此篇《DesignBIZ View》專欄發布於《設計新商業 DesignBIZ》 電子報 NO.024 期
✦ 點此訂閱 → 掌握設計師、創意總監、創業家的第一手觀察觀點！
2024 年 1 月 17 日，台灣設計界迎來了一場盛事——「日本四國旅客鐵道株式會社」和「臺灣鐵路公司」，兩大鐵路在松山火車站入口廣場共同舉辦了一場關於「列車設計」的講座。這是一個重要的時刻，據我回憶，這是兩國鐵路行業巨頭之間首次的設計對話，身為鳴日號的設計者，我很榮幸地與遠道而來的日本設計師松岡哲也對談。
迎向 370 萬張笑臉：JR 四國觀光列車的故事
日本鐵路公司作為一家國際知名企業，以準時高效、技術先進、安全可靠、整潔舒適而聞名。更重要的是，我相信其他人與我一樣都非常喜歡他們的設計。日本火車在全球獲得許多認可，有很多旅客為了列車而前往，也因為這樣他們有著相當興盛的列島觀光。
在這次設計交流中，我有幸聽到許多關於 「JR 四國觀光列車系列」是如何設計的第一手故事。令我訝異的是，他們的設計故事也是從一個沒有列車設計經驗的人開始——松岡哲也，只是一名有建築背景的 JR 員工，有一天，他被上司找到辦公室，問他是否願意設計觀光列車。作為一個火車迷，他感到非常驚喜，當然高興地答應這個難得的機會。這就是故事的開始，如此直接、偶然，又如此美妙。
他的決定帶來了一系列的觀光列車設計，包括「伊予物灘語」、「四國真中千年物語」、「志國土佐 時代黎明物語」等，每輛列車都有其獨特之處，有些與文化背景相關，有些與當地技術相關。最終，他以這列火車如何被 370 萬個微笑歡迎而聞名，當火車經過村莊時，四國的人們會停下他們正在做的事，向來往的乘客微笑揮手，這已成為了他們生活的一部分。JR 的品牌形象如此完美，以至於每個人都愛它們。
打破桎梏：創新設計在台灣交通運輸中的崛起
那麼與日本這個列車設計的強國相比，我們的機會在哪裡？
在臺鐵最近的成功作品「鳴日號」和「鳴日廚房」後，我認為，台灣有的是自由，沒有限制我們的框架，沒有將我們束縛的先前設計，我們有的是一張乾淨的畫布，我們有的是機會重新設計和重新思考交通上的可能性。
在臺灣鐵路公司的列車獲得成功後，讓我們看到了更多的可能性。交通部航港局也開始思考類似的事情，因此新的「澎湖輪」的構想誕生了。那麼，捷運是否也可以成為與眾不同、獨特的產物呢？新北捷運公司邀請我們，利用 2023 台灣設計展做一個起頭，與環狀線周圍的工廠，所謂的黑手文化，一起設計，為這列捷運提供獨特的當地思想。其他交通工具，如最具標誌性的山區列車阿里山小火車，也正在經歷巨大的變化。接下來還可能會發生什麼？
參與交通設計革命：你的角色是什麼？
我從未見過一個國家如此迅速地改變其交通身份，開始涉及如此獨特的本地文化，不是從國外公司購買，而是設計和建造我們自己的，從我們自有的文化長出屬於我們獨有的美學，這是美學的極致。
那麼，你可以如何參與呢？
我們設計師的參與意味著挑戰交通設計的革命性步驟。
作為企業主，你可以考慮擴展合作這樣的交通品牌的機會和商機。
作為旅行業者，你可以吸引不同的旅客上船上車，體驗這種獨特的交通方式，以多元方式感受這座島嶼。
作為飯店休閒業者，你可以將你的飯店服務與交通設計相連接，讓體驗不僅僅停留在行進的車上，而是在飯店裡以星光璀璨的夜空結束。
玩轉台灣交通設計：從默默無聞到登上國際舞台
日本的觀光列車歷史悠久，自 1899 年出現了第一輛鐵路餐車以來，目前已有多達 50 多輛觀光列車。台灣似乎還有很長的路要走；或者，我們的時代才剛剛開始，我們擁有一片全新的領域，現在是我們為自己的未來創造新願景的時候了。
「鳴日號」和「鳴日廚房」是我們的第一個交通工具設計，我們專注於為乘客設計一趟「旅程」，而不僅僅是一輛「火車設計」。這種打破常規的方法為列車設計注入了開創性和活力，贏得國內外的讚譽（包括 美國 CNN 報導《鳴日號：台灣最美的列車》和 2023 年德國 iF 金質獎等）。
祝賀我們的交通未來。我們才剛剛開始。
我們的交通未來可能是什麼？
請跟我一起做夢。
此篇《DesignBIZ View》專欄發布於《設計新商業 DesignBIZ》 電子報 NO.024 期
✦ 點此訂閱 → 掌握設計師、創意總監、創業家的第一手觀察觀點！
Train Design: Taiwan vs. Japan—Who Wins the Battle of Innovation?
