Grounding the Nyokoba

Grounding The iyyokoba Caroline Jane Walsh

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Caroline Jane Walsh, 2016.

Oxford Brookes University MArchD

Applied

Design

Architecture RIBA Part 2

in

Grounding the Niyokoba • Personal ProfiLE + Business Plan

Caroline Jane Walsh February 2017 P30028 Management, Practice and Law Oxford Brookes University

Caroline Jane Walsh is currently studying her MArchD at Oxford Brookes for her RIBA/ARB Part 2 qulaification. Her current major aspirations are to become a fully qualified architect and set up her own creative design studio influenced by multiple design specialisations.

• As friendly and enthusiastic team member, I have really enjoyed working as part of Hampshire County Council (HCC) Property Services design and implementation team. It enabled me to provide a public service to the population of Hampshire and Reading through the design projects centred around public education that valued the well-being of the child and the teachers occupying the architecture.

In the future, even though public practice such as those completed by HCC are fulfilling, I wish to operate my own practice that has a mix of industrial designers from engineers to graphic designers to make art and architecture more fulfilling. At minimum, working for another practice - with the same values and principles as myself on life and design - at a high level would be another option in order to pursue my own personal goals. However, since undertaking my masters at Oxford Brookes, I have developed a keen interest in research into architecture as well as academia so much that I have begun to consider the possibility of completing a PhD. Overall, I wish to complete my architectural studies in order to become a fully qualified architect. The more I study and practice architecture the more I have come to love the good and bad of the profession.

• 16Personality Type Role People Strategy Source

“The Advocate”, INFJ-A Diplomat Confident Individualism 16personali�es.com

Future Plans 2027

2022

2019

p r e s e n t

potential PhD

Completion of RIBA Part II, 2017

Completion of RIBA Part II Experience

A year’s travel in Japan, 2018-19

Completion of RIBA Part III

Further experience

Key focuses: education and residential

Design Collaboration

Freelancing or developing own practice/studio

( ) Curriculum Vitae

Caroline Jane Walsh Oct. 23 1992>>

20 Kelly Close, Plymouth, PL5 1DT Telephone >> (+44) 07895241117 Email >> walsh.cjane@gmail.com

Education 2016 - 2018

MArchD Applied Design in Architecture RIBA/ARB Part II Oxford Brookes University

2011 - 2014

Architecture BA, RIBA/ARB Part I Second Class degree (2:1) Liverpool School of Art and Design (Liverpool John Moores University)

References Rob MacDonald Dr Robert G MacDonald RIBA Email // R.G.Macdonald@ljmu.ac.uk Colin henrY Design Manger at Hampshire County Council Email // colin.henry@hants.gov.uk Tel // 01962 845034 Antoni Malinowski Artist Tel// 07734510974

Skills

Drawing & sketching Watercolour, pencil, ink & various other media Computer drawing Software Vectorworks (intermediate), AutoCAD (basic), Photoshop (intermediate), Lightroom 4.4 (intermediate), InDesign (intermediate), Illustrator (basic), Sketch Up (basic), Artlantis Studio (basic), 3DSmax (basic), Dreamweaver (amateur), Velux (basic), Microstation (basic) Modelling Cardboard, laser cut, wax, clay, fabric

2009 - 2011

A levels: Maths , Art and Spanish AS level: Further Maths Notre Dame Roman Catholic School, Plymouth

2009 - 2011

A level: Physics St. Boniface Catholic College for Boys, Plymouth

Career Nov. 2014 - Sep. 2016

Architectural Assistant, Hampshire County Council, Winchester Assisting project architects on several live projects across Hampshire County Council as well as for some external clients. Work included but was not limited to: participating in client meetings; hosting meetings; administration tasks; aliasing with the client and other members of the design team for consultation; creating drawings in vectorworks and sketch up modelling.

