The design event "Tokyo Midtown DESIGN TOUCH 2013" is being held from November 18th to November 4th.
Every year, various design, art, and collaboration projects are held throughout the large-scale Tokyo Midtown complex. This year's theme is "Let's Go Searching for Design." Visitors become design hunters and enjoy exploring and experiencing various designs hidden in everyday life.
One of the main attractions is the "Midpark Dungeon," designed by young architect Ryuji Fujimura. Located on the grassy plaza within Tokyo Midtown, it features a maze made of wooden pallets used for transporting materials. Fujimura explains, "Based on the theme of 'Let's Go Searching for Design,' I wanted to create something that would be enjoyable for both children and adults, allowing visitors to explore a place reminiscent of a game dungeon."
Tokyo Midtown was planned based on the grid-like structure of Manhattan, and the maze was designed with that grid in mind. "The feeling that you can see through the gaps in the wooden pallets to the other side, but that you have to take a detour to get there, represents a modern city," says Fujimura.
Four "Experience Squares" have been set up within the maze. They include an iconic heart-shaped object, a drainpipe reminiscent of urban infrastructure, and an area covered in green netting like a park. A structure modeled after a certain Bubble-era building periodically blows countless soap bubbles. Beyond these Experience Squares, visitors will find the symbolic "Midpark Skyscraper." "We hope that this will serve as an opportunity for visitors to learn about the background and story of Tokyo Midtown," says Fujimura.
Also in Midpark, 19 "Midpark Workshops" will be held, open to children and adults alike. These outdoor creative workshops will provide a venue for many people to experience design and art.
The first-ever "Salone in Roppongi" will be held on the Galleria's basement floor. The internationally acclaimed designer, Oki Sato of nendo, is exhibiting an installation he created for the Stockholm Furniture Fair earlier this year in the atrium of Tokyo Midtown. Furniture designed by Sato was also on display in a space lined with white plastic objects evoking snowy mountains.
Other exciting events include the "JAGDA Kasama/Kawara/INADA Stone" exhibition, which features a variety of stone art objects along the promenade, and various collaborative projects with shops within Tokyo Midtown. The "Good Design Exhibition 2013," showcasing Good Design Award-winning works, will also be held at the same time, providing a variety of exciting content to brighten up the autumn design event week.
[Event Information]
"Tokyo Midtown DESIGN TOUCH 2013"
Location: Tokyo Midtown
Address: 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: Until November 4th
