Unit Review

Unit 01 "Things you wear" includes various items from everyday necessities such as underwear to specialized tools we wear for specific types of work. The common trend that could be observed during this year's screening was that many proposals were made with profound insights into the present day, particularly because they were mature products, showing creators' attitudes with a strong awareness of empathy with users.

In clothing, especially women's underwear, there were many products that are functional during the time of menstruation or disorder, and that also comfort users' feelings as well as let them treat "themselves." Men's underwear also focuses more on individuality rather than manliness, as can be seen in the Best 100 winner LACE BOXER (22G010052) which presented a new type of aesthetics using lace. In addition, while the disposal of clothes is considered a global problem, several products were outstanding in that they were improved properly in accordance with changes in society and lifestyles, such as using clothes made of materials that are both human-and-eco-friendly over a long time period, and proposing easy-to-wear clothes for people with disabilities or clothes that reduce working parents' housework burdens.

The majority of entries for wristwatches were from Japanese manufacturers, and they all showed traces of an attempt to incorporate the legacy they have built in the past into their present products. What was praised was not adherence to past glory but a modern and new design that embraces such glory, and achieving such a goal would be beyond our imagination. Apart from this trend, Metronome Watch (22G010006) stood out among others. Wristwatches were once considered to be replaced by smartphones; however, this watch was highly praised for achieving mastery of the esthetics of analog watches with hands. It was surprising that this product appeared in the long history of the wristwatch all of a sudden, yet has kept existing effortlessly at a high level. Also, it showed the underlying strength and potential of analog watches.

The common impression among the award winners of Unit 01 was that many products had been developed in a very proper manner. This is not a simple improvement, but means that a firm and fundamental review will create new values that resonate and bring us closer to the essence. Users would evaluate things to wear with a strong and solid sense because these are things that "they could feel on their skin." This year, there were many products that were designed to respond to such candid and demanding eyes, and the screening was very gratifying. We look forward to seeing further maturation in the future.

Unit 02 covers personal care products such as childcare, nursing care, wellness, beauty, massage, and hygiene products. Care is such a blanket term, although this category actually covers various types of care and can be roughly divided into two groups: "products for self-care" such as wellness, beauty, and massage, and "products for caring for others, care providers, or people to be cared" such as childcare and nursing care.

This is the third year under the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. We could see from entries that the former was being developed actively thanks to the increased amount of time spent at home. However, the results were harsh, and products that seemed to be transient or that did not show adequate consideration towards hygiene and environment did not make it to receipt of an award. On the other hand, it appeared for the latter that we finally had more choices for childcare products, although only a few nursing care products were sufficiently competent to be awarded. In other categories' facilities and activities, there have been positive movements in the field of nursing care, but the inability of awareness of manufacturing in this domain to keep up with the rapidly aging society is considered an urgent issue.

Against this background, a few nursing care products were rated highly.

Firstly, Keamu (22G020103) showed great harmonization between a long-established manufacturer that manufactures pajamas and uniforms for hotels from thread-making to sewing and a young designer with a spirited mind. This is a wonderful product that breaks down the barrier between care wear and general clothing.

This year there were also many entries of products that are convenient for people with disabilities.

Secondly, Vilhelm Hertz (22G020097). Thirdly, Ashirase (22G020101). These two products are brilliant in that they are designed to support disabled people who originally need care from someone to become independent and allow them to experience caring for themselves mentally and physically. In addition, such great products are developed independently by a small group of people who have a strong awareness of the problem, instead of being driven by proposals from large companies.

The role of design in the act of care is directly linked to individual problems.
In this complex society, it is very difficult to take the problems of the people involved as our own issue, see where the best solution lies, and turn them into great products. In this domain of design, there is much to learn from the award-winning products that have taken a courageous step forward, such as the importance of simply sharing proposals with others that will satisfy those in need.

Unit 03 deals with general stationery, office supplies, and products related to hobbies as the subjects of screening. We received more entries than ever before despite the coronavirus pandemic; this year's screening once again reminded us that the world is on the move. As many of the items screened in this category are mature products, there normally are a small number of flashy ideas or leaps, although we can see updates of design that can quietly penetrate into our lives, such as attempts to improve everyday tools even if only slightly or proposals to develop products that question the days of plenty. In addition, for the last few years, we have seen many efforts to realize a circulating society and products focusing on an inclusive environment. This year's trend can be summarized in the beauty of functional design reflected in visions depicting future society.

