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Tokyo Weekly: Tokyo Design Week Preview

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Written by Keiji Ashizawa
Translated by Hannah Hernandez

Tokyo has many events lined up from October 30th to November 3rd, worthy of being called a design week. The biggest events are called 100% Design Tokyo and Design tide. This year, they are opening a prototype display. It is actually the second time it’s been on exhibition. Last year it was exhibited in my office.   This year it was decided that there would be another exhibition held after the positive feedback from last year’s exhibition. This year the number of participants substantially increased as well as the quality. A number of the pieces and designers have been introduced, however today I would like to pickup on two people out of the participants.

Photos By: Takumi Ota
MILE – MILE design project
Design project MILE was formed by Bandai Matsuo (acoustic engineer), Kentaro Kai (software engineer) and Kozo Shimoyama (interior designer) while they were still students at the University of Tsukuba.
The MILE design project is a made up of a designer and engineers. The products which MILE makes are all very unique. Products that could not be born of a designer alone or an engineer alone are made into new forms. Good afternoon is one product that I like very much. It is able to determine the time just by light. It is a poetic piece of work, while also being a product that is very characteristic of MILE.

Naoya Misawa – Prototype Exhibition
The prototype that he submitted this time, ASO/ TANE has a very playful feel to it. The design and function are put together very well to be what I think is a good design.

One reason for 30 designers being able to come together for this exhibit was due to what has been cheap exhibition fare, being raised. These days the exhibition fees in Japan continue to soar. The price of m2 is one that is a world top level. The entrance fee has become even more expensive then the Milano Salone Satellite exhibit of last year that I attended. Proper designers try to be cost effective while trying to be aware of who the audience of the exhibit is. There is a certain sensitivity that can be felt about this. The two big exhibits can’t deny the fact that it leaves out individual designers. The participants are eager to participate due to the cheapness of participation expenses and are eager to make this event successful also as a protest to the bigger events.