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I-House Art and Design Division, under the leadership of Director Yuko Hasegawa, is organizing discussions among experts from different fields to explore the roles culture and art can play in promoting empathy and communication and connecting today’s divided cultural, political, economic, scientific, and other domains.

#6 “Creative Practices within the Geopolitics of Space” Cutting-Edge Space Technologies, Politics, and Design
with Hisato Ogata, Kiyotaka Matsuda and Kazuto Suzuki

From Elon Musk’s ventures to India’s efforts to tackle educational outreach through space development, this Interdisciplinary Talk spans a broad range of topics. We welcomed Hisato Ogata and Kiyotaka Matsuda of the design innovation firm Takram, known for projects like JAXA’s H3 rocket orbit visualization system, together with Kazuto Suzuki, Professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy, Director of the Institute of Geo-economics, and author of Space Development and International Politics.
They explored the rapidly expanding universe of space development, sharing insights into how to tell compelling stories about what is happening far beyond Earth and how cross-disciplinary perspectives embracing design, technology, and artistic imagination can reframe our view of space development.

What Is Interdisciplinary Talk?

Our orderly ways of life have been disrupted in many places around the world, notably in Ukraine and Gaza, and there is little prospect of an early recovery. The issues modern society must consider, such as generative AI, climate change, and DEI promotion, have also grown more complex. The I-House Art and Design Division, under the leadership of Director Yuko Hasegawa, is organizing discussions among experts from different fields to explore the roles culture and art can play in promoting empathy and communication and connecting today’s divided cultural, political, economic, scientific, and other domains.

Hisato Ogata,Design Engineer and Project Director, Takram

With Takram since 2012, Hisato is a design engineer whose cross-disciplinary practice spans design, engineering, art, and science. After graduating from The University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Engineering and studying at the International academy of Media Arts and Sciences (IAMAS), he worked at LEADING EDGE DESIGN before joining Takram. Notable projects include the design concept and styling for the lunar exploration rover “HAKUTO,” art direction for NHK E-Television’s “Mimicries,” exhibition direction for “ATHLETE” at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, branding and experience design for SKINCARE LOUNGE by ORBIS, and exhibition direction for the Signature Pavilion “Dynamic Equilibrium of Life” at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. He has served as a juror for the Good Design Award since 2015, and has recently published “Convivial Technology.” Since 2021, Hisato has been living in Miyota, Nagano, exploring the optimal balance among technology, humanity, and nature.

Shota Matsuda, Design Engineer and Project Director, Takram

Born in Kyoto, Japan in 1986, Shota Matsuda has worked in fields ranging from software engineering to branding and product design. Interested in letter technology, Shota was certified as a super creator in digital typography by the Exploratory IT Talent Discovery and Training Project. Graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies. Shota has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Information Studies from the University of Tokyo and an M.A. in Computer Science from the University of Tokyo. After working as a researcher at a university and at an IT startup, he joined Takram in 2013. Major projects include the design and development of the H3 FIP flight status display system for the H3 rocket, direction of the rebranding of freee, product design for the TAMRON lens series, and awards including the Good Design Award, Red Dot Design Award, iF Design Award, and others.

Kazuto Suzuki, Director & Group Head, The Institute of Geoeconomics (IOG)

Kazuto Suzuki is Professor of Science and Technology Policy at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo, Japan. He graduated from the Department of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University, and received his Ph.D. from Sussex European Institute, University of Sussex, England. He has worked for the Fondation pour la recherche stratégique in Paris, France as an assistant researcher, as an Associate Professor at the University of Tsukuba from 2000 to 2008, and served as Professor of International Politics at Hokkaido University until 2020. He also spent one year at the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University from 2012 to 2013 as a visiting researcher. He served as an expert in the Panel of Experts for Iranian Sanction Committee under the United Nations Security Council from 2013 to July 2015. He has been the President of the Japan Association of International Security and Trade.