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Profile

Kenji Ekuan / industrial design Industrial designer. Graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Successively appointed to Chairman of Japan Industrial Designers' Association in 1970, Executive Chairman of the Japan Organizing Committee for ICSID '73 Kyoto Congress in 1973, Chairman of International Council of Societies of Industrial Design(ICSID) in 1976, appointed Co-General Producer of the World Design Exposition '89 Nagoya, Japan in 1987. Currently Chairman of GK Design Group, board member of Japan Design Foundation, Senator of ICSID, Chairman of Design for the World, received the Order of the Rising Sun in 2000, and received Honorable Doctor of University of Art and Design Helsinki in 2001. Earned higher appreciation of relevant field domestic and abroad for his dedication to design realm for nearly a half century as a pioneer of industrial design field in Japan. Makoto Shimazaki / interior design Interior designer. Graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Completed School of Architecture of Denmark Royal Art Academy. Honorary professor of Musashino Art University. While teaching design of interior , furniture and interior products, has been charged in collecting more than two hundred units of noted modern chairs domestic and abroad for the library of art materials as a reference for study. Currently as Vice Chairman of Scandinavian Architecture and Design Institute of Japan, exerting effort to promote Nordic design to Japan. At many universities and institutions in Europe, Asia, South America and others, instructing and lecturing of design. Assigned as a board members of many international conferences. Currently Vice Chairman of Japan Society of Interior Studies. Yrjo Sotamaa / interior design Rector of the University of Art and Design Helsinki (UIAH). Mr. Sotamaa, as the president of the University since 1986, played important role for establishing Lume Media Center and development of Art, Design Media City at Arabianranta. During this time, the school has grown into an internationally acclaimed art university. He has also played a key role in the creation of a national design policy and the reinforcement of the position of design. As a visiting professor, Mr. Sotamaa lectures regularly in many universities in Europe, Asia and Latin America, and he is often invited to speak at international conferences. In his publications, articles and lectures Mr. Sotamaa has extensively discussed topics such as design management, the evolution of the information society, and design. Keiko Torigoe / soundscape design In 1982, completed Master Course of Fine Arts of York University , Canada. In 1984, completed Music Master Course of Fine Arts of Graduate School of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Presently, Associate Professor of University of the Sacred Heart. Board member of Japan Soundscape Association. Head of Atelier Torigoe. Professional areas are musicology, environmental aesthetic, auditory environmental design. Based on the concept of soundscape, She has been working on various projects and work shops which range from urban design, environmental design to environmental education. While researching urban auditory environment including various media and sound culture of many regions in Japan, questing after the design world as looking to environmental conservation and the new succession of local life and traditional cultures. Masako Sone / product design 1959, graduated from the Design School of theTokyo National University of Fine Art and Music, joined GK Industrial Design Associates in the same year. For many years in charge of design work for home appliances, kitchen facilities, housing facilities, medical equipment. Carried out market planning, regional product planning through research work of "tools," "life style" at the GK Institute of Douguology. Currently Professor of the School of Formative Expression of Bunka Women's University. Director of the Institute of Douguology. Senator of the Japan Institute of Design. Timo Salli / product design Designer Timo Salli was born in Porvoo in 1963. He received his BA degree in wood and metal design at the Lahti Polytechnic Institute of Design in 1992 and in 1996 he got his MA in industrial design at the University of Art and Design Helsinki. He has had his own studio since 1993 and has worked together with, for example, Cappellini, Avarte, Snowcrash, Korhonen, and Design Forum Finland. Salli has taught design courses at both the Lahti Polytechnic Institute of Design and the University of Art and Design Helsinki and is currently professor at the Department of Product and Strategic Design at the University of Art and Design Helsinki. He has exhibited his work widely, most recently at the Design Museum in Helsinki, the Salon de Meuble in Paris, the Konstindustrimuseet in Copenhagen and Design Stop in Stockholm. Salli has been awarded