In stationery, there were many proposals related to creating a comfortable working environment at home while spending time under the coronavirus crisis. Many products showed good ideas for working or studying comfortably at the home office or study, giving positive images of lifestyle with proposals of diverse work styles. In the hobby category, we felt a powerful tide in product proposals focusing on self-pleasure or specific experiences, such as outdoor gear, healthcare products, and musical instruments. While designs that improve the large-scale one-size-fits-all types of services, such as infrastructure services and digital devices, become more and more common, there were movements to raise communities leading to small-size economic groups by deepening individual interests in more old-fashioned ways.

All of the products and services that garner a lot of recognition have been designed through honest research and development to address social issues and people's lifestyles. In this age, it is necessary to enrich the "world" of living together by thinking of each other and expanding imaginative power, and to picture the "world" including not only humanity but also animals, plants, and the natural environment.

In Unit 04, household goods such as kitchen tools, cleaning goods, bedding and emergency supplies are assessed. These are tools to carry out everyday tasks for "living"; therefore, products of this category are apt to detect changes in daily life quickly and reflect the orientation of such changes.

Amid the coronavirus disaster which is not short at all for three years and the movement towards achieving a sustainable society, an almost global sense of collective consciousness has produced changes in the way society is and lifestyles, along with certain restrictions and constraints. Even under such a situation, last year we had many proposals that aspired to convenience and abundance. But this year, there were many products that pursued spontaneous, more essential, and proactive abundance as if flooding out from the scope of stylized templates from last year.

Chanoma kyusu series (22G040241), one of the BEST 100 winners this year, has left a strong impression on that point. Outstandingly natural, transparent updates based on respect for the history of Tokoname-yaki and the land itself which produces the raw materials, and the deep understanding of the long-established manufacturing method and production site were appraised. This sense of transparency has no hint of contrivance and inevitably delivers natural intention and object, thus evoking strong empathy. Tokoname teapot, as known as the "icon of the teapot," gave us a sense of relief by sustaining the same image, and at the same time, showed the existence of intrinsic abundance and a firm, active intention for continuous possibility.

On the other hand, there were many outstanding proposals to drastically reform the conventional ways which had been taken for granted. Tomita safety grater (22G040226) was highly appraised for the savvy viewpoint to determine functionality and originality as well as for creating a "bladeless" grater with ripple and unique arrangement by advanced metal working based on the paradox that the risk of injury increases as the efficiency to grate improves.

This is a change derived from questioning something taken "as such" and having hopes for improvement as a goal. This shares the same "origin of the idea" as the update of Tokoname teapot. This year's screening foreshadowed the deepening of the viewpoint, which looked at the essence of a thing with honesty.

While we all are forced to change our living environment because of the current world situation, this year's screening made us wonder a lot about what home appliances, which are subjects of Units 05 and 06, should be. Through the screening, the judges exchanged particularly a lot of opinions about not only the external aesthetics but also the roles and purpose of manufacturing, such as what people can achieve by using the product, and what "beauty" means for home appliances.

Normally, the word "beauty" refers to external elements such as fancy colors and uniformly aligned shapes. During this year's screening, we saw many products that connote a view that cannot be judged by the conventional superficial beauty, for example, stick cleaners composed with uniformly colored parts, because they are made with recycled materials at a high percentage and refrigerators in which users can sort food tidily so that the door is kept open for a shorter period of time.

The role of home appliances is of course to make human lives more comfortable and convenient, but it is not limited to these in these days. There are many issues to be addressed, such as the reduction of environmental burdens and ethical consumption. Products that naturally embrace these issues within the manufacturing process and usability show careful workmanship in their appearances. Perhaps, home appliances also have something like internal beauty in humanity. This is a little abstract expression, although such home appliances that show "beauty" would be loved and widely accepted.

This is not limited to reduction of environmental burdens. For example, reexamine existing products in consideration of the present lifestyle and reconstruct them from scratch. Products based on such a willingness to take on challenges showed creators' enthusiasm on the outside, letting us sense "beauty."

All of the designs that resonated with the judges were clear in their purpose and role in manufacturing, which was reflected in their external beauty. This year's entries made us feel that what is required now is the home appliance accompanied by this sort of "beauty."

Unit 07 examines video/audio equipment. Products for taking pictures, recording, watching, and listening. The majority of entries are hardware. In addition to a fine appearance, compatibility with alignment products or applications, and comfortable fitting and weight balances if something wearable, maneuvering feeling is a crucial factor, since input means are not limited to physical methods represented by buttons, but a variety of means are now available such as voice, gaze, vibration. In addition, efforts to address environmental burdens are important.

