parsons school of design at the new school AND THE JAPAN FOUNDATION'S CENTER FOR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP TEAM UP TO CREATE DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR surviving natural disastersThe project, Earth Manual Project: Disaster Preparedness & Constructed Environments, launches with a week-long design intensive for Parsons students September 11-15 |
NEW YORK, September 8, 2017 — Amid the devastation wrought by the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season and the recent 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Mexico, Parsons School of Design at The New School and The Japan Foundation’s Center for Global Partnership launch an innovative project centered around creating design solutions for surviving natural disasters. The timely project, Earth Manual Project: Disaster Preparedness & Constructed Environments, kicks off with a week-long design intensive at Parsons in New York City September 11-15. A showcase of student work will be held on Thursday, Sept. 14, 6-8 p.m. at The New School’s University Center, 63 Fifth Ave. To RSVP, visit Eventbrite. During the week-long intensive, students in Parsons’ School of Constructed Environments (SCE) will take inspiration from the various works and philosophies of Hirokazu Nagata, a leading expert on disaster preparedness education from Kobe, Japan, as they develop design solutions — architecture, interior design, lighting design, and more — for surviving natural disasters. Students will look into case studies on Hurricane Sandy, the 1977 and 2003 blackouts in New York, and the September 11 terrorist attacks as they focus on addressing catastrophes related to climate change, terrorism, and infrastructure collapse. Research is provided by the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at The New School. Confronting the very real threat of natural disasters, the project reflects Parsons' and Japan Foundation's commitment to working collaboratively and across disciplines to address the most pressing issues of our time. The the design intensive is the first step in the creation of the first North American iteration of the collaborative exhibition, Earth Manual Project, which will be held at Parsons in Fall 2018. Earth Manual Project is an accumulation of knowledge and ideas gleaned from the experiences of living through natural disasters. It will showcase thoughtful works by designers, artists, and architects from Japan and Southeast Asian countries, as well as fresh localized content from the United States. The exhibition and related public programs will encourage a collaborative, interdisciplinary examination of disaster preparedness across New York City, Kobe (Japan), Chiang Mai (Thailand), and other communities to which the exhibition will ultimately travel. |
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The Japan Foundation, founded in 1972, is dedicated to promoting international cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and other countries. Japan Foundation has been a driving force for international collaborations on disaster preparedness, such as “Earth Manual Project.” Center for Global Partnership (CGP) was established within the Japan Foundation in April 1991. CGP is dedicated to strengthening the global US-Japan partnership and cultivating the next generation of public intellectuals necessary to sustain this partnership. To carry out its mission, CGP supports an array of institutions and individuals, including nonprofit organizations, universities, policymakers, scholars and educators. Parsons School of Design at The New School is one of the leading institutions for art and design education in the world. Based in New York but active around the world, the school offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the full spectrum of art and design disciplines, as well as online courses, degree and certificate programs. Critical thinking and collaboration are at the heart of a Parsons education. Parsons graduates are leaders in their respective fields, with a shared commitment to creatively and critically addressing the complexities of life in the 21st century. |
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