ASIA CULTURE FORUM 2010, GWANGJU, SOUTH KOREA by Sali SASAKI

THE ROLEOF CREATIVITY & DESIGNINSHAPING LOCAL CULTURE

INTRODUCTION

The subject of cities has become a bestselling topic, as it seems to reflect the most pressing issues of the 21st century, including climate change, social justice and economic development. The term creativity, and the dreams associated to it, appeals to post-industrial cities that are seeking opportunities for economic conversions.

The definition and the way creative cities should be built are often contested. James Heartfield wrote in Blueprint magazine that the word creativity does not create just as the title creative city does not necessarily make a place more interesting. And despite a growing interest from politicians and urban decision-makers, it seems that the building of creative cities for global competitiveness, as defined by Richard Florida’s The Rise of the Creative Class, has exacerbated economic disparities. The integration of creativity in urban environments is much more complex than it actually seems.

Pictured right Crosswalk in Hong Kong, ChinaPrevious page Junction at Samcheong-Dong in Seoul, Korea

So how do creative people participate in the most pressing transformation of the 21st century? How do they help achieve principles of cultural diversity, and push creativity forward whilst acknowledging a city’s past? How do they initiate long-term changes that can impact people’s lives? And most importantly how do they help a city manage the passage of time at an environmental, social and cultural level?

In this presentation, I would like to showcase best practice examples that reflect the various ways in which creativity and design can define local culture. From the United States to Japan, and in other international locations, traditional and contemporary forms of culture are being shaped in urban environments.

Pictured left Craftsman working in Asuke Village, Japan

THE THINGS THATDEFINE CITIES

Great cities inspire. They strike a balance between newness and traditions. They are open to innovating ideas and are not afraid of change. But they are also confident about their identity.

Architecture, products, languages, parks, transportation, museums, and people are some of the few things that one can experience in a city. The image of a city as a whole is made of a myriad of unique details. The people and things that make a place distinctive, such as small business owners and independent boutiques and restaurants should be increasingly valued. The cultural diversity that is offered by cities is a colourful mirror of human creative potential.

During my years working for UNESCO’s Creative Cities, I helped cities develop a creative portfolio. Through them, I experienced the kaleidoscopic nature of cities and their inherent creativity. Montreal revealed itself to me a multi-cultural environment where design is integrated to improve the quality of life of its residents. Nagoya believes in the power of creative people who introduce new ideas and solutions that can transform urban life. Shenzhen is a laboratory-city where experimental activities are being put to the test and where the concept “designed in China” has become a motto. Berlin is a permanent showcase for new talents and cutting-edge art and design.

Pictured left Taliesin West, Scottsdale AZ1

MONTREALQUEBEC, CANADA

NAGOYAJAPAN

SHENZHENCHINA

BERLINGERMANY

LOCAL TRADITIONS& INDIGENOUSDESIGN

During a recent research trip called Cities x Design, I traveled to Austin, Texas, where I met with Todd Sanders.

His creative work builds on a tradition that is threatened by the rise of technology and cheaper manufacturing costs. Austin and its region have a proud heritage of handmade neon signs and lettering that have slowly been replaced over the past decades.

Todd Sanders looks at neon-sign-making as a craft positioned somewhere in between art and design. His work has been used on film sets, advertising campaigns but also draws the interest of art collectors. At Roadhouse Relics (pictured right), the design of a neon sign begins with pencil sketches on paper and does not rely once on computer prototyping technology.

This type of aesthetic, which once was a reflection of American innovation, is now being sustained as a local tradition. Austin’s image is distinctive in the United States because it has been capable of keeping and renewing its own cultural essence. 2

LOCAL TRADITIONS& INDIGENOUSDESIGN

In December 2008 I co-organized a young designers workshop in Nagoya called Design DNA: Rootsfinder. The aim of the workshop was to push young designers to understand cultural diversity and approach indigenous knowledge by collaborating with local crafts people. The three phases of the workshop were to:

Explore and do field research in the • Nagoya area in order to analyze existing souvenirs and traditional products associated to the region. Identify places or experiences that are • unique to the Nagoya area. How could designers reinterpret them? Can a place/experience be meaningfully turned into a product or image?From the information and conclusions • gathered from the field research, start sketches and prototypes that redefine the concept of souvenirs in a culturally relevant way

The field trips and results were presented to the city’s government officials during a closing presentation on the last day of the workshop.

The survival of local indigenous skills highly depends on the involvement of contemporary designers with traditional crafting techniques. The successful blend of old and new is key for cultural sustainability and the creation of new meaning for the generations to come.

