The Toyama Design Center
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TOYAMA PRODUCT DESIGN SELECTION
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UNIVERSAL DESIGN PROJECT
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UNIVERSAL DESIGN PROJECT
Our living environment is facing a drastic change which we have never experienced before; such as changes in communication through wide and rapid diffusion of the Internet and mobile phone, various potential problems caused by low birthrate and longevity, and issues of global environment, resource and recycling as a result of mass-production and mass-consumption.

Under such circumstances, the movement to reconsider the relationships between product, environment, and people has spread throughout the world. The Universal Design, which is getting more familiar lately, is typical word originated from the same movement.

Furthermore, new terms such as "Barrier-Free Design" for the disabled and elderly people and "Eco Design" for the global environment have also been invented.

There is growing momentum toward development of products and environment adopting this type of approach. The Design Center of Toyama holds seminars and contests in order to offer the latest information about the universal design to Toyama citizen, local industry, local government, etc.
The first Winner of the Universal Design Contest: Ring Plug (Designed by Manabu Nishikawa)
The first Winner of the Universal Design Contest: Ring Plug (Designed by Manabu Nishikawa)

Universal Design Contest
Applicants are widely invited to enter a design on the concept of "universal design to solve inconveniences in various situations of daily life". The design proposals should be submitted in the form of an A3(297mmx420mm)format board with the layout inserting a theme, a title, a concept and a rendering to let us imagine the complete picture.
> A winner of the Universal A Award will be awarded a prize of 100,000 yen.
(for 1 work, regardless of subject)
> A winner of the Universal B Award will be awarded a prize of 50,000 yen.
( for two works, regardless of subject)
  * Prize includes tax.
All entries will be considered for the production of a mock-up model, and also positively supported for commercialization.

[Schedule]
January: Start to accept applicants on the website.
  http://www.toyamadesign.jp/and http://compe.japandesign.ne.jp/
End of February: Judgment
March: Announcement of the results. Commercialization will be considered.
Copyright(C)2001,The Design Cener of Toyama All rights reserved.