Intercultural Design
Intercultural Design (Continous Assessment)
FANG YAOYUE(0372006)
Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Intercultural Design
Lecture:
DEFINITION OF EVERYDAY DESIGN
TOPIC:JAPANESE CLOGS & CHINESE STRAWSANDALS
In this era, slippers have become a regular part of everyday design. On the streetsthe ubiquitous sight of slippers clearly illustrates this trend as 71% of people prefelwearing slippers. The convenience and comfort that slippers offer are unmatched bymost leather shoes and sneakers. In the traditional cultures of other countriesslippers have long appeared in their histories. The most famous examples includeJapanese wooden clogs and Chinese straw sandals. The design principles andsignificance of ancient slippers are topics we seek to explore today in the topicEveryday Design”
Fig 1.1 JAPANESE CLOGS
JAPANESE CLOGS
'Geta" also known as Japanese Clogs are traditional Japanese sandals often paired with theyukata for informal occasions. Unlike your typical sandals which your naked toes grab ontogeta are often worn with white tabi socks. Made of wood (most commonly cedarwood), thegeta comes in various shapes and sizes. They were designed to keep feet elevated abovedirt, mud, and water - essential in Japan's often rainy climate. Originated from SouthernChina, and were later exported to Japan
Most geta have two teeth, but the tengu-geta consists of a single tooth (ha) in the middle ofthe sole. The wearer's feet are held with a cloth strap called hanao, a fabric thong thatpasses between the big toe and the second toe, similar to modern flip-flops. Men's getaoften have a black hanao while women's are red.
Fig 1.2 CHINESE STRAW SANDALS
CHINESE STRAW SANDALS
Chinese straw sandals, known as“草鞋”(cǎoxié),have a fascinating historystretching back thousands of years. Straw sandals have been worn in China sinceancient times, with roots tracing back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE) or evenearlier.
Straw sandals have been worn from primitive humans to the present day. Theweaving materials for straw sandals vary widely, including rice straw, wheat strawand corn stalks. Some sandals have laces, while others are in the style of slippers.
DESIGNIDEAS
Our main goals are combining two different types of slippers together. lt could bringthe best features of each style, creating something unique and able to fit foleveryone. We wanted to blend the simplicity and comfort of straw sandals with thestructure and style of geta, perhaps incorporating elements like plastic, wooden orfexible materials, or even wire.
Fig 1.3 DESIGNIDEAS
Fig 1.4 sketches
Fig 1.5 Statistics
Then we conducted a questionnaire survey. We asked about 20 respondents, and they all gave different opinions.There are seven questions in total. I think it is a very interesting thing to combine the traditional culture of the two countries and take the essence of it.
Fig 1.6 feedback
feedback
The first time we discussed with our tutor online, Miss said that we could interview college students first, and if there is a chance, we could try to interview people in the industry. However, there are very few people in this traditional industry at present, so we can look for opportunities online.
TIKTOK PROPOSAL
We will be doing interview about the history of Japanese Clogs, “geta", and alsoChinese straw sandals. We might ask some of the manufacture or some of thepeople that related in this culture. And then, we will have some interview withsome teenagers, ask them about what their understanding in this traditional andculture.
METHODS
After our group discussions and group proposal, we decided to perform our datacollection with survey and also online research. For our survey, we will ask about therespondent about how much they know about Japanese clogs and Chinese strawsandals. And for our online research, we will find out the history of the JapaneseClogs and Chinese straw sandals.
After all those survey and research are done, we will come out with a couple ofdesign ideas.
Interview video
Interview question
1.Do you know anything about Japanese Clogs/Chinese Straw Sandals
2.Those things are slowly becoming a relic in this era, do you think they should be preserved?
3.If those things gradually becoming a trend of Design, would you support it?
RESEARCHES
Japanese Clogs
According to historians, it is likely that geta originated from Southern Chinaand were later exported to Japan, they were created between the Ming(1368-1644)and Qing dynasties (1644-1912)
Geta sandals, however, couldn't be worn by anyone.During the feudal period in Japan, Oiran, high-ranking courtesans, wore them
Their geta were called "Koma-geta": tall and lacquered sandals with anelevated wooden base held on to the foot with a finger-width piece of fabriccalled the tooth.