Pictured left Workshop Report cover

CREATIVETOURISM

The modern traveler goes after new experiences that feed his search for local culture, originality and authenticity from past and present times.

Hotels are places where such experiences can be found. Independent hotels that have existed for generations have proven to be dynamic creative hubs that reflect what a local community can achieve together. In the past few years, the popularity of the American mid-century modern style has resurrected old motels built in the 1950’s.

The Pearl in San Diego (pictured right) and the Valley Ho in Scottsdale are successful examples of places that not only work as relics that reflect America’s golden age but also offer the modern services and amenities that are indispensable in the 21st century. 3

CREATIVETOURISM

Designers, artists, photographers, musicians, tourists, and local neighbours like to grab a coffee at Jo’s and slowly sip their drink inside the courtyard of the Hotel San José (pictured left). On weekends and during the summer mornings especially, nothing stops the long lines from appearing in front of the building. Near the pool, it is crowded and lively. In a decade, the San José Hotel has become a headquarters for local creative people and its presence has transformed South Congress Avenue, making it one of the most vibrant streets in the United States.

Back in 1939 the San Jose was built as an “ultra modern tourist court” and the business grew steadily until the 1960’s. Following major road changes, the building went through several conversions: as a brothel, a church bible school and a refuge for drug-users and prostitutes before going through its last transformation as a trendy boutique hotel. In its promotional material the San José refers to itself as a “place with a soul”. By blending its unconventional history and its creative community in a regenerated design environment, this hotel holds the stories and narratives that define the city’s unique character.

CREATIVETOURISM

This new millennium may coincide with the transformation of souvenir products as objects that are culturally more relevant and reconnected to a sense of place. This growing market is being impacted by the way creative people approach their work.

Whilst many designers enjoy working for their clients, more are looking to design, produce and launch their own products, or even start their own retail space. Designer-entrepreneurs with a taste for culturally relevant objects have taken over a number of creative neighborhoods in various American cities, adding to the development of more vibrant and distinctive places around the country. Museum shops, like the one of the New Mexico Foundation, collaborate with local designer-makers to display unique objects, and design schools, like SCAD, form partnerships with corporate clients to develop products that are later sold locally and in select stores nationwide.

A successful global city knows how to galvanize its local resources and talents to strengthen its cultural assets and connect with the outside world.

Pictured right FCI Pop Up Shop, Orlando FL

SAVANNAH& SANTA FE

CREATIVETOURISM

One example is JAQK Cellars, a side business launched by design firm Hatch in San Francisco. When Joel Templin and Katie Jain (pictured left) co-founded their creative practice, they already had big ambitions for their company. They knew that they were going to design brands for major companies but they also wanted to produce and launch their own line of products.

Their proximity to the wineries of the Napa Valley led to a partnership with one of the region’s best wine maker, Craig MacLean. Together they launched a new wine label that smartly blends wine culture with poker themes. JAQK is an acronym for Jack, Ace, Queen and King.

JAQK Cellars is a playful brand that focuses on offering the best quality wine from the Napa region. Their flagship bottle “High Roller” is not only beautifully packaged, it is a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon of high caliber that appeals to both the connoisseur and design-savvy customers. Hatch is a design firm that strongly reflects San Francisco’s entrepreneurial spirit and its love for innovative quality products that reflect the California savoir-vivre.

CONCLUSION

As experimental grounds, cities can inspire others to try on successful ideas. They can network to share best practices and enable cultural exchanges.

The multidisciplinary nature of design can gradually transform neighborhoods into endearing homes in many different ways: by sustaining traditions in the 21st century, by generating new ideas in old places, by building environmentally sustainable structures, by connecting generations through networks and activities, and by providing solutions that will be relevant in the long-term. Great cities are those that make their local community proud and inspire visitors to do as well in their own neighborhoods.

The perfect city does not exist and may never be, however, by sampling best-practice models from various places, it is easier to imagine what such place could look like and how it would function. The integration of creativity and design interventions make urban environments more relevant as culural grounds. Designers can point to new directions and fight pre-conceptions. They make the formerly inconceivable more visible, and help build better places one step at a time.

Pictured right Gwangju, South Korea

THANK YOUContact

sali@salisasaki.comwww.salisasaki.com

Cities x Designwww.citiesxdesign.org

INDIGO, Indigenous Design Networkwww.indigoindigenousdesignnetwork.org

World Design Capitalwww.worlddesigncapital.com

Credits

All texts, photographs and illustrations by Sali Sasaki© All rights reserved

Additional photos by:CCCity of ShenzhenMinhua JinInternational Design Center NagoyaCreate Berlin