I would like to introduce products that include such elements and have been highly evaluated by the judges.

We had many entries for earphones from both Japan and overseas, but there were still many unsolved problems, and there were dangerous aspects to wearing earphones because they isolate people from their surroundings. SONY LinkBuds (22G070354) has developed a ring-shaped driver that will not block the ears, letting users listen to music while hearing ambient sounds. They are small but comfortable to wear with high-quality sound even with this structure, showing the manufacturer's strong position not to trade off problem-solving with the original nature of the product.
In addition, the surprisingly compact packaging without plastic is a brave attempt to cause a stir to the excessive packaging rampant in this industry.

Nikon Mirrorless camera Z9 (22G070400) has been redesigned to meet the sophisticated demands of professionals, and it looks like nothing but Nikon. The exquisite balance of weight, solidity, layout of buttons, and maneuvering feeling are well succeeded, displaying the brand's philosophy that Nikon users can use the product without feeling uncomfortable. Not only in this product, but also in many models of professional video equipment, you can feel the strong philosophy of each manufacturer.

Among the same video equipment, the television once played a central role in our lives. But many of the entries failed to show what future they are heading to. In these transitional times, Panasonic TH-55LW1/TH-55LW1L (22G070442) addressed the untouched problems of wall hanging restrictions, cable management, etc., and showed what design should do. As a result, a comfortable living environment has been formed.

Now, the major sound source of sound equipment has become smartphones and the same is equally true of filming and playback of video equipment. Accordingly, many products have been eliminated. Before long, displays and projectors will be assimilated with the walls and ceilings of houses, and the presence of objects will become less and less. Of all the screening units, it is the one with the least foreseeable future, but products in this category are to create, appreciate, and enjoy art such as music and movies; therefore, I hope it will be a field filled with dreams in the future.

This unit mainly deals with communication and information equipment for general, public, and business use as well as related products.

The main characteristic is that many products of this category deal with "advanced technology," and how the objects that embody such technology function, and how to design the relationship between people and the environment; that is, the interface in a broad sense, becomes a common theme.

From a broad perspective, major changes made by technological evolution have calmed down, and it seems like all products are moving from horizontal "spread (growth)" to vertical "depth (maturity)." This year too, some products directly appealed to individual tastes and preferences, and the answers to the relationship between users and the environment have been segmented. The balance between technology and sensitivity has always been a problem, and there has been a lot of discussions among the judges. On the other hand, I imagine that many of the products entered were developed in the midst of social change, but there are still a few signs of progress that they are steadily moving on to the next generation while adapting to the chaotic situation. The screening panel gave much recognition to products that were trying to find the right balance between technology and human physicality and sensitivity, and products that had matured but did not stop questioning.

"A function called beauty"
Products need to have a high affinity between technology, which requires efficiency, and design, which is based on sensitivity, depending on intended use because they are to be used by humans. A portable battery OC for the office (22G080471) not only makes the place where you work more convenient but also has a beautiful appearance created by the relationship between people and the environment. The Dell Laptop PC (22G080493) tries to extract human thoughts and imaginative power by removing as many superfluous elements as possible. What we see ahead of the two proposals is high-quality output.

"Continuing to question"
We accept preconceived ideas in our daily lives, but we only become aware of them when we encounter answers that do not stop asking essential questions. In the past, home inkjet printers made users feel like paying for the ink to print, but Brother Industries Ltd.'s Multi-Function Inkjet Printer (22G080570) reminded people of the original meaning and value of printing by clarifying that they paid for the printing. Yamaha Corporation's Public Announcement System (22G080573) is a good example of pursuing the essence of "thorough communication" by adding not only auditory information of speech but also visual information by characters.

"A world that anyone can use"
The digital tool allows a relatively high degree of freedom in design, but it brutally divides people who can and cannot use it, just with a single accessibility mindset. Xbox Adaptive Controller (22G080538) is designed with the high philosophy that entertainment should be enjoyed equally by everyone and has a surprisingly high response. Matterport Axis (22G080462), which requires expertise to digitize building space, can be said to have suddenly expanded its application possibilities with its originality that allows anyone to use it.

