Living Reef Faʻatulagaina o Faʻaaliga by Daisuke Nagatomo and Minnie Jan

Living Reef Faʻatulagaina o Faʻaaliga by Daisuke Nagatomo and Minnie Jan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Uʻamea in Oloa Gafataulimaina Competition Category.

UʻameaOloa Gafataulimaina· 2026

Living Reef Faʻatulagaina o Faʻaaliga

by Daisuke Nagatomo and Minnie Jan

Client: Misosoupdesign

A' Design Award Uʻamea Winner in Oloa Gafataulimaina Category

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Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Living Reef Faʻatulagaina o Faʻaaliga

O le Living Reef o se faʻaaliga faʻalauaʻitele e faʻaalia ai suʻesuʻega i le mamanu gafataulimaina. O le faʻaaliga o loʻo faʻaalia ai galuega na faia i le Direct Ink Writing 3D lolomi ma meafaitino faataamilo, e aofia ai le slurry toe faʻaaogaina, sima maualalo le kaponi ma le omea. O faʻataʻitaʻiga laiti o omea ua faʻavelaina ma vaega tetele ua lolomiina o loʻo faʻaalia i luga o tulaga faʻamau ma totonu o kapoti tapunia. O le faʻatulagaga e mulimuli i se auala manino, mai le atinaʻeina o manatu ma le faʻataʻitaʻiga faakomepiuta i suʻega o meafaitino, tapulaʻa o le gaosiga ma faʻataʻitaʻiga mulimuli. O le faʻamoemoe o le faʻamatalaina lea o le auala e mafai ai e aʻoaʻoga o le mamanu ona lagolagoina le faʻaaogaina faataamilo o meafaitino ma le toe faʻaleleia o aau amu.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Uʻamea

O le A' Design Award Uʻamea na manumalo ai Living Reef Faʻatulagaina o Faʻaaliga, o se faamaoniga mamalu e tuuina atu i mamanu lelei e faataunuu ai manaʻoga faapolofesa ma pisinisi e faamoemoeina mai galuega ua mamanuina lelei. O ē manumalo i le Uʻamea e faaalia ai le tomai tele, le faapitoa maualuga, le malamalama o tagata poto ma le mafai fatufatuaʻi o ē na faia. E faamoemoeina Living Reef Faʻatulagaina o Faʻaaliga e avea ma mea ua matuā vivii, mataʻina ma pelepelea e aogā ma fou. O lenei mamanu na manumalo i le A' Design Award Uʻamea e tuufaatasia ai faiga sili o le pisinisi ma e iai uiga faatekonolosi mafai ua fesoʻotaʻi ma le poto ma le taleni. Ona o lona faatuatuaina, e tatau ai Living Reef Faʻatulagaina o Faʻaaliga ona faaaloalogia ma ua mamanuina e tuuina mai ai faaleleiga o le olaga e fesoasoani e faia ai e le lalolagi se nofoaga e sili atu ona lelei.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: LivingReef Exhibition is a public facing exhibition that documents and displays the outcomes of an international university initiative on sustainable design using Direct Ink Writing DIW 3D printing with circular materials. Instead of presenting only finished objects, the exhibition makes the full research and education workflow visible, from concept development and AI assisted modeling to material trials, fabrication constraints, iteration, and final prototypes.
Dimensions & Packaging: The exhibition includes small scale fired clay prototypes and large scale printed components made with recycled materials. Forms emphasize porosity, modularity, and self supporting geometry. Objects are displayed on museum grade plinths and enclosed cabinets. All components are designed for safe transport, installation, and public viewing within a gallery environment.
Tags: Sustainable Design, Circular Materials, 3D Printing, Design Education, Coral Restoration, Digital Fabrication, University Collaboration
Production Technology: Direct Ink Writing DIW 3D printing, AI assisted 3D modeling, parametric design, digital fabrication, circular materials, recycled C Slurry, low carbon cement, clay based 3D printing, large scale additive manufacturing, sustainable design education
Design Challenge: The challenge was to convert a complex research program into an exhibition that is technically accurate, publicly accessible, and visually coherent. Circular materials behave unpredictably during printing, requiring repeated testing and geometry revision. The project also required integrating outcomes from multiple universities into one clear narrative while presenting both successes and failures as part of sustainable design learning.
Research: LivingReef is an international research and education initiative exploring sustainable design through DIW 3D printing, circular materials, and AI assisted workflows. The exhibition presents physical outcomes and process documentation from cross university workshops, showing how waste derived materials can be transformed into functional prototypes. The project highlights design education as a driver of circular economy practices and environmental awareness.
Inspiration: The exhibition is inspired by two parallel needs. First, coral reef systems are fragile and require new restoration approaches that can be locally adaptable. Second, higher education must respond to decarbonization and digital transformation by teaching designers to work with low waste processes and circular resources. LivingReef translates these needs into a tangible public narrative.
Project Duration: Project duration: 2025
Workshops: Fukuoka Japan and Tainan Taiwan
Exhibition dates: 2025 10 17 to 2025 10 20
Exhibition venue: NTNU Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Operation Flow: The exhibition guides visitors through a clear narrative flow: project background, cross university collaboration, digital modeling, material testing, fabrication challenges, and final outcomes. Interaction is educational and visual, using physical prototypes, process images, and concise labels. Visitors learn how sustainable design evolves through iteration, material limits, and collaboration.
Team Members: Shuenn-Ren Liou
Kazuya Saito