Best In New Japanese Furniture Design To Be Unveiled At 100% Design Tokyo

Furniture World Magazine

New launches from Japan’s upcoming and established contemporary designers will make the inaugural 100% Design Tokyo an un-missable event. Visitors keen to embrace Japan’s latest trends are expected from around the world. 100% Design Tokyo will also be a showcase for international talent. It has proved to be such a draw that European and Asian companies are flocking to show their latest designs, including a major contingent from the UK. Bespoke Pavilion The show, which takes place on 2-6 November 2005, is being held in association with Japan’s Design Association and forms part of Tokyo Designer’s Week. Its launch recognises Japan’s growing interest in contemporary design. As the world’s second-largest economy, this is of major significance to designers and manufacturers from around the globe. Venue is Jingu-Gaien in central Tokyo, and the show will be housed in a specially- designed marquee by Nomura with input from Tim Pyne, 100% Design’s original show designer. A central bar feature will be sponsored by Japanese electronics giant Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd and managed by Kirin Heartland and designed by Daita Kimura of Nomura. 100 % Design Tokyo, will be co-located within the Container exhibition and student exhibition. Hotbed of Japanese Creativity Among exciting new products from Japanese exhibitors will be: - Timber furniture with an emphasis on space efficiency from Bridge - Lighting, including an homage to Isamu Noguchi, from T&O Studios - Decorative wallpaper in a range of vibrant colours from Kabegami - E&Y will be presenting a range of new designs - Tesselating public seating including kinetic lighting from Proto Type - Lighting product from Tonerico:Inc. - The Dean & Deluca café will be designed by Yasumasa Morita of Glamorous International Appeal Leading British names with a presence at the show include furniture designer and manufacturer Established & Sons, and wallpaper specialist Cole & Son. UK Trade & Investment, Design UK, the Government organisation supporting companies in Britain doing business internationally, has pledged its support to the show. It will host an exclusive area where a range of UK designers and manufacturers will showcase their designs, designers on the UK stand include Modus, Bodo Sperlein & Sharon Elphick. Other strong European representation includes Swedish Style, which will be home to well-known manufacturers such as Asplund, Blå Station and Swedese. Edited Environment Exhibitors are vetted by a multidisciplinary advisory panel which includes: - British architect Mark Dytham, of Tokyo-based Klein Dytham Architecture - Taiwan-based international designer Michael Young - Internationally-renowned designer Tomoko Azumi -Ross McBride-Designer, normal -Yoichi Nakamuta-Retailer and manufacturer, E&Y -Masaaki Nambu,-interior producer, Forward Styles -Kyung Ran Choi-Associate Professor of Kookmin University -Yoshihiko Mamiya-Designer-infix -Masaki Yokokawa,Retailer and manufacturer, Cibone -Kenji Kawasaki-DESIGN ASSOCIATION -Ian Rudge-100%Design 100% Design Tokyo is being developed and managed for Reed Exhibitions by 100% Design co-founder and brand director Ian Rudge. Speaking about the event, he said: “We are delighted that 100% Design Tokyo is already generating a huge amount of interest both among Japanese manufacturers and on the international scene. I am particularly pleased that Britain will be so well represented at the show. “Tokyo Designer’s Week is well-established, with a growing range of events, but up until now it has had no commercial focus and it has been spread across two weeks in September – we have moved the event to one week in November, so now every one knows where to go and when. We have also brought the container exhibition and student show into our amazing venue, which is a beautiful park in the heart of Tokyo. It’s a very exciting venture that we hope will grow into an event of similar stature to 100% Design in London.”