Chihiro Sato
Japan
CAREER Enrolled in April 2008; Completed master’s degree in March 2010 / Enrolled in April 2010; withdrawal from the doctoral program with the completion of course requirements in March 2013
I was studying piano in New York during my childhood days, but for my bachelor’s degree in university, I studied economic geography; analyzing structures of urban cities. My passion, however, was to create something new with my own hands. I decided to join the first batch of KMD when I first noticed it on the poster on the Yamanote line. Even though I was barely able to use a laptop computer in the beginning, I learned to develop a system to build up a virtual map of my own interest using a portable device with multiple sensors, thanks to the great support by the project team members. I realized the importance of supporting each other as a team, to keep challenging and not to give up, and to create something new with our own hands. The process of creating something new was not just fun but painful as well, yet I decided to continue my studies as my Doctoral degree.
As my Doctoral works, I returned to my familiar passion of music and set up a project using music for designing environments. In the first year, my team and I worked on creating prototypes and proposed our project to various potential clients. After several presentations I met a partner company to work together with, and it was the moment I felt my research come to fruition.
Currently, my research is continuing with a shopping complex, working as the project director of the design of spaces, paths, and routes by using sounds to encourage customers to come and purchase goods in malls. My aim is to create a new design style of shopping malls that actually works in the business field.
(This article was written in March 2013.)