Project name:
Promoting Ecotourism in Rural China | System Duration: 6 Days Lucitopia Rural Design Challenge sprint in May 2018 Overview: Design for villagers to preserve, promote and benefit their local culture and economy of Lucitopia Village; in collaboration with Xiamen MEXDIA Creativity & Technology, C-PLATFORM and Creative Cooperative (FR/NL) Team: With He Juan and Danish Malik Role: Ethnographic Research, Design Probes, Conceptualization |
Background
The Lucitopia Town, also known as Qing Liang Shan National Forest Park, located within Jiangxi Province. Within the town, there are villages with green forests enriched with natural resources and farming communities.
Overview
The Lucitopia Rural Design Challenge 2018 aims at defining the problems and exploring the needs of the people in the rural areas of China. This project was to design and create latest green, intelligent and sustainable solutions and application for rural areas in the construction of Lucitopia Town. We are tasked to spend a week in Lucitopia Town to interact with the locals to identify the area of opportunities to design for them.
Research Process & Findings
To better understand the situation in Lucitopia Town, our team spent the first few days in conducting ethnographic research to understand the economic and natural assets - mineral water plant, Zhu Xi hydropower station, the dam and the waterfall.
The Lucitopia Town, also known as Qing Liang Shan National Forest Park, located within Jiangxi Province. Within the town, there are villages with green forests enriched with natural resources and farming communities.
Overview
The Lucitopia Rural Design Challenge 2018 aims at defining the problems and exploring the needs of the people in the rural areas of China. This project was to design and create latest green, intelligent and sustainable solutions and application for rural areas in the construction of Lucitopia Town. We are tasked to spend a week in Lucitopia Town to interact with the locals to identify the area of opportunities to design for them.
Research Process & Findings
To better understand the situation in Lucitopia Town, our team spent the first few days in conducting ethnographic research to understand the economic and natural assets - mineral water plant, Zhu Xi hydropower station, the dam and the waterfall.
Insights and Analysis
Our team took down our various observations and findings gained from the first 2 days of situational analysis from the closed interviews. With the findings and observations we obtained, we started drawing links on the town's ecosystem map.
Our team took down our various observations and findings gained from the first 2 days of situational analysis from the closed interviews. With the findings and observations we obtained, we started drawing links on the town's ecosystem map.
The ecosystem mapping process enables us to look at the bigger picture of the town's current situation and available local resources. It got us thinking of many ways of how to revitalise the village in hope to attract or retain the middle age group, who are mainly situated in the city.
How can we retain the middle age group to stay in the villages and not leave for the city?
How can we re-attract middle age group back from city to the village through the provision of job opportunities?
Key Issue and Design Opportunity
How can we retain the middle age group to stay in the villages and not leave for the city?
How can we re-attract middle age group back from city to the village through the provision of job opportunities?
Key Issue and Design Opportunity
"How can we achieve the retainment of middle age to ensure sustainable development in village through the creation of job opportunities?"
Idea: LUXIWellness
LUXIWellness mainly focuses on Chinese herbs in providing tourists the wholesome experience and personalized health tourism experiences in accordance to their individual wellness status. The wholesome experience can be felt through different wellness services in relation to the village’s environment – wellness treatment, wellness cuisine, wellness experience, wellness exercise.
LUXIWellness mainly focuses on Chinese herbs in providing tourists the wholesome experience and personalized health tourism experiences in accordance to their individual wellness status. The wholesome experience can be felt through different wellness services in relation to the village’s environment – wellness treatment, wellness cuisine, wellness experience, wellness exercise.
LUXIWellness not only provides wellness tourism services, but also provides a common platform for like-minded people, who focus on improving their wellness, to connect, communicate and learn.
LUXIWellness tour experience
Why LUXIWellness?
LUXIWellness aims to achieve local economic revitalization and cultural promotion through the development of local wellness tourism through the use of local Zixi natural resources – herbs, knowing that Zixi not only has hot springs, waterfalls, white tea, but also the locals have a certain history in understanding and applying Chinese herbs. The project is created with the consideration of retaining the integrity of the environment while bringing more focus on the village’s authentic resources, Chinese herbs.
Key Values for Stakeholders
The project brings about the increase in popularity and economy through the sales of Chinese herbs and the development of specialty Chinese herb foods, at the same time, providing opportunities for Zixi’s young adults to return to their hometown.
LUXIWellness aims to achieve local economic revitalization and cultural promotion through the development of local wellness tourism through the use of local Zixi natural resources – herbs, knowing that Zixi not only has hot springs, waterfalls, white tea, but also the locals have a certain history in understanding and applying Chinese herbs. The project is created with the consideration of retaining the integrity of the environment while bringing more focus on the village’s authentic resources, Chinese herbs.
Key Values for Stakeholders
The project brings about the increase in popularity and economy through the sales of Chinese herbs and the development of specialty Chinese herb foods, at the same time, providing opportunities for Zixi’s young adults to return to their hometown.
Locals
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Tourists
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Zixi Town
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Future Roadmap of LUXIWellness
The project can be developed in 3 main phases - short, medium and long term.
The establishment of the image of “wellness village” will serve as a cultural foundation for Zixi, and eventually become an irreplaceable core competitive feature for Zixi as compared to other villages. At the same time, it will encourage the sustainable development of Zixi and push forward in promoting Jiangxi as the pioneer leader of placing great significance on wellness.
Conclusion
Even though our group was not chosen as the three finalists, our team enjoyed the whole design process from interacting with the locals to finding out the main factor to revitalise the town. As compared to the other teams, we choose an unconventional route in proposing a system design that promote wellness tour to highlight their local resources to tourists and provide new job opportunities to locals.
I believe it was a good break for us all from the cities we belong and the locals' warm welcome was greatly appreciated!
Conclusion
Even though our group was not chosen as the three finalists, our team enjoyed the whole design process from interacting with the locals to finding out the main factor to revitalise the town. As compared to the other teams, we choose an unconventional route in proposing a system design that promote wellness tour to highlight their local resources to tourists and provide new job opportunities to locals.
I believe it was a good break for us all from the cities we belong and the locals' warm welcome was greatly appreciated!
Team
Designers - He Juan, Danish Malik & Hayley Han
Concept and Content Lead - He Juan & Hayley Han
Illustration Designer (Illustrator, Photoshop) - Hayley Han
Logo Designer (Illustrator, Photoshop) - Hayley Han