Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization

It's often thought that "interface design" has existed for na long time. It's certainley true to say that "interfacing" conceived as methods of utilization and forms of expression, along with the various related design concepts, has existed together with man-made non-computerized items such as automobiles, electrical products and door handles in buildings. But modern questions relating to interface design should be focused primarily on computerized man-made items in the most advanced stages of development. This is because such an approach enables us to see the possibilities for shifting established design concepts to new paradigms in connection with design bearing on the interaction between computers and people. Computers have today become essential to the forward progress of design. We're referring here of course to computer-aided design. But we hope to go one step further in this report, in which the designer Shunji Ogawa considers the potential of computers as design tools from the standpoint of "design the computer" and talks about interactive design.

Shunji Ogawa, Designer and Director, Soft Device Inc.

"Komachi", the name of the bullet train used on the Shinkansen railway line between Tokyo and Akita, is coming into service on March 22, 1997. Once it's in operation, the rail journey between Tokyo and Akita will take only 3 hours and 49 minutes. The rolling stocks used by "Komachi" are lightweight structures made of extruded aluminum alloy. Varoius measures have been taken to decrease the amount of noise which is inevitably generated when traveling at a speed of 275km/h. These include the use of window panels 7 millimeters from the body of the rolling stock, doors operating on the inner plug system, "jump-up" steps, and skirting beneath the underframe, the aim of these features being as far as possible to come up with flush surfaces.
The most important design aspect of Komachi, however, is the interior of the rolling stock, which were conceived for maximum comfort. The "jump-up" steps can be tucked away on the same level as the contours of the rolling stock. This aspect of the design was studied countless times in an attempt challenge the very limits of what is posible in rolling stock design.
In this report, Yasutaka Suge, industrial designer and vice president of GK Planning and Design Inc.,the company which undertook the design of Komachi, describes the design process and discusses the topics required of rolling stock design as a significant field of public design.

Yasutaka Suge, Industrial Designer and Vice President, GK Planning and Design Inc.

Released last December, "Pronea 600i" is a new type of camera employing the "Advanced Photo System." A particularly noteworthy aspect of the design of "Pronea 600i" is the fact that it does not try to break away from the standard image of single-lens reflex cameras simply because it operates on a new system. The design approace is an orthodox one, the aim being to enhance the well-established design features of the single-lens reflex camera. By aligning the central lines above the light shaft - something that has become possible using this new system - many of the limitations on visual form have been done away with. This has resulted in clarification of the ideal image of the single-lens reflex camera, that is to say a camera which enables the user to concentrate attention entirely on the object in the viewfinder.
The main aim of the design was to create a solid form in which the body and the lens would appear to be very much integral parts of the same unit.

Jun Akabane, Industrial Designer, Manager, Industrial Design, R&D Headquarters, Nikon Corp.

The Japanese Good Design Selection System known commonly as the "G-Mark System" was established in 1957 and is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year. To Commemorate this occasion, the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization last year held an exhibition entitled "Super Collection: 40 Years of the G-Mark" in three Japanese cities, Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.
The idea of the exhibition was to gather toogether and innovatory designs from among the 23,000 items which have so far been awarded the "G-Mark" and to exhibit them to the public.
In this report, we present an edited version of "history of the G-Mark", an article appearing at the back of the exhibition catalog published on that occasion.

Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization + Design News

Marunouchi Building, commonly known as "Marubiru," was built in 1923 and played an essential part in Japanese history throughout the Taisho and Showa eras. Located right in front Tokyo Station, the building appears in Yukio Mishima's novels and is often though of as one of the symblos of modern Tokyo. But "Marubiru" is about to be demolished.
In November 1995, Mitsubishi Estate Co.,Ltd. owners of the building, went public with their decision to redevelop the site. The 253 tenants inside "Marubiru" had all been transferred elsewhere by this spring, and demolition work with a view to redevelopment is now about to get under way.
Just as every town and city has its own distinctive atmosphere, so buildings transmit thir own characeristic air. "Marubiru" always had a relaxing and distinctive fell that was uniquely its own. It was such a pleasant building that many people thought of it as an oasis in Tokyo's urban desert. In this report, Noriko Kawakami takes a look at the 73-year history of "Marubiru" and consider the relationship between cities and buildings from the standpoint of public design.

Noriko Kawakami, Freelance Writer