Tokyo Design Week (TDW) seemed a little pared down this year, with a notable absence of a handicrafts creators' fair and only one awards exhibition. Nevertheless, it still offered the familiar lineup of products, interactive installations, architectural models, artworks and robots, as well as a new outdoor "air-tent" display of giant transparent inflatable spheres, many of them comprising collaborations between universities and big-name designers.
The Sharaku Exhibition of ukiyo-e inspired art, design and fashion, which even included a stunning toilet decorated with Sharaku's print of kabuki actor Otani Onji III, was particularly impressive, while the Interactive Architectural Model Exhibition also proved popular, with its extensive collection of models ranging from Kengo Kuma's new origami-inspired plan for Shinagawa Station to Shimizu Corporation's whimsical earthquake-resistant Wooden Blocks Tower.
For On: Design, here are three personal favorites from the Professionals section, which included accessories and stationery but predominantly showcased prototype furniture and other interiors.