On the other hand, there are still significant problems unique to this category. That is, how we will deal with a more advanced recycling-oriented society. Some of the products were based on the main concept (Smartphone (22G080453), Laptop PC(22G080515), etc.), but considering that the lifespan of digital products will be extremely short as they continue to evolve in the same way, it is clear that it demands in-depth response. There are also still potential challenges, such as overly fragmented lineups and too little development time, as the evolution of technology and markets tightly bond together. How can we approach the "answers" to these difficult issues, such as not only logical correctness but also human prosperity, by taking the lead in realizing a recycling-oriented society? It can be said that those engaged in development are now required to have a more cross-cutting perspective and a bold and delicate sense of balance.

While working on the screening of the same unit for a few years, you begin to see the demands of the times on design as continuous lines, not independent points. In particular, this unit of manufacturing and medical care facilities and equipment is a mirror that always reflects the challenges of the times.

What was impressive in this year's screening was that robotics has begun to be widely implemented across segments in various fields such as manufacturing, logistics, medicine, and construction. 2022 was an inflection point in the robotics industry, and we witnessed a discontinuous change in this year's screening.

Especially in the medical field, we were surprised to see many entries for medical support robots from both Japan and overseas. While the judges got a glimpse of the future of medical care in which robotics, high-speed communications, and virtual-reality technologies will work together, the entries also drew the attention of the judges to a proposal to correct the health disparity, a shadow cast by technology.

In manufacturing, it was impressive to see the next generation of large industrial robots that combine heavy portability with the opposite elements of flexibility and delicacy, as well as collaborative robots and AGVs (automated guided vehicles) that seek to deepen human friendliness.

The rise of robotics has been driven by the interweaving of technological innovations such as AI, sensing and data analysis, and the desire to support human activities through automation and decentralization amid the emergency of the coronavirus disaster. We cannot help but feel the wisdom of humanity in confronting the uncontrollable infectious disease and trying to open up the future by developing technology.

In recent years, in the manufacturing and medical care fields, the replacement or expansion of human capabilities through technology has become an urgent issue amid the chronic labor shortage caused by the declining birthrate and aging population. As a result, many applications for this unit have been based on the theme of how to optimize the relationship between people and technology.

But in this year's screening, I felt that the relationship between people and technology did not just remain there, but that it had moved to the next stage where people were so close to technology that they were unaware of its existence, and that it was showing completely new possibilities.

It goes without saying that humans add value to technology. Now, the technology to be a platform is being established, and the question is once again what kind of dream and future we will envision.

The products of Unit 10 include items that are used by consumers on a daily basis, but Unit 10 also covers products like some kind of unsung heroes that are hardly recognized by them.

Since Unit 10 has been receiving a lot of entries from overseas lately, the judges should understand diverse lifestyles rooted in environments and cultural backgrounds of different regions and countries without being caught up in what is considered common sense in Japan.

What we could say in common about the screening process was that the benchmark for evaluation was whether the relationship between people who dwell and the product or service is clarified, and whether the product has a universal viewpoint that can withstand the changes of the times over a long period of time. I felt that such diversified perspective has become more and more indispensable in the screening of the Good Design Award which is becoming increasingly internationalized.

Our lifestyles have drastically changed because of the pandemic and our common sense has been turned upside down; thus, what we design has changed. Amid the turbulent world with many disasters triggered by climate change, energy security issues, and the prolonged situation in Ukraine, solutions utilizing the power of design will be increasingly required.

All the products that stood out during this year's screening clearly reflected a "sincere attitude to confront" a way of living in the future into their design. Such products beautifully embrace a strong will to frontier and create a future without hesitation, looking over the benefit to the entire society instead of benefits for individual entities and comprehending the changes of the times. They are also durable as design.

What attracted the empathy and attention of the judges was that they were able to pay attention to all processes, such as environmental considerations, material selection, and manufacturing methods, as well as ingenuity in the use of products that at first glance appear to be no different from conventional products. I was convinced once again that installing a design would not only provide value to consumers, but also solve problems in manufacturing, distribution, construction, and services.

With the shortage of semiconductors and the lack of prospects for resolving procurement barriers, companies around the world continue to search for designs that will be needed in the next era in order to survive despite concerns over production and distribution.

Since many of the products handled by this unit are closely related to affluent lifestyles, we would like to root for companies that strive to develop products and services with high aspirations.

Unit 11 was in charge of the screening of office furniture and public equipment and facilities. This was the third screening under the coronavirus pandemic, and the screening process under infection controls such as online hearing seems to have taken off to some extent.

