“Envisioned Bench – The Cycle of Life” is the company’s theme for the Co-Design Challenge and consists of three projects: bench production, workshops, and information dissemination through a special website.

　Three designers have created the original plan for the bench production and are currently working on the plan. The concept is “design for the sake of trees.” If we consider “wood” not simply as a material, but as a tree with life, how will its use and relationship with people change? This is the perspective being considered. This is easier said than done, and making it a reality is an incredibly difficult task. Ayako Shimamoto of the Sustainability Promotion Department said with enthusiasm, “Each design is a new challenge, so there remain a lot of issues to overcome before we can put it into shape. However, the designers, lumbermills, and manufacturers, who normally have few opportunities to talk directly with each other due to the division of labor in each process, have been working together as one, discussing things directly, making this an interesting challenge that could only be realized because of the Expo.”

　Miwako Nakashima, a member of the same department, continued, “The workshop, in which cedar wood from Osaka is polished and turned into spoons, is an attempt to feel the connection between forests and people.” An event held at a department store during summer holidays was attended by many parents and children. “One father was very enthusiastic, and engrossed in finishing the work while holding his sleeping child in his arms,” she said with a smile. Prior to the workshop, the instructor explained that “one-third of Osaka Prefecture is forested, and the city is surrounded by forests,” and the participants were surprised at the unexpected size of the forests. They also learned that “cutting down trees is also important to protect the mountains.” It is only when people enter the mountains and properly care for them that the forests can be protected. Cedar wooden spoons will be a bridge that connects people and the forests. Going forward, workshops will be held at Izumiya Shopping Center and other locations within the prefecture to expand the “circle of familiarity with trees.”

　A special website for the Envisioned Bench is already open to the public (https://omoubench.jp/). The current page was written by professional writers, but going forward, 25 people who were recruited from the general public in June will be writing for the page. Shimamoto said, “Initially, we were looking for 20 people, but the enthusiasm from everyone exceeded our expectations, so we decided to have everyone who applied participate.” The themes are diverse, including “traditional vegetables,” “water,” and “music.” The project has been broadened to include anything that is even slightly related to the project name “The Cycle of Life.” People of various genders, ages, and occupations are involved in the project, ranging from high school and college students to working adults and seniors. Each participant is responsible for planning an article and receives advice from professional editors at monthly online editorial meetings, with the aim of publishing articles by the end of the year.

　The project will proceed with people of different generations interacting with each other and thinking about forests, towns, people, and all kinds of “life.”