Interview about Integration Disaster Prevention Pictogram, winner of the A' Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Award 2022
This pictogram is an integrated display of the information required in the event of a tsunami disaster. Anyone can check the hazard map of the area by reading the QR code displayed with the tsunami arrival wave height display on a smartphone. At first glance, one action by smartphone realizes a mechanism to promote the next action. The idea is based on actual experiences such as earthquakes and tsunamis caused by it, and is based on the unique idea of Japan, which can be said to be a disaster-prone country. They propose a globally unified pictogram that was unlikely before.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe biggest trigger was the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in 2011. I noticed that in Tokyo, which has areas at zero meters above sea level and areas that are several meters above sea level, the design and color used to indicate sea level varies from one local government to another.When we looked at sea level indications across Japan after the earthquake, we found that not a single one had the same design. Therefore, we came up with the idea of standardizing sea level indications across Japan, and creating a display system that clearly classifies the expected maximum wave heights of floods and tsunamis in a given area into three levels: 1m or more, 3m or more, and 5m or more. In addition, we came up with the idea of using QR codes to clearly integrate links to flood hazard maps, which had been developed all over Japan after the earthquake.
This color complies with the colors designated by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.Green is used for emergency exits and to indicate evacuation, but the purpose of the Integrated Disaster Prevention Pictogram is to enable people to instantly recognize the current situation in the area on a daily basis, even before that.Therefore, we designed it so that it can be seamlessly incorporated into road signs all over Japan in the future, not just for pedestrians. This will allow anyone to know the current situation and preparations in the area, along with the sea level indications that vary all over Japan. Furthermore, we have taken care to consider the landscape of each area.
Many people have seen tsunami footage, but from the time a tsunami occurs until it reaches us, every second counts. In such a situation, there are only a limited number of graphic elements that can be instantly recognized. In reality, it has been verified that a person's feet can be swept away even with water only 30 centimeters below the knee, but it still made us realize how important it is to recognize the expected scale of tsunamis and floods at a glance, and this influenced our development.
Winning the A' Design Award has resulted in the pictogram being translated and promoted in over 100 languages, which will define the problem in countries around the world that are prone to earthquakes, raise people's interest in the issue, and lead to new initiatives. We believe that the adoption of this pictogram overseas will also lead to increased shared awareness around the world.
Disasters such as floods and tsunamis are greatly affected by sea level. In particular, coastal areas and riverside areas have almost no elevation difference from the water level, and in some cases, areas are lower than sea level. Even in Tokyo, the colors and designs of sea level indications for each municipality were different, so we were faced with the task of investigating whether or not sea level indications were present in municipalities across Japan, and to what extent the colors and designs differed.In addition, figuring out how to put together a clear indication that anyone could instantly recognize was a major challenge in itself.
Since the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, disaster prevention applications for smartphones have been slowly emerging. Given this historical background, we were conscious from the beginning of development of the app to cover not only signs and road signs, but also public environments such as websites and smartphone applications, as well as the mobile application environment. We had also been paying attention to the future potential and applicability of QR codes for some time, and we were convinced that the process of integrating these would be a design that would solve these social issues.
To determine the 300mm size that should be adopted for utility poles, we actually created a full-scale mockup and conducted simulations in the city.The size was decided based on a comprehensive consideration of factors such as whether the sign can be recognized by pedestrians from a distance of 15m and whether the QR code on the hazard map can be read. The first goal was to solve a social issue by targeting pedestrians, who are the closest to us. This can also be reflected in signs that can be recognized by pedestrians while protecting the scenery, not only on utility poles, but also on other signs, notices, and facilities related to public transportation. It will be necessary to determine the optimal size for road signs for automobiles through field surveys and demonstration experiments in the future.
Local governments and emergency response organizations did not initially pay attention to the Integrated Disaster Prevention Pictograms, nor did they have any awareness or concept of the need for them. Each local government started developing its own sea level display, and hastily put them to use in their own local governments. Rather, they gave us feedback that they should have known about the Integrated Disaster Prevention Pictograms before using their own sea level displays. In response to this, we felt the need to lobby and petition at the administrative level, such as to members of the Diet, and have begun to take action.
Until now, there were no signs or warning signs for floods or tsunamis. On the other hand, sea level indications were widespread in local governments across the country, although the colors and designs varied. However, the sea level indications alone did not encourage further action. We realized that this was the biggest problem, which led to our unique approach.How high above sea level are you currently at? How high the waves could potentially be at this altitude? And to what area should you evacuate to in order to protect yourself from this flood? By consolidating and consolidating these three steps into one pictogram, we thought we could create an inclusive design that leaves no one behind.
Currently, the pictograms are for floods, tsunamis, and other water-related disasters, but as you know, many other natural disasters occur around the world. Based on the concept of essentiality, clarity, and effectiveness, we are planning to create pictograms for other natural disasters and have begun discussions with members from overseas. We are not limited to Japan, but will continue to think about and evolve the pictograms to make them easy to understand and communicate on a global level.
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