Taipei Tech2026 Taiwan-Japan Universities Workshop: Shifting from Visual Norms to Predict 2036 Future Living Through "Sound Design"
The Department of Industrial Design at National Taipei University of Technology (Taipei Tech) recently hosted the "Sound Design and Future Living" International PBL Workshop. Initiated by Professor Meng-Cong Zheng, and hosted by Professor Ching-I Chen’s team, the event united 46 faculty and students from Chiba University, Chiba Institute of Technology, Tunghai University, and Taipei Tech.
Shifting away from conventional visual-centric design, the five-day workshop used "sound" as the core medium to explore solutions for the year 2036. Eight multinational teams developed sustainable prototypes focusing on health, cross-border learning, and tech innovation. These projects directly aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, showcasing how leading technical universities can address future societal needs through hands-on practice.
A key highlight was the "Taiwan-Japan Soundscape Atlas" (taiwan-japan-soundscape.netlify.app), a cross-border audio map co-created by students who collected local ambient sounds, such as Taiwan’s garbage trucks and Japan’s train station chimes. The workshop also featured keynote lectures from prominent experts representing Chiba University, NTUST, Yamaha Corporation, NSYSU, and Chiba Institute of Technology, with project guidance co-led by Tunghai University Professor Li-Hui Lee and Taipei Tech faculty.
Shifting away from conventional visual-centric design, the five-day workshop used "sound" as the core medium to explore solutions for the year 2036. Eight multinational teams developed sustainable prototypes focusing on health, cross-border learning, and tech innovation. These projects directly aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, showcasing how leading technical universities can address future societal needs through hands-on practice.
A key highlight was the "Taiwan-Japan Soundscape Atlas" (taiwan-japan-soundscape.netlify.app), a cross-border audio map co-created by students who collected local ambient sounds, such as Taiwan’s garbage trucks and Japan’s train station chimes. The workshop also featured keynote lectures from prominent experts representing Chiba University, NTUST, Yamaha Corporation, NSYSU, and Chiba Institute of Technology, with project guidance co-led by Tunghai University Professor Li-Hui Lee and Taipei Tech faculty.
