The 5th International Competition [NAGOYA DESIGN DO! 2006] For Someone Else -Communication and Collaboration-
	A design work needs a "function". Then, "What is function?" Simply put, it should be to work or operate in a proper way to fulfill a purpose. But in our Chinese characters, it also means "the particular role of an individual element as it depends on other elements in the whole". In the human environment the function of a created work must not be independent of its surroundings; rather it must operate interactively, act and react to its environment. Function, therefore, is a truly social concept. When you are creating something as a design, you may look at it from the perspective of someone else during the actual creation process. The eyes of that someone else might be the voice of your client, or perhaps the targeted user, while your own inner voice reflects an even greater influence on the design. That inner voice may be whispering, "Am I creating this object for him, or for her? Maybe, it should be for the other people living far away in stead those who surround me. No, in fact, it should be geared for people in the future, people I have never even met." The theme for the 5th International Competition NAGOYA DESIGN DO! is "For Someone Else," with an added qualifier of "Communication and Collaboration." Communication does not necessarily have to involve only people; objects or the environment can be your partners as well. Collaboration signifies that designs are not to be kept for or within one person, since the process of design is based on the relations between the designer and other people or things. In addition, Communication and Collaboration must not lead the designer to lose his or her own sense of originality. Rather, they eventually provide the designer with the means to develop his or her unconscious talents to achieve the work. It should be noted that the method of judging works entered in this competition is slightly different than that of the past. Not only the end result, but the design process itself will be evaluated as well. Group entries are encouraged to collaborate by combining works from various categories of design. Individual entrants should prepare a presentation explaining the basic creation process involved in their design. The judging committee sincerely hopes that, through these design activities and persistent efforts, Nagoya can emerge as the focal point for the complex phases of design, combining cultures and individualities to create innovative ideas and designs. Text by Coco Funabiki *The following theme committee members were responsible for this year's theme: ･Karsutoshi Ishibashi (Editor in Chief of AXIS) ･Kazuo Iwamura (Architect / Representative, IWANURA Atelier co.,ltd.) ･Mitsuo Katsui (Graphic designer / Representative, Mitsuo KatsuiDesign Office) ･Tomoyasu Hirano (Representative, DIGITALSCAPE co.,ltd. ) ･Coco Funabiki (Design consultant / President & CEO of Tokyo Design Center inc)