Joint Learning on Disaster, Design, and Education

On December 11th, a delegation of nine students from Tsinghua University’s Graduate School of Education and Graduate School of Architecture visited Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Education for an academic exchange. Dean Prof. Kozima and Associate Professor Liu warmly welcomed the visiting students.

Following the welcome, the students attended a lecture by Professor Masashige Motoe of Tohoku University. The lecture titled Place of Memory, Place of Recall/Forget explored the importance of post-disaster commemorative design and architecture. Professor Motoe emphasized that for communities to remain resilient in the face of disasters, preserving the memory of past tragedies is essential. He illustrated these ideas with poignant examples, including projects in which he participated, such as the Nakahama Elementary School Ruins in Yamamoto Town, Miyagi Prefecture.

The lecture sparked a profound discussion between Tsinghua and Tohoku students on the role of design in preserving disaster memory. The participants explored how commemorative spaces serve as reminders of loss and offer opportunities for healing, cultural reflection, and community resilience.

In the afternoon, the Tsinghua delegation, accompanied by Tohoku University students, visited the Katahira Campus to tour the Tohoku University Archives and the Lu Xun Lecture Hall, further deepening their understanding of Tohoku University’s history and cultural heritage.

This academic exchange fostered meaningful dialogue and mutual learning between the two esteemed institutions, emphasizing the decisive role of architecture and design in shaping memory, history, and community recovery (Reported by Ms. Xiaoyu Huang, Doctoral student at I-GES Program).