Lexus held the judging session for the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2015, an international design competition supporting young designers with global aspirations, on November 24th at Intersect by Lexus in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo. This was the third time the competition has been held since its launch in 2013, but this was the first time that the judging was open to the public. Previously, the entries were evaluated individually by judges scattered around the world, but this time, for the first time, a total of 10 judges, including four mentors and six members, gathered together in one room. Mentors included designer Max Lamb, architect and engineer Arthur Huang, game designer Robin Hunicke, and architect and designer Lyndon Neri & Rossana Hu. The judges were architect Toyo Ito, industrial designer and co-founder and editor-in-chief of designboom.com Birgit Lohmann, senior curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Paola Antonelli, senior curator of architecture and design; design critic Alice Rawsthorn; Aric Chen, curator at Hong Kong's M+ Museum of Visual Culture; and Tokuo Fukuichi, Lexus International President. The theme for this year's competition was "SENSES," the five senses we are born with. Over 2,000 works were submitted. On the day of judging, the mentors announced the 20 winning designs, which were then reviewed by the judges. The 10 participants from around the world engaged in lively discussions about each design, and the design discussion continued beyond the scheduled time, demonstrating their passion for discovering new talent. Since 2012, Lexus has been working to enhance its brand value through a global advertising strategy, lifestyle proposals through Lexus Magazine, and the "Lexus Short Films" project to support young filmmakers. This design award is one example of these efforts. "We believe that contributing to society by introducing young talent to the world will result in increased brand value. Design and brand are the top reasons for purchasing a luxury car. Design is not just a form; it is a language for communication between manufacturers and customers, embodying the brand's philosophy. We believe that connecting with the design industry will eventually have a positive impact on our products," says Atsushi Takada, general manager of the Lexus Brand Management Department and chief of the Lexus Planning Department. Some of the first and second award winners have achieved results, such as expanding the scope of their work as designers after exhibiting at Milano Salone. "What's important is that creators' names are visible in various places through Lexus projects. We want to promote them well and support creative talent," he says. Antonelli, who has been a judge since the first awards, commented, "We received a wide range of entries, including lamps, clocks, mobile apps, and interactive works. Design is key to the world's future. I want to continue supporting young talent. Japan is rich in sophisticated and wonderful creations, so we should continue to export them. To achieve this, not only companies but the government as well should provide more support." He also expressed his excitement, saying, "The great thing about the Lexus Designer Award is that the mentors will create prototypes. I look forward to seeing what kind of works will emerge from the chemistry between the winning designers and their passionate mentors." Twelve winning designs will be selected, four of which will actually create prototypes with their mentors. All 12 designs will be exhibited at the Lexus venue during Milan Design Week 2015 in April next year, and after a final judging process, one Grand Prize winner will be selected.