| Title of work | graffiti eraser |
| Concept of the work | The world possesses many historical buildings which should be preserved for others to enjoy 10 or 100 years into the future. However, the majority of these buildings are in danger of being ruined due to graffiti and theft performed by heartless tourists. This problem has already been featured in the news. The graffiti eraser is an idea in which each tourist directly repairs and protects such buildings which should be preserved for the future. The idea uses a crayon composed of natural resin, lime and pigment made by grinding natural stones which are taken from onsite and are part of the original building material. The crayon is rubbed directly on graffiti and other damage which has being carved into the building, thus filling holes in stone material. The remaining crayons can be used by tourists as crayons which are the same color as the historical site which was visited. Tourists can therefore enjoy creating a collection which commemorates their travels. The crayons are sold onsite and 10% of the sales proceeds are used to fund professional repairs. |
| Judge's Comment | It is an interesting idea to have tourists themselves participate in the restoration and repair of historical sites and other important architecture. However, in actuality, such restoration requires expert technique and repair performed by amateurs may have an adverse effect in some cases. Although I understand the concept of carefully protecting historical sites and cultural assets, the product could create a misunderstanding that "it is OK to write graffiti as long as this crayon is used for repairs". Unfortunately, in the case of this work, the product image seems to have taken precedent over actual details. |
| Name of Applicant | Kaori Yamamura |  |
| Year of Birth | 1984 | |
| Gender | Female | |
| Nationality | Japan | |
| Occupation | Product Designer, Casio Computer Co., Ltd. | |
| Academic History | Graduated from Kanazawa College of Art, Industrial Design Course | |
| Awards | KONICA MINOLTA eco & art AWARD 2010 - Audience Prize | |
| Co-designer | Tomomi Saitoh |  |