August 20, 2024
Exploring Cross-Cultural Connections Through Traditional Design
Art and music are frequently used as mediums of intercultural exchange, but for a group of students studying design in Malaysia, it was furniture making that has leads to new perspectives—for their final projects at university and perhaps in their future careers. Supported by the Toshiba International Foundation, the students and their teachers visited Japan in 2023 to learn more about traditional Japanese woodworking techniques. Dr. Wan Noor Faaziah Wan Omar is a faculty member in the Department of Industrial Design at the Kedah campus of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Malaysia. She shares her reflections on the trip and tells Japan-Insights about how this experience has benefitted both staff and students.
Interview by Louise George Kittaka
