Creating a space that nurtures children's intellectual curiosity and inspiration. Talking about the spatial design of the Panasonic Creative Museum AkeruE.

What is AkeruE, a museum that gives form to inspiration?

AkeruE, a museum that gives shape to inspiration, opened in Panasonic Center Tokyo in Koto-ku, Tokyo in April 2021. This name is intended to open up the potential of children's latent intellectual curiosity (Aker), and to help turn inspiration (Eureka, Greek for inspiration) into things and things. That's what it means.

Akerue is a new place that has never existed before. It is a place to practice inquiry learning with the themes of SDGs*1 and STEAM education*2, nurturing children's creative abilities through "experiences of seeing, creating, and communicating".

*1: "Sustainable Development Goals" adopted by the United Nations. 17 goals have been set in order to solve problems such as environmental problems, discrimination, poverty, and human rights problems around the world by 2030.
*2: An educational method advocated by adding Art to STEM education, which integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The space of Akerue was designed by the creative team of NOMURA Co., Ltd.. What kind of thoughts and difficulties did you have in order to give shape to the concept? We asked the five designers who were in charge of the design to talk about the flow and thoughts of "until Akerue was made."

――First of all, from self-introduction.

creampie
My name is Mirano Nakade, and I'm in my third year with the company. This was the first project that Akerue was involved in from the planning stage to completion.

valley
My name is Yotaka Taniki, and I have been with the company for four years. When I was young, I wanted to pursue a career in physics or science, but before entering university, I became interested in spatial design and changed direction. After graduating from art university, I have reached the present.

Sasai
My name is Ayumi Sasai, and I have been with the company for four years. I have always liked being exposed to values that are different from my own, and in my work, it is important to have a lot of communication, both inside and outside the company.

Koga
My name is Sayaka Koga. Recently, my main field is designing communication spaces.

Yamaguchi
I'm Akane Yamaguchi, leader of the Akerue team. I provide direction in a wide range of phases, from planning to design.

From Risupia to Akerue

――First of all, please tell us about the role of “Panasonic Center Tokyo” where Akerue is located.

Yamaguchi
Established in September 2002 as Panasonic's comprehensive information dissemination base, it opened as a place for promotion and communication to convey various solutions to customers.
Since then, NOMURA Co., Ltd. has been in charge of interior design for multiple areas.

valley
I heard that when the center was established, the goal was to ``reduce energy consumption significantly compared to other complex exhibition facilities of similar scale''?

Yamaguchi
Yes, we were among the first to introduce rainwater utilization and energy management systems such as solar panels. In 2002, Panasonic Center Tokyo had already incorporated the idea of what we now call the SDGs.

creampie
So you were quite early in your approach to addressing environmental issues as a company.

Yamaguchi
After that, "Let's prevent Japanese children from leaving science and mathematics. Based on the idea of cultivating the next generation of children who will be interested in manufacturing, engineers of the future, a museum called RiSuPia was born within the Center.

Koga
While it is a museum, it is also a social contribution. Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic, said, "Before we make things, we make people."

――When RiSuPia was renewed, Akerue was born.

Yamaguchi
For example, from STEM education to STEAM education. It seems that the flow of the times has changed. “The original purpose of nurturing human resources who are interested in science and mathematics has come to an end. From now on, as represented by the SDGs, let's raise creative children who can face various social issues that are becoming increasingly unpredictable and complex.” .

――With everyone from Panasonic, Loftwork, the general producer, came up with a concept that would serve as the framework for Akerue, and it was NOMURA Co., Ltd. that embodied it in the space and exhibition. What is the process of creating a spatial design concept?

Koga
Loftwork said, ``Many museums so far have been based on input. That's why I want to create a new place where I can output my learning this time.” From the beginning, we had a clear image of what kind of experience we would be able to have in that new place, and then we had the words, "Mr. Nomura, please design freely."

Yamaguchi
Panasonic told us that they would like us to make the most of RiSuPia's space and upcycle it. Even from the perspective of the SDGs, the whole team agreed with that opinion. That's where all the members banged into their heads first.

Sasai
After that, in the process of creating the design, Loftwork and our team repeatedly brainstormed.

valley
Only the first meeting is a face-to-face meeting. After that, it was all online meetings due to the corona misfortune.