Throughout this year's screening, minimal design approaches responding to a problem situation have made an impression. The minimal approach is an orthodox way of modern design, but it also looked like the lifestyles and values of people are moving into a new, more minimal, and simpler style. Many of the office furniture products which were highly rated in this unit were assumed to be heading to a more flexible, compatible-to-environment design under the current circumstances of diverse workstyles such as working remotely. I assume that the design for such purposes has resulted in a compact and simple presentation. In addition, the demand for reduction of environmental burdens during manufacturing and use and post-use recyclability may also have propelled this movement. The three years of living with the coronavirus pandemic may have pushed people's lifestyles to refrain from traveling long distances or consuming energy and have generated values leaning toward being minimal.

On the other hand, there was also a tendency to emphasize the value of reality, such as an aspiration for improving sparse communication, presence in the usage environment, and texture or impression of something substantial. While there were many products that can be described by words like non-contact, remote, and unattended, I was encouraged by the presence of products that emphasized the esthetics as an item by materials and finishing. For equipment in various genres, products related to universal design, and nursing care products that are subject to this unit, there are many products that require conditions such as face-to-face contact. This year's screening made us realize that we are always required to tackle real-world problem head-on and create value even in this social situation where many things are processed online.

The term "once-in-a-100-year revolution" applies to the mobility unit of the Good Design Award.

Not long ago, the majority of entries were vehicles themselves, and genres were limited to automobiles, railways, airplanes, and ships. In recent years, however, as the number of new forms of personal mobility have increased, mobility services such as MaaS have also become more prominent.

Traditionally, these types of products were created by up-and-coming venture companies and start-up companies. However, this year, there were many cases in which automakers with a long history endeavored to get into such genres.

The same is true of public transportation. This was because of a severe situation in which the number of passengers slumped due to the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, but there was a service approach that was not seen before, such as carrying luggage on the Shinkansen and selling goods while the train was stopped.

In both cases, there have probably been a sense of crisis that there was no future if they stuck to the traditional style in the face of changes in the social situation, but the attitude of actively changing from themselves was favorable, and I felt that the experience they had built over the years was expressed in the form of sophistication and trust.

The trend toward electrification is also noticeable, but I realized that the phase of simply replacing an engine with a motor is over and we have already shifted to the next step. Providing forms and interfaces that were not possible before, improving the working environment by electrification, and using a driving battery as an external power source for household use, it seemed that the provision of new value would be a guideline for the future.

In terms of automation, while a fully autonomous passenger car is difficult to put into practical use for the time being, it is highly likely that it will be introduced in the field of logistics in limited spaces such as factories and warehouses. There were actually entries as such. Although it is not to be recognized openly, it will contribute to improving the environment and raising awareness in the field, and we hope that we will continue to see ambitious proposals.

The unit 13 covers houses or small-scale housing complexes. Entries range from houses by house manufacturers, builders, and design firms, to small housing complexes, such as rental housing, senior housing, overseas housing in which the number of applications is increasing, and housing materials. We, the judges, examine each subject entry considering "whether the entry has made proposals to improve society within the industry it belongs to." What I kept in my mind as a premise for this screening was that what people want for housing has changed after the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. With more opportunities to do telework and spend more time at home, I feel people's increasing desire to spend better time at home. "Wealth of life at home" is not limited to the luxuries of the architectural space. There were also a number of efforts to strengthen people's ties in the communities in which houses were built, indicating a more social shift in the thoughts of the home builder and the home supplier.

The BEST 100 award winners from Unit 13 were: hocco (22G131019), Onoji Apartment Complex in Kamiyama Town (22G131024), HOWS Renovation Kunitachi (22G130967), BAUMEISTERHAUS (22G130990), and Shiiba House (22G130991).

hocco is a combination of housing and shops built in a bus terminal in a residential area to be a community hub. It was highly evaluated in that it contributed to enhancing the attractiveness of the local suburb by creating people's interaction starting from their work. This is a model case in the future demonstrating a new development technique not only focusing on the area around a station.

Onoji Apartment Complex is a housing complex that was built by the local town in order to attract families with children. Landscaping utilizing greenery, which is a resource of the town, was highly rated. The system in which the people who live there get their hands on and take over is also wonderful.

HOWS Renovation was praised for its new attempt to sell existing homes as skeleton housing. It is epoch-making as a mechanism to purchase an existing house with confidence.

BAUMEISTERHAUS is a work that created a stir in the issues of the Japanese timber market. There are many suggestions for making forestry sustainable.

Shiiba House is a renovation project of a 100-year-old house in Kyoto. It was praised for creating an attractive space with a mixture of history and modern times while reinforcing its main house with a new shed.