Oct. 2014

Work experience at Arc3 Architects, Wandsworth Office Assisted at the Wandsworth Office of Arc3 Architects for 2 weeks of work experience. Work included filing, tea and coffee making, office cleaning, observing initial client meetings, communicating with the client, AutoCAD drawings

Oct. 2013 - Dec. 2013

Volunteer at the Everyman Playhouse, Liverpool Assisted Antoni Malinowski in painting the ceiling of the upstairs cafe, Liverpool

Achievements//Awards

2011 - 2013 Recipient of Dwyer-Hart Foundation Bursary Recipient of the Olford Bequest Recipient of Achiever’s Bursary from LJMU 2009 - 2011 Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award (awards Silver & Bronze Duke of Edinburgh also achieved) Art and Maths KS4 Awards from Notre Dame KS4 Physics Award from St. Boniface Light Blue Belt in Jujitsu from The Jitsu Foundation Grade Six Clarinet

Extracurricular & Interests Music Clarinet (grade 6), Saxophone (ungraded)

Sports Jujitsu, hiking, yoga, running, sailing

Crafts & Fine Art Knitting, sewing, origami, painting, photography

Travel

Everywhere!

To this day I have mainly travelled in Europe (particularly the European capitals) but wish to extend to Asia and potentially the American continents.

Creative Credo • Executive Summary Geisha is a word synonymous with the exotic culture of Japan. Many varying accounts of Japanese women and geisha have led to many years of misunderstanding between the West and the East, particularly with the image of the woman.

With Grounding the Niyokoba, it is believed that research can be undertaken in the form of public accessible workshops demonstrating and teaching the traditional arts and crafts of the geisha. The research aims to look at the levels of cultural empathy developed when people are educated on another culture and their traditions through active participatory craft workshops.

The geisha community currently has a solid business structure ran by the Ochaya – one of the Japanese names for a teahouse where the geisha entertain and train – and the lead geisha or manager of the Ochaya. This is a business structure that has existed for over 100 years through the word of mouth.

However, due to the westernisation the geisha are looking for preservation through reinventing themselves to continue their existence as they have done in the past.

In light of this knowledge, one can see that the workshops will also provide the opportunity to network with current generations and those that are not usually able to connect with the geisha. They will provide a safe, exclusive environment for the geisha to perform and reveal their craft; at the same time it will be more accessible as a craft workshop for the public as they are receiving lessons in traditional Japanese crafts that produce beautiful pieces of artwork or performances they can later share with friends and family.

This exploration also has potential to assist with the integration of the geisha community on a more global basis. More often than not they are labelled by those foreign to Japan as prostitutes when in fact they are artists. Recent publications in Feminism have begun to address the ‘white-washed’ nature of Feminism and how Asian women artists are breaking out onto the world’s art market with little recognition from their fellow Feminists least fellow man. The lack of recognition for Asian female artists alongside those who are not of direct European and North American decent can be hi-lighted through these workshops and accompanying public exhibitions/demonstrations.

As the geisha have a current successful and strong business practice, many of their existing customers and members of the geisha community – the Hanamachi – can provide a solid foundation block to begin the testing of the workshops before going further afield. There is potential for the craft workshops to be held not just locally to the main geisha cities: Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, where people look for activities relating to geisha; but also nationwide across Japan and to other countries. This will depend on the reception of the workshops and the level of cultural understanding developed once several workshops have been completed.

The research and analysis gained from the workshops have the potential to then develop into a brief for a school of traditional Japanese arts and crafts to ensure continuity of the arts the geisha have developed for over a hundred years. This will provide a more dynamic framework for preservation rather than solely through the introduction of museums and archives.

Grounding the Niyokoba • reinvestment & Assests

Income & P ro ng i fi st i ts Ex

Profits from customers go either to the okiya, geisha training schools or directly to the geisha that has been hired.

Existing long term customers alongside ex-geisha also provide regular income for the Hanamachi and Okiya.

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At present, the space they exist in is only in Japan within the old tea houses. In order to find the way forward in preserving their profession, they turn to the West for research and the potential inspiration for the new spaces that they can occupy with society.

Furthermore, this provides an example for women to see other professional women in other cultures with different background to see how geisha live and work. This in turn demystifies the geisha for the ordinary person.

The okiya, home of the geisha and the current space that provides both accommocation and an area for entertaining customers.

