Japanese Good Design Exhibition in New Delhi

Japanese Good Design Exhibition in New Delhi
First Time in India
New Delhi, March 7, 2011- Opening ceremony of the Japanese Good Design Exhibition in India and the I Mark launch event took place at the Federation House on March 4th. 8 representatives from India and Japan participated and addressed their remarks on the opening of the exhibition and the newly created I Mark.
Deputy Director-General for Infrastructure and Advanced Systems Promotion, Creative Industries Promotion, Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Masakazu Ichikawa, addressed his excitement on the opening of the exhibition and the expectation for the future collaboration between India and Japan. Dr. Amit Mitra, Secretary General of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) followed, “We at FICCI feel that design can be one of the important factors for deepening our bilateral ties. India aspires to be the manufacturing hub in the coming years and design plays an important role in this evolution”. On behalf of Shri Anand Mahindra, Chairman of IDC & Vice Chairman/Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra, Roney Simon, Director of FICCI, quoted his keynote address “I am absolutely delighted at the increased and well deserved attention we are giving to design through the National Policy on Design, the Indian Design council and the launch of the I Mark. Our design thinking would have to be not just holistic but also unique to us. If we want to put India on the design map of the world, then we would have to find our own design voice- a design vocabulary that is uniquely Indian but has universal appeal”. During the launch of the I Mark, Prof. Pradyumna Vyas, Member Secretary of the India Design Council and Director of National Institute of Design said, “Design is integral to the process of creating an effective system for the development of long term advantage and we need to foster the culture of good design practice and recognition of good design in the country. In this regard, IDC is committed to encourage the development of a Design led economy that is productive both ecologically and economically. The introduction of the India Design Mark is one significant step in this direction.” For the vote of thanks, the producer of the exhibition Kazuo Tanaka, President of the GK Design Group Inc. and board member of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) ended, “What is design? It is not a job merely deciding a color or a form of an object. Design makes people's daily lives comfortable and affluent by resolving today's many kinds of problems. A beautiful and easy to use design might innovate our lives, society, and economy.”
From the 4th to the 6th of METI will hold an exhibition titled Japanese Good Design Exhibition in India. This event will be the first of its kind to be held in India. It aims to promote the idea that “Good Design is Good Business,” and will highlight 95 products from Japan including appliances, cars, motorcycles, lifestyle items and even machinery. The exhibition will be held in association with FICCI, the India Design Council and the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO) at the Federation House. Please visit the venue to see and feel what the newly created I Mark is aiming for.
Background
In recent years industry has become increasingly aware of the importance of product design. In response to this growing awareness, India’s government announced their National Design Policy in support of fostering innovative design. Further to the announcement of the National Design Policy, India Design Council was set up and one of the key mandates of the Council was to establish a mechanism for recognizing and awarding industry achievers in creating a brand image for Indian designs through the award of an India Design Mark or I-Mark. To help establish India’s own award system, the India Design Council contacted the Japanese government to learn from their experiences in creating Japan’s Good Design Award. The Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO) and India Design Council signed a memorandum of understanding in April 2010.

Objective of the exhibition
The Good Design Award is a comprehensive program for the evaluation and encouragement of design organized by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO), which was established in 1957 by the then Ministry of International Trade and Industry (the current METI). JIDPO receives approximately 3,000 submissions from more than 1,000 companies and designers every year. These designs are screened by about 70 design experts, who select and recommend those designs worthy of the Good Design Award. However, the Good Design Award is not a beauty contest, nor is it an award that assesses the design’s outcome in economic terms. Rather, the Good Design Award is a system that aims to channel the eminent powers of design to build prosperous lives and encourage sound industrial development. Ultimately, it is a campaign to brighten and enrich society through design.
METI, through collaborative efforts, will offer support to establish an Indian design award alongside the Indian Design Council to create a mutually beneficial relationship between Japan and India. Additionally, a key aim of the event will be to further understanding of how design in Japan has contributed to industrial, economic and social development, and apply that knowledge in India.
What is I MARK?

* I MARK is a proposed marking (symbol) that the India Design Council plans to confer on selected products, services, objects and works that conform to the processes and standards that are set by it, to help define good in the concept of good design.
* The objectives of I MARK process are to:

Raise the profile of Indian design: Increasing general awareness of design to increase interest of students to study new design programmes. This award will also make entrepreneurs aware of ways in which design is integral to business planning.

Encourage and demonstrate the use of design: I MARK will bring to fore projects of social and economic value that have benefitted from good design processes, thereby encouraging other stakeholders to emulate these successes.

Give broader recognition to the value of design: As of now the value of design is understood only in academic circles. Value of design needs to be recognized in wider circles for design to become useful to society, industry and government.

Document case studies of successful design: I MARK is a good method for the India Design Council to recognize and document case studies.

Future Developments
METI will continue to offer support leading up to the launch of the India Design Award. Additionally, the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO) and the India Design Council will continue to work together based on their cooperative agreement after the launch by holding joint discussions.

About Japanese Good Design Exhibition in India


Event name Japanese Good Design Exhibition in India

Theme Good Design is Good Business

Host Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)

In Association with India Design Council

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)

Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO)

Producer Kazuo Tanaka, President of the GK Design Group Inc. and board member of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design(ICSID)

Location: Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi, 110001 India

Date March 4-6, 2011

Open Hours Open to public on 5th (11:00 to 20:00) and 6th (11:00 to 16:00)

Admission Free

Exhibition Space 1090 sq meters

Items to be Exhibited 95

About the Good Design Award


Ｇマーク基本パターンJapan’s Good Design Award is the biggest design award in Asia and is well known and widely respected the world over. Every year more than 3,000 products from 20 different countries apply to be judged for this prestigious award. Products awarded with the Good Design Award receive the “G Mark”. This mark is a sign of reliability and represents the connection between industrial design and real life.