They all were highly evaluated as good examples of rediscovering local resources and making us think about the meaning of affluence in terms of the large social situation and the relationship with the community and one's surroundings.

While there have been many cases that proactively focus on areas where houses are built and the surroundings for the past few years, this year's screening of medium-to-large-scale housing complexes followed this trend but also added a new perspective.

For example, there was a case that addressed the demands of the local community for large-scale development and a case that reexamined a large-scale development itself to create a new value not limited to economic rationality. In particular, there was this project to develop a prime urban area that has become underpopulated due to the relocation of former residents, which involved the phased construction of wooden rental housing with a clearance gap like an alleyway included in each section, instead of using a conventional method of reorganizing the land and rebuilding it into a high-rise apartment building. This can be called an "old and new development." This may not be a flamboyant project that would catch people's attention such as securing a large piece of land and making fancy communally working spaces, but must have been created because the architects and the businesses with a local benefit perspective were thinking about what they can bring to the people and the community on a human basis. This shows that even large developers are taking the theme of community development more seriously.

In terms of the importance of locality, there was also an interesting soft-side case of making agreement for the development of a detached housing district. This agreement to protect the properties of residents through environmental protection and promote spontaneous, sustainable activities of residents is a wonderful project that makers should commit to as providers who can engage in the construction of dwelling environments over a long time.

For a variety of dormitories, there have been more and more notable attempts in recent years, and this time too, there have been several high-level cases. In addition to focusing on the development of communities among residents, from the buildings with the appearance emphasizing the beautiful facade in line with the corporate philosophy and the ones that skillfully drew in the outside space to allow good distance between rooms, we could feel the firm intentions of the developers to turn a dormitory, which is a dwelling with a clear purposiveness, into a living base that interacts with the outside environments, rather than leaving it exclusively to residents.

There were also examples of new construction methods for high-rise urban wooden buildings, which are attracting increasing public attention. The technology of urban wooden construction, which contributes to CO2 reduction, has been remarkably developed year by year. This construction, which is versatile and can be developed by using lumber for ordinary detached houses, is different from the conventional urban wooden construction approach, and further development is expected in the future.

Lastly, we would like to mention the elderly housing with services that aim at ideal nursing care by facing the existing customs head-on. The space that seeks ultimate humanity is completely satisfying, and this facility makes a great contribution not only to the residents but also to their families and local residents. This case taught us how communities truly should be.

Unit 15 deals with industry and commercial facilities which are generally called "profit-making facilities," and building design that is directly related to business and profitability.

• However, because of its large scale and its large number of users, this domain should pursue not only profitability but also design that recognizes social issues and leads to a better society, and should have a strong linkage to this year's theme "From Cross-Interaction toward Symphony." Starting from this thought, the judges reached the following three common recognitions at the time of screening.

• In comparison with other architectural design awards, the Good Design Award in recent years has put more emphasis on the design of project planning before the final construction, which is called "mechanism" or "initiative." This should be emphasized as a characteristic of this award.

• On the other hand, Unit 15 is a screening unit that handles architectural design or other concrete objects; therefore, it should also focus on how accurately the characteristics of the design are reflected in the actual buildings.

Furthermore, whether the design properly leads to the user's experience without resulting in designer's self-satisfaction should be carefully examined.

In other words, the screening was based on designs in which three things, mechanism/initiatives, spatial design, and user experience, are well balanced and cross-linked.

In the actual screening, the award winners were selected as Good Design after all the judges came to an agreement as a result of thorough reading of the submitted materials and repeated discussions. We believe that we have been able to select works that balance the three designs, and at the same time, enthusiastically aim to solve social issues despite their profit-making nature.

Looking at this year's screening results, we can realize that there were a wide variety of works. The works that received the Best 100 alone cover construction, engineering, and landscaping, such as a library, a museum, a children's playground, landscape design, and river improvement, as well as new buildings, renovation, and management. These works had a wide range of expressions, although we would like to point out two overall trends.

One is a sincere and creative approach to local and social issues. In particular, themes like inclusivity or GX (green transformation) often end up being mere catchwords, becoming separated from the design, or being overvalued just for their efforts. However, this year, many works had these things well sublimated into designs. In addition, both the public and private sectors are making steady progress in addressing regional and social issues from their respective standpoints.

