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Kazuo Tanaka

CEO
GK Design Group, Inc.

  • Profile

    1981Graduated from the School of Design of the Faculty of Fine Arts,
    Tokyo University of the Arts

    1983Completed the master course of the postgraduate Design School of the Tokyo University of the Arts

    1983Joined GK Industrial Design Associates, Inc

    2000Director of Sign and Street Furniture for the EXPO Aichi

    2006President of GK Sekkei Inc.

    2007President of GK Design Group Inc.

    2007Executive Board Member of International Council of Society of Industrial Design (ICSID 2007–2011)

    2014President of GK Industrial Design Inc.

    2016President CEO of GK Design Group Inc.

  • Title

    Executive Advisor of Japan Industrial Design Association
    Good Design Fellow of the Japan Institute of Design Promotion
    Regional Advisor of the World Design Organization(WDO)
    Executive Committee Chairperson, WORLD DESIGN ASSEMBLY TOKYO 2023
    Red Dot Ambassador (Germany)
    ViceｰDirector of the Sumida Local Brand Promoting Conference Board of Directors／ Chairperson of the Sumida Brand Certification Examination Committee

  • Qualification / Honorary Degree

    Professional Engineer Japan (construction sector: June, 2003)
    Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa (D.Ltt.) of the India Ajeenkya D.Y. Patil Univ. (January, 2019)

  • Committee Member / Juror

    A Member of the Study Group on the Relation between Industrial Competitiveness and Design, The Japan Patent Office [JPO] of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry [METI]（2017-2018）
    International Advisor of Taiwan Design Center (2016)
    International Advisory Committee of WDC Seoul (2009）
    Japan : Good Design Award (2003–2009), The Urban-scape Award of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Japan (2006–), Civil Engineering Design Prize (2008–2010) Germany : The Braun Prize (2009), The Red Dot Design Award (2008)
    China : The Design Intelligence Awards(2016), The Franz Prize (2015), The Lotus Prize(2010), The iF Design Award (2009), The China Red Star Design Award (2009)
    Korea : The Pin Up Design Awards (2011–)
    Singapore : The Red Dot Design Award: design concept(2010–), The Singapore Good Design Mark (2014), The President Design Award (2015)
    Australia : The Australian International Design Awards(2010)
    India : The i-Mark Design Awards (2012)
    Taiwan ROC : Golden Pin Design Award(2017)
    Mexico：Design Mexico Award（2017）

  • Awards won

    The Red Dot Design Award
    Good Design Award (Japan): Grand Prix
    Sign Design Association Award: Award of Excellence
    iF Design award

  • (JA) 主な著書

    (JA) 「都市とデザイン」(共著)電通
    「パブリックデザイン辞典｣(共著)産業調査会
    「クルマ社会のリ・デザイン」(共著)日本デザイン機構
    「マイナスのデザイン」(共著)日本デザイン機構
    「デザインの本質」
    「パンデミック革命」(共著)