the works were designed for.