Another is that the existence of timelines. The way designs contact with the local community and residents for a longer period of time and flexibly carry on goes even further than generalized processes such as workshops that allow residents to participate from the design phase. Good examples of such are Cultural Landscape Design of Sakitsu and Imatomi (22G161239) which has progressively developed the landscape through dialogue with the local community for over 10 years and accordingly has brought about a change in residents' awareness, and Shelter Inclusive Place Copal (22G161188) which is under an ongoing developmental attempt by a special purpose company in which both designers and builders are involved engaging in the management even after its opening.

These are not particularly new; however, this type of trend seemed to have gain a foothold across this year's entries. On the other hand, there were some works that cut into the public space development, which is hard to change. Moriguchi City Library (22G161185), which challenged the premise of the public ordering system, and OHASU PARK SUE PUROJECT (22G161241), which questions the true meaning of the new park management system, would be new models for institutional change.

Of course, the works of Unit 16 reflect regionality into both the tasks and the designs. It may be because of the present situation where information is rapidly giving way to mobility that we feel once again the loveliness and possibility of being different.

It is difficult to give an overall judgment for the works in Unit 17, since this unit deals with a wide variety of domains. However, if dare to say, it would be a "design that pursues what it should be." Stop, think about what to do, then move on. During the screening, we sensed such a trend of design.

In the domain of Contents, the works that provide an opportunity to have an "overview" gave us a strong impression. Its specialty lies in not just summarizing the past activities and publishing them in the form of collected works, but in creating cultural value. There also were many contents that were produced during the pursuit and challenge to find what we really need. Such sincere communication of information will certainly cause a good stir to make the social situation better.

In the Branding domain, there were cases where "systemization" was used instead of modifying symbolic logo marks. They design the basic elements, such as pictograms and fonts, properly and instill them in every corner of communication. These meticulous efforts improve trust within and outside the organization, which in turn enhances the brand.

In the packaging domain, the influence of the online society and the elimination of plastics strongly suggests that now is an era in which the meaning of packaging itself should be reconsidered. In such a situation, what impressed us were the designs that directly express the attractiveness of the products. The works that simply convinced us, in other words, that demonstrated the "natural" power of products, were highly rated.

In the Exhibition domain that has been in trouble due to the coronavirus, new uses of space are being found by providing "optimized" experiences to each guest. How we can speak to the inside of the individual in the public space. This kind of thinking will be an important keyword in future exhibitions.

This unit strongly reflects the communication style of the era. In the future, it will take over this year's design, and it will get closer to "what it should be." We hope this review will help.

The works that showed a strong intention and implementation to form the foundation of society as well as expressed a "Symphony" were highly evaluated.
The foundation of society may vary in its domain or scale.

There are many types of foundation making projects such as Notion (22G181425), which became a global infrastructure for workstyles and collaborations, YAMAP DOMO (22G181355), which is a point system to encourage altruistic actions in a community, and Yamakoshi Public Meeting (22G181419), a regional revitalization utilizing down-to-earth ingenuity, and NTF, which was held in Yamaokoshi district with a population of 800.

There also were some questions that indicated a sweeping trend.

"How can we make the public sector more open and dynamic by using digital?" The Digital Agency's approach to government service design (22G181433) is a symbolic activity of such trends. The positioning of design in the digital administration will be changed from a role of arranging appearance at the end to a service design in which participants join in and plan together from the start up. It was presented in the form of a cabinet decision, changed the use of words at the site, built up small successes, and moved the organization. OPENTIX (22G181350) by Taiwanese National Theater and Concert Hall is also a system that shows the will to promote the arts and performance industries during the coronavirus pandemic. It should also be referred to in terms of the management of public facilities based on data.

"How can we redesign our medical and disability experiences to achieve a sustainable and beloved way?"

Fast DOCTOR (22G181357) digitally re-edits the way emergency medical practice is. In Japan, where the working population continues to decline, the burden on healthcare workers, who play a leading role in the industry, has been reduced by improving efficiency in the background and ensuring effective matching. The meaning of this project is significant in that it pioneered emergency medical services.

MIRAIRO ID (22G181316) aims at a society in which people with disabilities and their families can be more willing to go out while making the social and economic benefits of experiences related to their disability certificates compatible through digitization. By multiplication with payments, it is meaningful to receive various benefits without presenting a disability certificate.

What they have in common is a willingness to present a new social image. Continuing to implement and improve the preferable experience by using digital. In addition, continuing to make steady efforts to involve those who are related. The result of carrying through until these things resonate with each other leads to building the foundations of society.

We want to continue with our "Cross-Interaction" and "Symphony" toward a future in which systems and services will become a further mobile power for social change through design.