The okiya provides the foundations for a young girl to become a geisha alongside maintaining the long term customers.

an artist Wom

a hThe woman artist of the

The Ashmolean Museum of Oxford, Japanese department

The Japanese Department also has an active role in organising cultural events with the aim of both universities. With the workshops ran by the geisha, the Ashmolean Museum will be an essential relationship that will help implement the workshops as well advertisement them.

entertainment districts of Japan. Masters of traditional dance, music and other performance arts, the geisha has dedicated her life to this profession.

Additionally, the workshops will help promote the lifestyle and profession of geisha while also advertising the variety of organisations that are involved with the workshops. (See key relationships) The workshops will be free for children and these will last around 1 to 2 hours or be one day events for each season. For adult workshops throughout the year (and seasonally relevant as the geisha work in line with the seasons), there will be a charge that will pay for the geisha travelling over from Japan as well as cover any hire costs for venues. Profits will be reinvested into future workshops and also provide a source of donations for the Ashmolean and Japan Society.

The

Okiya owers, geisha, the danna of geisha, the Ashmolean Museum, Japanese Society and the two universities of Oxford will be keys figures as well as stakeholders.

of the investment with the two Oxford Universities forming the other side. For educational and cultural study purposes, the universities see the project as a unique In terms of monetary opportunity to stakeholders, the research Japaese dana, okiya and culture and tradition geisha form one side further.

These relationships also need to be formed by proxy through email where an in person meeting cannot be facilitated due to the distance.

Japa n S o ciety

Key relationships & Stakeholders

Seasonal public dances occur throughout the annual calendar and all members of the Hanamachi participate in either the performances or the preparations for the shows. The dances are often the best opportunities for people from outside the Hanamachi/non-regular customers to see the geisha showcase their skills and experience life in the entertainment district. This includes many activities such as the tea ceremony and kouta performaces.

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The workshops will teach members of the public each craft of the geisha (music, dance, calligraphy, social games and professional/cultural dress). This will help provide cultural educational as well as help develop cross-cultural empathy.

Through teaching others, the geisha and their teachers will help in raising awareness of the Japanese traditional arts and crafts. In addition, others may take interest in the arts and wish to development further.

Part of the profits from the workshops can be donated to the Ashmolean as a thank you in order to aide with further research development alongside future cultural events.

A key figure, the way of the geisha provides the underlaying priciples for the business and the activies as well as services that are provided.

Public performances

The workshops will eventfully lead into the establishment of a school of art called the Nyokoba which will be based upon the arts and crafts of the geisha. This will lead to new developments in both Japanese and British crafts.

future

Located in Oxford, the Ashmolean Museum is a space of preservation and culture within Oxford and is well known throughout the UK.

Located in Oxford, the Ashmolean Museum is a space of preservation and culture within Oxford and is well known throughout the UK. The Japanese Department also has an active role in organising cultural events with the aim of both universities. With the workshops ran by the geisha, the Ashmolean Museum will be an essential relationship that will help implement the workshops as well advertisement them.

Part of the profits from the workshops can be donated to the Ashmolean as a thank you in order to aide with further research development alongside future cultural events.

Public performances can be used as an end goal of the workshops as well as provide another revenue stream as it does for the existing hanamachi in Japan.

Values & Ethos The priciples, values and ethos of the business will be based upon the sisterhood that forms the geisha community, the Hanamachi.

Alongside sisterhood being a recurring theme and value, we also have principles based upon teaism, Buddhism and Shinto beliefs that permenate the whole of Japanese culture.

d i s c i p l i n e

P r e s e r v e

e d u c a t e

S I S T E R S

p e r f o r m

C o n s i d e r a t e

L o y a l t y

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Nyokoba

Assests & Skills Each geisha is seen as an assest by the hanamachi, their education an investment into the development of preserving traditional arts within Japan. Each geisha is seen as a work of art through their performance, their behaviours and dress.

They have also contributed to the development of the traditional arts and this is something that can continue through future workshops.

Secondarily, the research into the social structure of the hanamachi and their deportment will be beneficial for the Western based stakeholders. For the geisha and the hanamachi, future generations of both the UK and Japan will be able to take a look at the elusive profession which in turn will help the geisha and hanamachi to be better undestood.

With an already existing community of engaging Japanese people, Oxford can provide both the cultural and educational basis for the workshops alongside the right audience that wishes to learn more about cultures.