Oiran used to wear this kind of shoe, styled with kimonos or yukata (unlinedwalkingcotton summer kimono).on specificoccasions，such asin parades with their attendants.
They choose not to wear tabi, traditional Japanese socks along with geta,while geishas and maikos (apprentice geishas) had to always wear them.
Chinese Straw Sandals
People in the east and south of China were making strawshoes using bamboo needles and flax thread. Archaeologicafinds show that as early as 7,000 years ago, ancient Chinesehad learned to make articles of daily use from plant fibers.
Many kinds of grass can be used to make shoes. In ancienttimes, almost all people across China wore straw shoesexcepting nomadic tribes. The main difference in mode of thisfootwear was that people in the frigid north wore thick strawboots,while those in the hot,humid south wore strawsandals.Straw footwear was worn by all, whether they werenobles, men of letters or farmers. Even today, local farmersstill weave straw shoes for daily use and export.
DESIGN IDEAS
Our main goals are combining two different tpes of slippers together. it could bringomething unique and able to fit forthe best features of each style, creating severyone.We wanted to blend the simplicityand comfort of straw sandals with thestructure and style of geta, perhaps incorpolating elements like plastic, wooden orflexible materials, or even wire.
Fig 1.7 Straw shoe design ideas
Fig 1.8 Straw shoe design ideas
My feedbackGrass shoes and clogs introduction video
reflection
In this cross-cultural design class, we conducted research on Chinese straw shoes and Japanese clogs, and deeply discussed the similarities and differences in materials, structures, functions and cultural symbols of the two.
First of all, Chinese grass shoes are mainly woven from natural fibers such as grass and hemp, with lightweight and breathable characteristics, suitable for humid and hot environment, and common in ancient farming society. The Japanese wooden clogs are made of wood and matched with cloth shoelaces, which can not only protect against moisture and wear, but also provide good ventilation and increase effect because of their "teeth" design, reflecting the unique aesthetics and practicality of Japan.
Through comparison, we find that the design of both are closely related to the local climate and social life. For example, straw shoes are adapted to the humid environment of southern China's rice-farming culture, while the high-sole design of the wooden clog helps keep the sole dry in rainy Japan. In addition, they also carry their own cultural symbols, such as straw shoes associated with the image of gritty working people, and the wooden shoes are closely associated with traditional Japanese dress and samurai culture.
In practical discussions and design experiments, we try to combine the characteristics of both, exploring how to combine the light weaving technique of straw shoes with the solid support structure of clogs to create a new type of footwear that meets the aesthetic and functional needs of modern times. This study not only deepened our understanding of the two traditional footwear, but also made us appreciate the charm of cross-cultural design - looking for the possibility of innovation on the basis of understanding and respecting different cultural backgrounds.
Overall, this class has been very rewarding for me, not only learning knowledge about shoe design, but also further realizing the profound influence of culture on design. I hope there will be more opportunities in the future to apply cross-cultural elements to practical design and create works with unique value.
In the process of class discussion and practice, I not only mastered the weaving technique of straw sandals and the structural characteristics of clogs, but also learned how to find the commonalities and differences between the two through cross-cultural comparison. For example, grass shoes emphasize light weight and fit to the foot, making them suitable for farming work, while the wooden shoes are more sturdy and adapted to rainy environments, while also becoming part of traditional Japanese dress culture. These studies have helped me understand how climate, lifestyle, and cultural values influence design choices, and have made me aware of the innovative potential of traditional craftsmanship in modern design.
In addition, the cross-cultural design methods involved in the course, such as material innovation, functional integration, cultural re-interpretation, etc., also make me have a more open way of thinking about design. In the group project, we tried to combine the weaving process of straw sandals with the structural characteristics of clogs to design new shoes that not only have traditional charm but also meet modern needs. This process made me deeply understand the challenge and possibility of cross-cultural integration.
On the whole, I benefited a lot from this course, which not only broadened my vision of design, but also enhanced my understanding and respect for different cultures. I hope to further explore more possibilities of cross-cultural design in the future, combine traditional elements with modern needs, and create design works with both cultural value and practicality.
TIK TOK link
presensation link
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