NPO Hansen's Disease Sanatoria World Heritage Promotion Council

"Three Emotions" is a branding project by the NPO Hansen's Disease Sanatoria World Heritage Promotion Council. It is built on the insight that “discrimination begins with distance,” revealing that anyone can be both a perpetrator and a victim of isolation. By linking the history of segregation in Hansen’s Disease sanatoria with today’s issues of bullying and online exclusion, the project aims to build empathy as the basis for a more inclusive society.

The design translates three emotions—agony, sadness, and hope—into minimalist facial symbols made only of lines and circles. This universal visual language transcends cultural and generational boundaries. The combined expressions form a bridge-like symbol of emotional transition. Posters are designed in low contrast so they can only be perceived up close, making the act of approaching part of the message. This minimalist aesthetics with layered meaning distinguishes the project and reinforces its unique identity.

From a sustainability perspective, the project creates multiple points of contact: exhibitions in schools and hospitals, personalized tools such as smartphone wallpapers and stickers, and classroom use as inquiry-based learning resources. Through these channels, it translates the historical memory of segregation into an empathy-building experience shared across generations, promoting dialogue and understanding. The philosophy of “closing the distance” aligns with SDG Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and Goal 16 (Peace and Justice), and extends to invisible forms of isolation such as elderly loneliness, stigma around mental illness, and immigrant exclusion.

"Three Emotions" combines aesthetic strength with social significance, standing as a practical model of social change through empathy. It serves as a bridge from past memory to future coexistence, pointing the way toward an inclusive future grounded in empathy and human dignity.