We Transforming Circular Economy Exhibition

The chromatic symbolism of Daisuke Nagatomo and Minnie Jan's Circular Economy Exhibition operates through carefully orchestrated color relationships that encode meaning about material transformation and ecological harmony. Cerulean blue, traditionally associated with sky, infinite possibility, and transcendent aspiration across numerous cultural traditions, dominates the textile canopy system, suggesting themes of openness, clarity of vision, and the atmospheric commons that connect all earthly systems. The translucent quality of these suspended fabrics evokes water imagery—flow, permeability, and the cyclical nature of hydrological systems that model ideal circular economies wherein nothing is wasted and everything circulates continuously. The warm accent of orange and yellow textiles at right introduces complementary chromatic tension while symbolizing energy, transformation, and creative human intervention within natural systems; these solar hues suggest the warmth of making, the fire of innovation, and the optimistic agency of design thinking applied to environmental challenges. The metallic armature functions as skeletal framework, evoking both architectural permanence and the possibility of disassembly, encoding the circular economy principle that structures should be designed for eventual material recovery rather than demolition. The preservation of raw industrial surfaces—weathered concrete columns and exposed steel trusses bearing the patina of time—creates meaningful dialogue between historical industrial practices and emerging sustainable futures, suggesting continuity rather than rupture between manufacturing heritage and ecological innovation. White display tables operate as blank canvases symbolizing new beginnings, potential, and the invitation to reimagine material relationships. The human figures present function as scale references while also embodying the principle that circular systems require active human participation, observation, and learning rather than passive consumption.

A sustainable future is not a hypothesis, but a choice, which is jointly participated by everyone. In this journey, human beings are both producers and consumers. Therefore, the definition of the sustainable life style is up to the society. The trajectory of the future also defines the destination of this transformational journey. In the Taiwan Design Expo 2022, this circular pavilion itself is the future transformation through design thinking, material selection and modularization of exhibition components. The waste that may be generated during exhibition assembly is minimized.