Koga
yes. It was the first time for everyone to experience the style of proceeding entirely online.

Yamaguchi
What kind of space is suitable for children who visit here to increase their motivation to create without being bound by preconceived notions? First, we had a thorough discussion online.

Sasai
The inner concept of the five space designs was born from the conversation of "This is how it feels, isn't it?"

Koga
Feeling dirty, feeling like you can make it yourself, feeling like you can rearrange it, feeling like you can't fit into a frame, feeling like a session with everyone. This name is not the reason why it is written in the facility, it is just a design concept, but it was a new attempt for us to proceed with the design with this expression of feeling.

Yamaguchi
It's not normal to use the colloquial words that came out during brainstorming in the proposal.

Koga
The reason why we decided to make it a concept is that after reading Loftwork's proposal, the whole team felt that ``this is a new place'' and ``the way of thinking that fits into the framework doesn't fit''. I think it was because

In order to create something completely new, new ideas and flexibility

--In order to create a new place called Akerue, everyone's ideas became flexible. Please tell us a little more about the five concepts.

Koga
“It feels good to be dirty” is a place where you don’t put the brakes on your child’s output, where you can feel that it’s okay to hurt them without being too clean. The “feeling that I can make it myself” is the feeling of “I might be able to make it myself” using familiar materials and tools that I have seen somewhere. 』
A place that makes you think. The “feeling of being rearranged” is when I look at furniture that looks like it can be moved and can be easily assembled, and wonders, “If I combine this with this, can I rearrange it?” A place that makes you want to think. In the "feeling out of the box", I use a little interesting "thing" to dispel the way of thinking and how to use it.

Sasai
For example, I use drums as potted plants and vaulting boxes as benches.

Koga
In the “feeling of a session with everyone”, we created an atmosphere in which everyone's opinions and works could be seen, allowing for free discussions and activities.

――Think about reusing existing things instead of destroying and remaking everything. How did you come up with originality under those conditions?

Sasai
Until now, most of my work involved creating something new from scratch, but this time it's different. How do you use what you have now? In the first place, Risupia is a space with a strong personality, with pure white circular walls composing the space. At first, I couldn't quite change my mind about how to make the most of it.

valley
It was the same for everyone, so we discussed it thoroughly as a team anyway.

Sasai
Yes, it was really reassuring that it was a team that could talk freely about anything. Also, it was easy to discuss ideas with Loftwork. So, gradually, my mind switched to ``Let's take on the challenge for the time being.''

valley
A lot of fun happened from there.

Sasai
oh yeah. RiSuPia was also closed due to the influence of Corona, so I changed my mindset to think positively about it.

creampie
We all bought paint and brought it to the closed site.

Sasai
I painted the color directly on site, so I thought again, 'Let's use this paint! I thought. I reconsidered the site from the perspective of upcycling various parts, and came up with ideas like, 'This can be used in this way' or 'Let's remove it and use it here.'

Tani: Oddly enough, the team members were the first to experience the Akerue concept.

Sasai
For each area sign (signboard) in Akerue, I also thought, "Let's make it something that has never existed before." We decided on a design that looks like a towel rack, and asked the fabric artist to make a sign after telling them the concept of each area. Instead of unifying the fabrics, we decided together with the artists how to express the characteristics of each area by using familiar materials that are tied to the activities of each area.

valley
I also asked the artist to make a stencil for the floor (a method of copying a design onto wood or cloth). Normally, a cutting sheet would be used, but instead, we cut out the letters on the pattern paper by hand and paint them. I hope that you can feel the comfort of the details created by human hands with such commitment.

Sasai
Whether it's a signature or a stencil, it's something that the artist and we created while discussing things like, 'It might be better to do it this way.' I thought that something like the warmth of human hands would be appropriate for this space, so I chose that method.

A towel rack-like area sign (upper right) and a floor stencil (lower center) created through collaboration between a designer and an artist.

Even in the corona era, the Akerue team turned a pinch into an opportunity. Continued in Part 2.

Panasonic Creative Museum AkeruE

Text: Sachiko Minamoto / Facilitator: Chikako Abe / Photo: Kei Yamazaki, Shino Suzuki