Adding value to broken things with the power of technology. Dentsu Lab Tokyo presents "UP-CYCLING POSSIBILITY."

Dentsu Lab Tokyo is an R&D organization where creative research, planning, and development are integrated, operating under the motto "Think while creating, create while thinking." This team, dedicated to developing new forms of expression starting from technology, is currently embarking on a new project titled "UP-CYCLING POSSIBILITY."

Dentsu Lab Tokyo is currently holding the " UP-CYCLING POSSIBILITY" exhibition at the Shiseido Global Innovation Center (S/PARK) in Yokohama, Kanagawa, from Tuesday, April 4 to Saturday, April 22, 2023, and from Monday, May 15 to Saturday, June 3, 2023.We spoke with Kanako Nakano, Creative Technologist/Researcher, about the feedback received after the first phase and the start of the second phase, the aims of the exhibition, and the background behind the project's launch.

New Experiences Born from "Kintsugi × Technology"

Q. I understand "UP-CYCLING POSSIBILITY" is an upcycling project that creates new functions and value by adding technology and creativity to discarded or broken objects. Could you tell us what sparked its launch?

Nakano: There were two triggers. The first was a paper that gained attention in 2020. It contained the shocking finding that the total weight of human-made artifacts had reached approximately 1.1 trillion tons, surpassing the total weight of all living organisms on Earth. While I vaguely understood that things were accumulating, seeing this fact laid bare made me wonder what the future would hold.

While pondering whether there might be a way to create new value without making new things, I recalled my personal experience with kintsugi. Kintsugi is a traditional technique where broken, chipped, or cracked ceramics are bonded with lacquer and finished with decorative metal powder. I wondered if this technique could be applied to something else.

The other was being introduced to a technology by Osaka Heat Cool Co., Ltd. that switches between hot and cold based on the flow of electric current.I experienced a device that, when applied to the skin, switches between hot and cold, using the resulting tingling sensation to distract from itching without harming the skin. I felt that incorporating such hot-cold switching or tingling stimuli into tableware could create a new experience. These encounters led to the start of an upcycling project combining kintsugi and technology.

Creating opportunities for everyone to have choices beyond "discarding"

Q. At the "Upcycling Possibility Exhibition," you're displaying products developed through the project. What exactly can visitors see?

Nakano: We prepared vessels featuring parts developed in collaboration with Osaka Heat Cool that allow you to enjoy temperature changes, as well as vessels with vibrating parts applied through kintsugi. There are also plates featuring stainless steel parts created by scanning broken shards and 3D printing them, applied through kintsugi.

Nakano: We also upcycled umbrellas, a classic example of something people throw away when broken. We attached LED light sticks to the broken ribs, transforming it beyond mere repair into an "umbrella that lights up the night path." This idea came up during discussions with project team member Nakayama-san. Coincidentally, during planning, my son came home saying, "My umbrella broke!"Normally, I'd have asked, "Why did you break it?" But since starting the project, my mindset had shifted toward upcycling. I found myself naturally thinking, "How can we give this broken umbrella a new life?"

I hope this event inspires visitors to adopt a mindset where they think "What can I do with this?" rather than just "I'll throw it away" when faced with broken items. We've also prepared an interactive "Upcycle Invention Game" at the venue that kids can enjoy. It's a game where you randomly draw cards representing "broken items" and various "technologies," then think about what you could invent by combining them.

Just from the first-term exhibition alone, about 80 invention ideas were born! We hope families will come visit without overthinking it, and experience upcycling in a relatable way.

＜Event Details＞

・Duration: Monday, May 15th to Saturday, June 3rd

・Hours: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM  Closed Sundays

・Venue: Shiseido Global Innovation Center (S/PARK) 2F, S/PARK Museum FUTURE ZONE

1-2-11 Takashima, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 220-8559

(Right outside Exits 1 & 2 of Shin-Takashima Station on the Minatomirai Line)

・Official Website: https://spark.shiseido.co.jp/

"Upcycling Possibility Exhibition: UP-CYCLING POSSIBILITY" explores how broken items can be reborn rather than discarded. Encountering diverse products here offers an enjoyable opportunity to contemplate the future. If this interests you, we warmly invite you to visit.