According to the 2019 birth data released by Directorate-General of Budget, 
Accounting, and Statistics, "Executive Yuan", the number of new births in 
Taiwan decreased by 45% over 25 years since 1994. Low birth rate is a universal 
phenomenon, which leads to fewer students and extra unused spaces on 
campus--these may be old classrooms, unused gyms, or atriums and corridors, 
which have become storage spaces of random objects and security blind spots. On 
the other hand, with fewer students, many schools with long histories are 
facing fiercer recruitment competition, as these schools usually have old 
campuses and outdated facilities, and lack comprehensive planning of spatial 
utilization. In light of these, "Ministry of Education" launched the "Design 
Movement on Campus" project in 2019.

In 2020's "Design Movement on Campus" project, Taiwan Design Research Institute 
(TDRI) uses design to change the way the public sector thinks and operates, and 
establishes a platform to bridge the needs of schools and interdisciplinary 
design expertise. "Design Movement on Campus" transforms site of education 
through design. Nine schools in Taiwan participated in the renovation project 
in 2019, and 25 participated in 2020; 13 renowned experts in various aspects 
served as advisors and jurors, and 20 local design teams were responsible for 
design planning and execution. Using subtraction design, the designers focus on 
users and introduce aesthetics to learning environment. Enhancing the 
aesthetics on campus is only a part of the renovation project, which also 
introduces design thinking to schools, facilitating the internalization of 
aesthetic consciousness through different stages of aesthetic education and 
learning. Through real experiences, the project encourages children to observe 
and reflect on life and proactively seek interdisciplinary solutions for 
problems, while also observing and improving the living environment and culture 
through concrete actions.

"Design Movement on Campus" investigates and solves problems on campus through 
design thinking, and this executive model has won high praises from jurors of 
the Good Design Award in Japan, emerging from a pool of 4,769 submissions to 
win the Gold honor (20 winners globally). Among the many participating schools, 
"My Secret Base: Beigang Elementary School Classroom Renovation" in Xizhi 
District, New Taipei City, executed by Uroborus Studiolab won the Golden Pin 
Design Award 2020 Best Design recognition.

Aesthetics must be nurtured in daily life, and aesthetic education for citizens 
must start from campus. In the future, the implementation of "Design Movement 
on Campus" will continue, and sow the seeds of aesthetics, one school at a 
time, to nurture the aesthetic competency of citizens for a sustainable world 
in the future. Design is not just human-centric, it also serves for social 
development.

For more achievements of the project:

Exhibition: "Aesthetics X Future Education" Exhibition (Free Admission)

Period: December 11, 2020 - February 21, 2021

Location: Room 01 and 02, Taiwan Design Museum, Songshan Cultural and Creative 
Park (No. 133, Guangfu South Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City)

Exhibition Information: https://www.songyancourt.com/en/

SOURCE:  Taiwan Design Research Institute

Image Attachments Links:

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=380676

   Caption: Left: Renovation of Beigang Elementary School in Xizhi District, 
New Taipei City. (Design Team: Üroborus Studiolab); Right: Renovation of 
Cafeteria at Xindong Elementary School, Tainan City. (Design Team: Yamakawa 
Design).