a three-year state artist grant in 1999, the Young Design Prize in Hamburg in 1998 and the Klaessons Design Team award in 2002. Osamu Ishiyama / architect Architect. M. Eng., Waseda University, 1968. Established private practice in 1968.1988, professor, Waseda University. Presently active in variety of design fields in addition to architectural works, including planning, urban design, research of marketing and media. Practices architectural education focused on social context. Expands the realm of architecture not only by design but also through writings. From 1998 on, runs workshops for architects, artisans and children, presently named Waseda Bauhaus School in Saga. Mikko Heikkinen / architect The architect Mikko Heikkinen was born in 1949 in Savonlinna. He received his Master Architecture at Helsinki University of Technology in 1975. In 1975, Heikkinen founded a partnership with Markku Komonen under the name Heikkinen-Komonen Architects. The firm's references include the Finnish Science Museum 'Heureka' near Helsinki (1988), the Finnish Embassy in Washington D.C. (1994), the Airport Terminal in Rovaniemi (1992), the European Film College in Denmark (1993), the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden (2001), as well as pre-fab homes for a Finnish manufacturer, and schools in Guinea, Africa (1994-99). Mikko Heikkinen has held teaching positions at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg U.S.A. (1992), Stadelschule in Frankfurt (1995), and Kunsakademiets Arkitektskole in Copenhagen (1998). He has been the Ruth and Norman Moore Visiting Professor at Washington University in St. Louis (2002). Heikkinen has received the Finland Award (1996) and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2001). Hiroko Watanabe / interior textile design Honorary professor of Tama Art University. President of Textile Design Association of Japan. Established Textile Art Studio after came back from studying in France and Finland. Engaging in producing tapestry in architectural space and other textile design works. Exhibited works at the International Tapestry Biennial in Switzerland and the International Textile Triennial in Poland. Inspired by the exhibits, promoting new tapestry movement in Japan. On the other hand, supporting expansion of new value on modern art, and opened Gallery Space 21 at Shinbashi, Tokyo, in searching for better future of correlation between man, things and environment at the cross point of design, art and technology. Barbro Kulvik / industrial design From 1980 to 1994, She was editor in chief of Form Function Finland. Published numerous articles on design and crafts and has been visiting lecturer and design consultant for institutions, museums and libraries. Her own works have been exhibited Internationally, recently in New York, London and Brussels. She has been chairman of the Design Council of Finland and member of the board of Arts Council of Finland. Currently she is on the board of the Museum of Art and Design in Helsinki. She is living in Fiskars, Finland and is co-founder of the Fiskars Artist and Design Community. Masato Isaka / industrial design Professor of University of Shizuoka Art and Culture, Managing Director and Secretary General of the Japan Institute of Design, Councilor of Japanese Society for the Science of Design, , Board Member of the Japan Finland Design Ass. From 1970 to 2000, worked a project and product planning at GK Design Group. Award: "Mainichi Industrial Design Competition Special Award (1997), and others. Writing: "Merchandise and Design", "Urban and Design", and others. Jorma Puranen / photographer Jorma Puranen studied photography at the University of Art & Design Helsinki, where he was later a professor in 1995-1998. Puranen«s most recent projects Imaginary Homecoming 1991-96, Curiosus Naturae Spectator 1995-98 and Language is a Foreign Country 1998-2001 explore the dynamics between history, northern landscape and modes of belonging. Puranen has exhibited his work widely, most recently at Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki, 2002 (solo); Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, USA, 2002 (solo); Brandts Kl¾defabrik, Odense, Denmark 2001 (solo); Finnish Museum of Photography, 2000 (solo); National Museum, Copenhagen, 2002; Bildmuseet, UmeŒ, Sweden, 2002; Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK 2000. His works are included in several public collections, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Maison EuropŽenne de la Photographie, Paris; MusŽe de la Photographie, Charleroi, Belgium; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki and Moderna Museet, Stockholm.

Secretariat Japan Finland Design Association (Japan) c/o The Finnish Institute in Japan 3-5-39 Minami Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan 106-8561 c/o GK Graphics Incorporated telephone : 03-5952-6831 facsimile : 03-5952-6832 e-mail : jfda@gk-design.co.jp previous