On January 17, 2024, a remarkable event unfolded in the Taiwan design landscape: Japan Railway and Taiwan Railway, two major railway entities, came together for a discussion on train design at the entrance plaza of Songshan train station in Taipei. It was a momentous occasion, to my recollection, this marks the first-ever design dialogue between these giants of the railway industry.
3.7 Million Smiling Faces: The Story of the JR Shikoku Sightseeing Train
Japan Railway is an international stardom that is known for its punctuality, advanced technology, and safety; more importantly, I love its design of the trains, which has won so much global recognition for its tech cutting edge and streamlined design.
At this design exchange between the two entities, I heard many first-hand stories about how JR Shikoku's series of sightseeing trains were designed. To my surprise, their design story also started with someone without experience designing trains. Tetsuya Matsuoka was just an ordinary JR employee who had an architectural background; one day, he was called into the manager's office by his superior, asking him if he would like to design the train; as a train fanatic, he was shocked, of course happily agree to such a unique opportunity, and that was the start of the story, so direct, so accidental, and beautiful at the same time.
The outcome of his willingness became a series of sightseeing train designs named "Iyonada Monogatari 伊予灘物語, Shikoku Mannaka Sennen Monogatari 四國真中千年物語, Shikoku Tosa Toki no Yoake Monogatari, 志國土佐 時代黎明物語" each with its unique character, some linking to its cultural background, some links to the scientific discovery of the area. Eventually, he ended the talk with how 3,700,000 smiles welcomed this train; as it passed through villages, the people of Shikoku welcomed the train by stopping what they were doing and waving at the oncoming passengers. The train has become integral to the local community's life, symbolizing JR's cherished presence.
Breaking Boundaries: The Rise of Innovative Design in Taiwan’s Transportation
Contrasting Japan's entrenched design legacy, where does Taiwan stand in this innovative race? What possibilities lie ahead for us?
With the successful design ventures of the Future and the Moving Kitchen, it's clear that our advantage lies in our freedom from pre-existing design constraints. This fresh perspective allows us to reimagine and redefine the possibilities of transportation design.
This mindset has begun to inspire other sectors. The Maritime Port Bureau's interest in redesigning ferry services and the New Taipei Metro Company's collaboration on the Circle Line are testaments to this. Even the iconic Alishan Forest Railway is experiencing a transformative redesign, reflecting a nationwide shift towards a unique transportation identity crafted from local culture, not reliant on foreign designs but built on our unique innovation.
Be Part of the Transportation Design Revolution: What is Your Role?
So, how can you be involved? How can you participate in this revolutionary step where we designers challenge the status quote of what transportation design means?
As a business owner, you can think of an opportunity to extend the branding of such a transportation.
As a travel agent, you can now bring different people on board and take the unique transportation experience, experiencing this island in many different ways.
As a hotel owner, you can link your hotel services with the transportation designs so that the experience doesn't only end on a moving wheel but ends with a starlit sky under your property.
Redefine Taiwan’s Transportation Design: From Local Innovations to Global Influence
Japan's rich history of tourism trains, including over 50 "Joyful Trains" and the inception of the first railway dining car in 1899, illustrates a longstanding tradition of rail innovation. However, Taiwan's fresh slate presents an exciting opportunity to craft our own exciting future in transportation design.
The design of Future 鳴日號 and the Moving Kitchen 鳴日廚房, was our first transportation design, and we focused on designing a "journey" for the passengers, not just a "train design." This alternative approach breathed life into a groundbreaking train design that captured domestic and global acclaim (CNN report "The Future: Taiwan's most beautiful train" and won the iF Gold design 2023).
The transportation future for us is endless, and we are only getting started.
What could be our possible transportation future for this small island? Welcome to share your thoughts with me.
Reference links:
Rail travel in Japan
List of railway companies in Japan
"Advent of Railway Dining Car" by Terunobu Utsunomiya