The locations will also provide promotion of the universities and the Ashmolean Museum as educational facilites. With all three organisations being stake-holders in the workshops and reaping benefits, the cost of venue hire will be reduced dramatically.

An assest for the Hanamachi, each okiya provides for the geisha and customers all in one unit. This includes the food and education.

GE is

For years the geisha and their community have provided dance and entertainment for their customers as they dine and drink.

There is a long standing business system for these women that entertain with their artisan skills which has shifted its view from being fashionable and in-vogue for their customers and the public to being keepers of tradition.

Tea h o u se

Long term customers

The workshops will be weekly for a period to form a course or be week long to one day/half day courses. Due to their short length, to begin with the Unviersities and the Ashmolean Museum would be able to provide venues for the workshops depending on the requirements of each.

Workshops will be held in Oxford, UK to help promote cross-cultural relations and strengthen existing Japan-British relationships.

Furthermore, this will enable a route of research for the geisha to find ways of preserving their professional.

The school and the workshops will both provide an income for the geisha back in Japan while also providing them the opportunity to see how the develop the geisha profession for the future in the changing times of the world. Especially with the rise of globalisation and cross-cultural mixing.

The workshops are a test bed for the Nyokoba in terms of marketing (finding what works best for the geisha in terms of digital and viral marketing as they are solely dependent on VM right now, digital marketing will be a new field for them) and will provide the chance to build a network that can aide in the establishment of the Nyokoba outside of the organisations that are already key stakeholders.

Traditional Japanese Craft Lessons: • Music - signing and instruments • Calligraphy • Social games • Dance • Origami • Ikebana (flower arranging)

ites tiv Ac

hi

o k i ya

For danna: being a patron to a geisha is a status symbol By supporting the research into the future of geisha he is seen as wealthy and considerate of Japan and it’s heritage.

Geisha often have patrons, also known as dana, who sponsor the geisha in their continued education and provide a steady wage.

Workshop locations Ashmolean and The Universities

The workshops led by the geisha and their teachers will provide a great research opportunity and learning experience. It will also help academics learn about how Japan is consolidating their traditional crafts with the modern Western ways that have been readily incorporated into the culture of Japan.

The Hanamachi is the community of women that make up the ranks of geisha as well as their younger sisters (maiko, trainee geisha and shikomi, trainee maiko) and managers who are referred to as okasan, meaning mother in Japanese.

Patrons & Benefactors

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Despite the decades of research compiled by both the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University (including which has been completed by the Europe Japan Research Centre housed by Oxford Brookes University), there is still not much analysis of the sisterhood of the Hanamachi formed by the geisha.

New customers come from existing customers via VM. Even if for the short term, new customers also add to the current income stream.

The majority of current business for the Hanamachi is receivd through viral marketing (VM), a.k.a word of mouth. This is a network that can be used to help advertise the proposed workshops for the UK. It also provides a foundational audience.

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The University of Oxford, Faculty of Orietnal Studies.

Oxofrd Brookes University, Department of English and Modern Languages.

Ha n flo am we r t ac ow

ts & marketin ver g ad

tomers & Pat ro cus ns

The main benefit of the workshops is the promotion of the geisha as a profession as well as women as professional artists. Alongside this, there will be the educational opportunities for both geisha and the customers (as many geisha do not have the oportunities to travel outside of Japan and many people do not have the opportunity to travel to Japan, mainly due to cost and distance).

Oxford, united kingdom

The Universities

Wo rk sh

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OB

its f e en

Kimono wearing workshops Lectures on life as a geisha Dance and music performances

New ser vi ce s

Money from patrons and long term customers can provide part of the initial funding for the workshops.

The following services will require a charge from customers and provide a revenue for the Nyokoba.

New Custo me rs

Critical Thinking Model

New customers will initially everyone who has an interest in Japan and Japanese culture. Due to be hosting by the universities, students and professors will make up the primary audience with other members of the public finding out about the workshops and services through advertisment either through VM or through the main stake-holder organisations.

• Lessons/education • Performance hire for UK venues • Guest lectures at universities • Shops: works by the geisha and students available to purchase as originals or as prints (if 2D) alongside flower arrangements