This is the story of how the Traveling KOPPA display furniture came to be. The main feature is that it can be carried around in a suitcase. We put it together ourselves, set it up, put it back in the suitcase, then travel together again. We don’t need to destroy it anymore. And we can fix it if it breaks. "We want to keep traveling with it for a very long time," says Nobu.
Nobu:
Display furniture is usually put together directly at the exhibition site and destroyed when the exhibition is done. I felt a sense of pride by being able to bring our display furniture to the location, put it together on site, then take it back home.
It was also interesting to see the reactions from other team members. When we brought it in a suitcase to the venue in Las Vegas, the US team members asked us if we brought it from Japan. They were really curious about it. They asked us questions like, if we assembled the pieces on our own and if we will take it back to Japan. Once I shared the story of the Travelling KOPPA, it became very clear to them. Without explaining it through the lens of the environment, the product already triggered such a fun and spontaneous conversation.
Rita:
They also asked me if we plan to take it back to Japan although it’s not our product.
Nobu:
It’s a new concept for the team to travel with display furniture, so we always get asked why we’re doing it.
Rita:
In the past, our products had been the focal point of our exhibitions. This year, however, focusing on experience and creating space became very important to us as well. Traveling KOPPA always added a positive addition and somehow fit right in with the venue and brought out the good in our products.
Nobu:
Every year, hundreds of customers visit our exhibition and many commented that it looks completely different this year. Hearing that was the best compliment we could get.
Continue to: 3. The beginning of KOPPA / The story of the Traveling KOPPA
Team KOPPA Profile
Tamotsu Ito
Architect/Principal of "tamotsu ito architecture office". He started KOPPA with the aim to work seamlessly across various dimensions and scales, such as urban projects, architecture, furniture, and interior design.
Moe Donaka
She’s the KOPPA team’s organizational lead and belongs to the "Arts & Crafts" design office.
Shota Nozaki
Carpenter/Artist. From interior design to art events, he has a knack for creating. Shota is also a representative of the architectural group "noma”.
Kazuaki Uemura
The owner of the bar “inspire” is a carpenter by day, and bartender by night.
Syu Ohki
Representative of the Institute of Life Engineering Design and is both a researcher of livelihood and a carpenter.
Reflecting on the Last Five Years: Progress and Future Trajectories of Social Initiatives
We will reflect upon our five-year journey with CEO Nobu Ide about the intention to connect the future of Social Initiatives with our Meaningful Growth.
Read more
Our Sparks. “Focus: The Autistic Superhero Loves Comic Art!” by Yvonne Wan
Discover the inspiring works of community creators who collaborate with us. Today, we feature “Focus: The Autistic Superhero Loves Comic Art!” by Yvonne Wan.
Read more
"CREATE Program" Expanding Future Possibilities and Connecting Hopes
Wacom Canada has been involved with the "CREATE Program" at Sisler High School as a partner to support students who want to embark on career paths in the creative industry.
Read more
Our Sparks. “Join The Journey” by Arian Rahmatzai
The 'Our Sparks.' pages showcases community creators whose works inspire and collaborate with us. This time features Arian Rahmatzai's artwork, a German talent who interned at Wacom.
Read more
Supporting Children's Dreams of Becoming Creators - 1: Initiatives with Kinko Town
The aspiration of children who dream of becoming creators is what ignites our team members’ enthusiasm and drives many of our initiatives. One such initiative involved teaming up with an animation workshop in Kinko Town, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
Read more
Wacom Yuify: Making the world a safer place for creators
Wacom Yuify is an innovative service being developed to authenticate creators' works by embedding invisible micro-marks into artworks and, therefore, addressing unique needs across various regions and cultures.
Read more
Initiatives in China – Bringing Digital Ink Technology to More People
Lannie Zhang, the only product manager in the Ink Division in China, took the time to talk to us about the initiatives planned to increase awareness and promote the use of digital ink technology.
Read more
Our Sparks. “At the beach in the early afternoon” by sammy
We would like to introduce the artworks by artists in Oiso Town, Kanagawa, Japan, where we have been working together to support the writing/drawing initiative.
Read more
Wacom Experience Center - A space for everyone to be creative
The Wacom Experience Center Portland was created for people to interact with the creative community in the city. We took a look back at its growth with Megan Davis, who has been playing an energetic role there.
Read more
Connected Ink 2022: What happens here is everything
Connected Ink 2022 opened with two key questions. Let’s take a look back at some of the sessions in Tokyo that explored them.
Read More
Our Sparks. “Wind Carrying Light” by Syuro
We would like to introduce the artworks by artists in Oiso Town, Kanagawa, Japan, where we have been working together to support the writing/drawing initiative.
Read More
How can we support the “writing/drawing" initiative with Oiso Town?
