The Field of Designing Abroad: Designing for Work at the Edge of the World" ￥2,400+TAX
This is not pessimism or pessimism, but rather a certainty that we are entering an era in which it will be even more difficult to be at ease about working in Japan than it is now. The birth rate is declining, and both the working and consumption populations are decreasing, so there is no simple way to be optimistic about the future. This is not the same thing as creating a new indicator that is different from the economy, though.
Nowadays, it is no longer so unusual for people to leave Japan, where such pessimism abounds, and try to make a go of it overseas. Some have actually succeeded and are working on a different scale and at a different speed than in Japan. But I would like to hear about their real experiences, how they actually work, and the twists and turns and hardships they had to go through to get there.
Designing Abroad" is a book about the experiences of 14 designers based in 10 countries in Europe, America, Asia, and Africa. The designers in the book cover a wide range of fields, including textile designers, graphic designers, and digital designers. The process of leaving Japan, getting work overseas, and finding their own unique way of working while building their careers is both vividly ongoing and valuable information that is hard to come by.
Reading them makes you feel as if you are exploring the wide world of design with them. For those who are planning to go abroad, each of the 14 will serve as a different role model. The book is also packed with practical information on everything from choosing a place to study to how internships work, visa requirements, salary levels, housing conditions, and cost of living. The specifics of the work process, communication with colleagues, and other aspects of working in the country will come through.
The fresh and enthusiastic writing, characteristic of people who are carving their own paths, will also inspire readers.
These people, who make their living in the non-verbal field of design, talk about their passionate but realistic overseas situations. Please pick up a copy of this book if you are interested in working abroad, or even if you are interested in the way people work.
And now, to commemorate the publication of the book, the Aoyama Book Center is offering a special book selection event at the Aoyama Book Center main store. Each designer has selected three books with his/her comment.
In addition, a commemorative event titled "IDEO and FabLab: Design Landscapes from Two Ateliers" will be held on March 3 (Fri.) from 19:00 to 20:30 at the main Aoyama Book Center. For details, please refer to the following website.
Wouldn't it be nice to experience the voice of the book even more realistically in the field?
Text_Shinri Kobayashi
Designing Abroad for a Living."
Price: ￥2,400+tax
Edited by Eizo Okada
Authors: Hajime Suzuki, Akane Moriyama, Shohei Aoki, Ryosuke Fukusada, Yasushi Tokushima, Takashi Kawashima, Hikaru Imamura, Yoshiaki Osada, Keiichi Aoki, Naoaki Yamamoto, Hanayo Shimizu, Yuta Nakayama, Kota Kobayashi, Azusa Murakami
Publisher: Gakugei Shuppansha
Commemorating the publication of "Making Design Work Abroad" (Gakugei Shuppansha)
Date: Friday, March 3, 19:00 - 20:30 (doors open 18:30~)
Venue: Aoyama Book Center Main Store, Small Classroom
Admission fee: ￥1,350
Capacity: 50 persons
How to Participate:
[1] Online reservations are available at the Aoyama Book Center website.
http://www.aoyamabc.jp/event/desgin-ovss/
[2] Ticket vouchers are sold at the main store. (Hours: 10:00-22:00)
*We do not make reservations by phone.
Event Details:
"Working in design overseas" - what kind of scenery does that conjure up in your mind?
The title of this book is exactly this phrase. 14 Japanese designers, active in various fields in 14 cities in 10 countries around the world, from design offices in major cities to fab labs in developing countries, have contributed essays reflecting on their respective paths.
In this talk event, we will welcome two of them as guests. Mr. Shohei Aoki, who moved to Ghana by himself after completing the graduate course at the University of Tokyo, and is working on local design education at FabLab Ghana, the first citizen design studio in Ghana. Shohei Aoki, who is working on local design education at FabLab Ghana, the first citizen's design studio in Ghana.
In the first half of the event, each of them will talk about the topics written in their essays, such as their reasons for moving abroad, how they overcame the language barrier, their commitment to their work, and the difficulties of design, while also touching on episodes that could not be written in the book. In the second half of the event, Eizo Okada, editor and design director of this book, will join us as a navigator to discuss with the audience the meaning and possibilities of working in design overseas today.
Mr. Suzuki, who honed his skills in IDEO's workshop (atelier), and Mr. Aoki, who is taking on the challenge of making things in a tropical fab lab (digital atelier). What hints will emerge from the stories of these two people who have worked on design in the same "workshop," yet in seemingly contrasting environments?
We welcome those who want to study or work in design abroad, as well as those who are broadly interested in design or who want to rethink their careers.
