Inclusive Research Collaboration on “Street Furniture Design For the Zoo”

Cooperative Exercise on Product Design by Kanazawa Zoo and Yokohama University of Art & Design

Abstract

This research describes Yokohama University of Art & Design’s 2021-2022 interactive course on Product Design conducted with Kanazawa Zoo. Our students were asked to: apply public design perspective into their design method; cooperate with the zoo/visitors as their creative collaborator to learn to design with the idea of inclusion; and learn ways to define issues concerning the zoo/visitors while proposing design solutions to those issues. By raising awareness to the essence of design, our goal is to foster new appreciation, enjoyment and education with the zoo/visitors.