Enthusiasm, Continuity, and Invention

"I had an epiphany!" Everyone must have felt the moment the synapses connected. There must have been a lot of "inspiration," especially as a child. But as we grow older and immerse ourselves in society, many of us would say "I have fewer inspirations."

I consider design to be a "process of problem solving." Of course, the beautiful form that comes from intuition is a design as well, but designs are appreciated because there are proposals to change the times running into a brick wall. In particular, when it comes to the design of "initiatives" and "mechanisms" such as works of Unit 19, it is important how seriously social issues are addressed and how specific measures for solving them are considered. Furthermore, the process must be "feasible (sustainable)" and "beautiful."

This year, the entries for Unit 19's "Initiative and activity for regional" and "Initiative and activity for community developments" were of a very high level, and included many "inventions."

To give a concrete example, all the judges were impressed by the invention (mechanism) of "Magical Dagashiya Tyrol-Do" (22G191474). While it is a place where everyone can go, such as a candy shop during the day and an izakaya bar called "Tyrol Sakaba" that is crowded with local adults at night, it actually functions as a children's cafeteria.

What is so epoch-making of this project is that it involves the invention (mechanism) of currency conversion. One hundred yen is converted to one to three tyrol by a capsule toy machine, and you can have curry and rice for one tyrol. In other words, children can be privileged to have curry and rice without feeling awkward while they play the game. The cost is paid from a portion of the payment for eating and drinking provided by adults, and is visible on receipts.

What else can be called an invention if this is not?

Of course, this may not be the greatest invention of the century. But the invention is driven by a years-long aspiration to solve problems. If you look at the Best 100 works from that perspective, you will see that they share the same "enthusiasm, continuity, and invention."

"BEPPU PROJECT" (22G191456), which has built genuine cooperation between the government and private sectors instead of mere formality, "SAGA AGRI HEROES" (22G191457), which achieved an extremely challenging target (sales) within a short period of time, "A travel journey with local friends" (22G191436), which questioned how media and oneself should be, "Plant foster parent-Botanical garden you can get" (22G191470), which strives to change the sad situation that is happening in dormitory suburbs, "The sustainable chocolate business mode" (22G191462), which not only raised the income of betel nut farmers but also made the quality of Taiwanese cacao known to the world, and "A Music Festival Project that Rocks the Animal Protection Education for 23 Million" (22G191437), which attempts to solve the abandoned dog problem with a curve ball.

If you have grown up feeling less inspired, imagine the background of these works. Perhaps the "lack of inspiration" came from our "lack of enthusiasm and continuity."

Just looking at what was ranked in the Best 100 from this unit, this year's Unit 20 had more diverse entries for screening, including medical care, welfare, agriculture, education, disaster prevention, and recycling. Looking for a common denominator among them, I had this strong impression that there was an approach that sought to bring things that had been regarded as a binary opposite together, such as cities and rural areas, and healthy people and handicaps.

As a representative example, NEURAL GP network (22G201521), the Good Design Gold Award winner from Unit 20, is the general Practitioner Training Project by Shimane University Faculty of Medicine. This project is designed to connect students and the local communities while there is a shortage of local medical professionals nationwide and is evaluated as innovative in terms of fostering general practitioners and sustaining the local network. This is highly versatile and is expected to contribute to the medical care system of the local community in the future.

Similarly, DUAL SCHOOL (22G201526), which utilizes the system of out-of-zone school attendance, can be called an educational infrastructure design in which children from families who attempt to live in two regions, one in a city and the other in a rural area, can attend elementary schools in both areas without having to transfer their residence certificates. This design encouraged the diversity of lifestyles in Japan after the coronavirus disaster.

The Special Award winner, KIYASUKU (22G201481), is a clothing repair service that started out with the idea of asking people to choose and wear whatever they want regardless of whether they have a disability or not. The excellent system of this service is that it networks mothers with disabled children as the people who are responsible for repairing their clothes, and by providing their experienced skills for repairing clothes to families with similar circumstances, it also creates social jobs for mothers with disabled children who have had difficulty going to work. (There was a similar viewpoint in the design by OryLab Inc., which won the grand prize from Unit 20 last year, that people with disabilities can connect with society by working through robots).

When we talk about SDGs and a recycling-oriented society, we now start a new cycle by connecting things and things that have not been included in the framework of circulation or that have not been looked at before. Affluence can no longer be explained by economic rationality. Then, where should we put focus of design to improve life in Japan? Such a question makes the screening of Unit 20 very interesting.