Design with memory

With heightening global interest in sustainable development during this time, the DRA competitions organized under the theme of Design with Memory were funded in part by the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), and the exhibits in Japan were part of a national program of design education with associated seminars.

The State of Washington’s pioneering recycling programs were gathering much mixed waste paper, construction debris, plastics, metals and glass, but there were very few products being made with these materials.

The Competition highlighted that such challenge was not unique to Washington State, but was a global issue which many governmental and environmental institutions around the world were looking to solve (see major donor list below[2]).

[8][9] This story of "Spinning garbage into gold" was featured in various fashion and lifestyle magazines such as House Beautiful, Elle Decor, and An-An.

[10][11] It was one of the pioneering initiatives that aimed to position products made from recycled material in an elevated way by exhibiting them in high-end design shops, galleries, and museums.

Origin of the concept An iconic example used by Professor Masuda and Architect Johnson to illustrate the historical precedent for “Design with Memory” is the ancient Japanese tea cup which has been broken and visibly repaired (also see kintsugi, wabi-sabi).