The Brief

<Bring social innovation to life through design> People’s hectic lives and the growth of cities lead different kinds of problems compared with before. Above all, one of the most difficult problems to cope with in cities is major crimes and minor conflicts in the town by the troubled relations between the neighbors. A variety of the actual residents and ideas were collected together to make the safer town and improvements for the neighbor’s relationships. <The troubled relations between the town and the residents> This town has a notable composition of population of more than 50% of the young 20’s living in the town. They gather to this town from all over the cities to attend University near town, but after graduation most of them leave the town. For short, they had difficulties to get attachment and fellowship of this town, and indifference to the town and the neighbors. For this reason, sneak thieving, sexual harassments and other crimes were induced.

<Hello Service> Based on the major vulnerability of dark places in the town and the carelessness of door secure, we proposed a box which light comes on when the door is closed. The lighting box is installed in top 30 darkest and most isolated places around the town. The locations are marked on a map and shared with the resident patrols and police to use for monitoring. Also to strengthen motivations of patrols and communications of residents, the resident can put a mail in the ‘Town Mail Box’, and then later the resident patrol collects the letter and posts it on the town notice board. We applied simple technology to make a more sustainable safety town and to extend more socially. We installed a magnetic sensor on the front door which operates the LED light bulb. By installing the lighting box in the town, the residents pay for the lighting box electricity use to share their altruistic minds. Furthermore, by letting the existing crime prevention guides best use this system and to co-operate for public value, we have co-worked with many different stakeholders.

<A Town where people say “Hello”> Through this project, the sensory level of safeness is continuously improving. According to interviews of the police, there has been a considerable reduction of incident crimes, sexual harassment and sneak thieving. Especially, a community has been vitalized, which has programs for neighbor’s participation, local festivals, and also facilities such as resting areas for crime prevention, public garden and fences are provided for the residents. After the Project, this project is referenced by various local governments and research institutes as the crime prevention through community for studies and policy. Moreover this case is being told through public documentary and media.