The partnership with Oiso Town has developed into a city-wide initiative. We spoke with Tadakuni Tsubota of the Creative BU Retail Partnership about this initiative.
Read more
A side of the Connected Ink polyhedron - 2
How do team members see Connected Ink? The next team member is Yohei Himori who is involved in the planning and operation of Connected Ink together with Heidi.
Read More
::before
::after
A side of the Connected Ink polyhedron - 1
How do team members see Connected Ink? The first team member is Heidi Wang who has played a key role in the planning and operations when it all began in 2016.
Read More
::before
::after
How can we overcome barriers that exist in society? / Call & Response
In collaboration with Heralbony Inc. and the General Incorporated Association, Connected Ink Village, Wacom launched a new initiative called "Call & Response” in September 2021.
Read More
::before
::after
What Lingers in the Afterglow / Connected Ink 2021
Here’s a look back at the opening and finale of the nearly 70 sessions held that day and reflect upon what has happened since Connected Ink 2021.
Read More
::before
::after
Our Sparks.
“The spark of love” by Jacky Yang
Our sparks meet constantly changing situations, unexpected challenges, and new opportunities. We called on our team members again to show how they see their spark in the world of today and the future.
Read More
::before
::after
Keep asking questions and moving forward / Connected Ink 2020
Connected Ink 2020 was the beginning of a new commitment and challenge for Wacom to continue asking those eternal questions that always play in our minds.
Read More
::before
::after
“Stage KOPPA”, a stage that connects stories
"Stage KOPPA" was created as a stage for Connected Ink 2020. It is a stage that changes its shape and role in response to different situations while connecting the various stories that occur there.
Read More
::before
::after
Our Sparks.
“Mam and Dad’s Child Interest” by Stella Wang
Our sparks meet constantly changing situations, unexpected challenges, and new opportunities. We called on our team members again to show how they see their spark in the world of today and the future.
Read More
::before
::after
Our Sparks.
"A moment on an autumn mountain" by Takahiro Yamamoto
We had an internal art contest for our Social Initiatives. Let us share the existence of the spark in our team members’ hearts with their artworks.
Read More
::before
::after
Online drawing class for elementary school students during stay-at-home period
Yoshinori Mita, a team member of Japan held an online drawing class together with FC KAZO and illustrator Suiiro to provide something fun for elementary school children to do during the COVID-19 stay-at-home period.
Read More
::before
::after
Wacom's new initiative through soccer
As an official partner, Wacom supports FC KAZO, a soccer club in Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. We’re excited to introduce our new initiatives with this inspiring club.
Read More
::before
::after
Our Sparks.
"The spark is in you! Mirror portraits during times of isolation" by Oliver Madlener
We had an internal art contest for our Social Initiatives. Let us share the existence of the spark in our team members’ hearts with their artworks.
Read More
::before
::after
Online Sketchnoting workshop for children during school closures
Our team members in Germany organized an online workshop “Young Wacom” for the children while schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read More
::before
::after
Support the "lives" of artists through customer support
Alex Duffey from our Americas Support team established a new program to support artists. We asked him about a story with Ms. Devon Bragg, the artist who inspired him to establish this program.
Read More
::before
::after
3. How KOPPA began /
The story of the Traveling KOPPA
KOPPA began in April 2019. Tamotsu wanted to make something that can be used again after an exhibition. We asked Team KOPPA about their thoughts.
Read More
::before
::after
2. No need to destroy it anymore /
The story of the Traveling KOPPA
We put it together ourselves, set it up, put it back, then travel together again. The Traveling KOPPA, our new display furniture came to be.
Read More
::before
::after
1.Meeting KOPPA /
The story of the Traveling KOPPA
KOPPA started out as a challenge: Tamotsu Ito, an architect from Japan, wanted to utilize leftover building materials. Our meeting was pure happenstance.
Read More
::before
::after
Our Sparks.
“That Spark Inside” by Simone Wolters
We had an internal art contest for our Social Initiatives. Let us share the existence of the spark in our team members’ hearts with their artworks.
Read More
::before
::after
Marketing lecture for future engineers
We gave a marketing lecture for students who are learning to be engineers at the National Institute of Technology Tokyo College.
Read More
::before
::after
Efforts by our sales member, who are responsible for a pen tablet until the very end
Every year, we take pen tablets that have been sitting in our warehouse and gift them to high school clubs and winners of high school art competitions to help students create digital contents.
Read More
::before
::after
For the Future of Education
Lifelong Ink x AI
"AI Ink for Education" was developed to capture eye movement information and pen movements while learning, in order to ascertain the characteristics of learning by each student and to create an educational environment suited to each student.
Read More
::before
::after
Wacom Intuos have been introduced in a school to make classes more fun and creative
Yoana Simeonova, a software designer working in Bulgaria, introduced Wacom Intuos in a school to make children's IT classes more fun.
Read More
::before
::after