Press release, March 26 2009
In 2002, Seiko Watch Corporation instigated an internal design project whose aim was to stimulate new creativity from its design team by allowing them to create watches and clocks without commercial restraints. This initiative proved to be very successful, with SEIKO's designers submitting dozens of ideas and with many of the designs drawing wide praise when prototypes of the selected designs were shown to the public. Over the past seven years, the project has become a fixture on the SEIKO calendar and the annual public exhibition at the JIDA* Exhibition during Tokyo Designers Week is now eagerly anticipated among Japan's design community.
The project was once again directed by Naoto Fukasawa**, an internationally celebrated designer whose work for various brands is widely respected around the world. He challenged SEIKO's designers to create timepieces that had simple and strong shapes but that also reflected the rich diversity and fascination of the city of Tokyo. He invited the designers to think about the dualities of Tokyo; the contrast between the avant-garde and the conservative, the structured and the chaotic and between the industrial and the human.
This ‘Tokyo' theme inspired an impressive and very diverse range of creations, each of which typifies the atmosphere and character of a different district of Tokyo. For example, the Yoyogi area, squeezed between the bustling and fast-paced Shibuya and Shinjuku districts is densely urban and yet contains major shrines and important public spaces. This duality is expressed in the Yoyogi design which makes a powerful impact on the eye, yet has a sense of tranquillity.
In total, 12 designs are exhibited at Baselworld, reflecting 12 areas of Tokyo. SEIKO invites you to explore both the magic of each Tokyo district and the creativity of its designers.
* Japan Industrial Designer's Association
** Born in 1956. Established Naoto Fukasawa Design in 2003.
A leading Japanese designer on the international scene, Fukasawa has undertaken not only domestic projects but also numerous projects overseas in Italy, Germany, France and Northern Europe. His MUJI CD player, ±0 humidifier, and Infobar and neon for au/KDDI are all part of the permanent collection at MoMA New York. He was accorded the title of Royal Designer for Industry (HonRDI) by the Royal Society of Arts in England in 2007, and has won over 60 design awards.
