What is design? Let’s take a peek at the world spreading through a small Hatena, or question.
Let’s take a pause and look at all the things, people, and events in our daily lives and society...
It is a laboratory to know, feel, and approach design through a simple question.
This time’s theme
2023 questionnaire survey of judges
Design 3 questions and 3 answers
2024.03.26
Approximately 90 judges, including designers and experts from Japan and overseas, who are active at the forefront of each field, gathered for the screening of 2023 GOOD DESIGN AWARD. Three simple questions were asked to the judges about design. In this first installment, we will introduce the answers from various members, including Mr. Katsuo Mizuguchi, Art Director, and Mr. Tasuku Mizuno, Lawyer.
How did you get involved in design?
When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be a manga artist. But I couldn’t come up with a story. I enjoyed copying pictures on cover pages. I realized that design involves the arrangement of letters and illustrations in one picture. So, I went to a local art college.
What’s new recently?
I had been suffering from hay fever for many years, but after eating kikuimo (Jerusalem artichoke) and gobo (burdock) every day for two and a half months from February to mid-April 2023, I able to avoid symptoms without taking medicine. I also lost 3 kg and 3 cm of waist circumference. I realized again that what we eat makes our body.
What design can do
If someone designed the human body, we continue to design the body as we live. If we look at the world from this perspective, we can do more through design.
Katsuo Mizuguchi
Art Director | President, Hotchkiss Inc.
Graduated from Kanazawa College of Art and Crafts. Worked at Dentsu Inc. and founded Hotchkiss Inc. in 2012. Directs art direction for various brands including advertising, graphic design, and package design. Honorary visiting professor at Kanazawa College of Art and Crafts and professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design Graduate School (distance education). Authored “The 'Model' of Art Direction： 30 Rules to Make Design Communicate” (Seibundo Shinkosha) and “Please Teach Me Design, Mizumaru Anzai! - Mizumaru Anzai Book Cover Study Group” (Hotchkiss).
How did you get involved in design?
I’ve loved drawing cars since I was little.
What’s new recently?
I’m surprised by the evolution of generative AI.
What design can do
Design can make the world happy.
Kota Nezu
Creative Communicator | CEO, znug design,inc.
Graduated from the Department of Design, Faculty of Engineering, Chiba University. He joined Toyota Motor Corporation and served as the concept development leader for the “i-unit,” which was exhibited at EXPO 2005 AICHI, etc., He established znug design, inc. in 2005, and has been involved in the concept planning and design for many industrial products and contributed to the vitalization of corporate creative activities. While promoting projects including the electric motorcycle “zecOO” upholding the slogan 'from small town factory to the world' and the soft, small fabric mobility “rimOnO,” he is also engaged in the development of GROOVE X “LOVOT,” Toyota Motor Corporation's concept vehicle “Camatte,” and others. Awards he has received include the Good Design Gold Award, the iF Design Award, the Japan Society of Kansei Engineering Kawaii Kansei design top prize, the JAPAN WOOD DESIGN AWARD top prize, and others.
How did you get involved in design?
I worked as a lawyer to support designers. It was a turning point when I realized that laws and rules could also be subject to design.
What’s new recently?
I get inspired by listening to records recently.
What design can do
I think design makes it easier to find a sign or sprout, and to spread it in a positive way.
Tasuku Mizuno
Lawyer | CITY LIGHTS LAW
Lawyer (Tokyo Bar Association.) Director of Creative Commons Japan and Arts and Law. Visiting professor at Kyushu University Global Innovation Center (GIC.) Part-time lecturer at Keio University SFC. External board member of note inc. and other corporations. Mizuno provides hands-on legal advice on business and management strategies for various entities from start-ups in various industries such as technology, creative, city/vitalization of local community to industrial giants and public institutions. His publications include “Designing Law： How Creativity and Innovation Can Accelerate Law” (Film Art Sha), as well as a series titled “A New Social Contract (or Something to Replace It)” (WIRED JAPAN).
How did you get involved in design?
That’s all I could do. And it was fun.
What’s new recently?
Not only recently, but climate change and environmental issues. My values have changed a lot.
What design can do
It makes the world happy. It could be the other way around though...
Miyuki Tamai
CMF Designer | CEO, FEEL GOOD CREATION Inc.
After working in the Design Department of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. he established FEEL GOOD CREATION, the only company in Japan specializing in CMF design. The company provides direction, design, and consulting services for CMF design and worldview creation for a wide range of industries, including automobiles, home appliances, architecture, and interior design. She also focuses on the development of sustainable materials and the concept of a recycling society, utilizing CMF's knowledge and manufacturing network. She is the organizer of CMF TOKYO - SENSE, an activity to revitalize manufacturing in Japan, focusing on materials and processing. Part-time lecturer at Musashino Art University and Nagaoka Institute of Design.
How did you get involved in design?
As a graduate of Applied Physics in Engineering, I couldn’t stop thinking about design when I realized that design was the shortcut to implementation, which led me to my current path.
What’s new recently?
The presentations from each group of DOO, which comprises eight design groups, were very good. The design and art exhibition at Osaka Nakanoshima Art Museum also made me think again.
What design can do
I think design makes things better than they are now. I believe that design, both in terms of products and services, can always be a breakthrough that can resolve a situation.
Chiaki Murata
Product Designer, Design Producer | Representative Director, hers design inc. / Visiting Professor, Research Center for the 21st Century, Osaka Metropolitan University
He won over 200 international awards and was chosen as one of Newsweek's “100 globally recognized small and medium Japanese businesses”. Operates a design think tank that supports planning and development from design thinking. Advocated S.S.FB method and Kansei value hexagon graph. In 2020, He established the “Hers Design Fund” to support startups that solve social issues through design investment. He is author of “Textbook for Social Design”, “Design Thinking for Behavior”, “The Potential of Sensibility Thinking”, and “Bugtori Design”.
journal editorial department
Editing & writing
Editorial team of the web media “.g Good Design journal.” It is planned and managed jointly by the secretariat office of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD and external members in order to explore new possibilities in design.
