ABOUT THE PRODUCTS ADJUDICATED IN THIS UNIT

Consumer electronics, which were referred to as "the three sacred treasures" after World War II and much coveted, are now so thoroughly incorporated into daily life that we almost forget that they actually exist. Electrical appliances, a perfect example of a mature product group, are the focus of Unit 2. Since these are mature products, manufacturers try to distinguish their products from others by making them slightly different, and they make assertions about operability and functionality. The main point that the Screening Committee looked at was whether we could read the assertions of the design in these slight differences and whether the design was an appropriate expression of and in line with the concept. During the First Adjudication, we eliminated only those entries whose design had clearly taken a wrong turn, and we followed a policy of focusing on the Second Adjudication with the actual items.

THE FOUR CANDIDATES FOR THE GOLD PRIZE

As we took an overview of the 194 entries, included the nominated entries, it looked to us as if the companies had already gone through an in-house selection process before making their applications. One entry after another exhibited a certain product level. The stunning advances made by South Korean manufacturers were particularly noteworthy, and the 22 South Korean entries that passed the First Adjudication were high-quality products that gave every evidence of concern for design down to the smallest detail. An extremely high percentage of these entries, 59%, which exceeds 51.8% of whole Units gathered, received prizes.
The Screening Committee members screened the items by checking the content of each application sheet and judging the intention of the design, the points that were worth evaluating, operability, reliability, and other aspects one by one. In particular, they kept discussing the circumstances in which the items were used until they could arrive at a mutually agreeable result.
The four entries that were selected as candidates for the Gold Prize were singled out for their creativity and degree of completeness, and we assume that they will influence the design of household appliances in the future.
I would like to carry out evaluation report, pointing out the difference from other products and focusing on four nominees for Gold Prize as follows.

Bang & Olufsen's audio system BeoSound 1 exhibits a high degree of completeness in all respects, including the beauty of their form, the small finishing touches, the choice of materials, and their superior machining technology. The movement of the CD drive, which is almost an emotional experience for the user, and the performance of the red LED displayed through punched holes, are ingenious. It is also possible to carry around with the handle unified at the back; it is definitely different from those so-called Japanese radio cassette recorders. Even in Japan, we find products that have been influenced by Bang & Olufsen's designs, but none of them go beyond mere superficial imitation, and none of them even come close to the sense of bringing the listener into direct contact with the music. Audio design in Japan may still be at an immature stage, and we hope to see better things from it in the future.

Toshiba's electromagnetic cooker was created in a procedure different from that of which has prevailed among appliance manufacturers until now. The Design Division itself joined forces with a specialized manufacturer of cookers, and the result was a superb item that shows us everything that a cooking appliance in a kitchen space should be. Usually, when two different industries work on manufacturing a single product, we find small discrepancies in the finish of the coating and in the fitted parts, but in this case, the pot and the main electromagnetic cooker unit have shiny finishes of the same quality, giving the cooker a feeling of cleanliness and unity. The design does not particularly draw attention but gives one a favorable feeling, and it elicited remarks such as "a product that makes one want to try." Similarly, the company also applied several cookware made of stainless steel, and they are also good examples of this.
Moreover, since the shape is simple, with all unnecessary elements eliminated, anyone can use it. This feature also won the cooker a nomination for the Universal Design Prize. We would like you to appreciate the fact that this cooker exemplifies what the so-called "universal design" is; kindness and consideration for people, a sense fully designed into the essence of the device. It is not proclaimed in bold pictograms, signals written out in big block letters, or extremely vivid colors especially made for the elderly and the visually impaired.

National's electric bucket NA-BK2 can wash anything that previous buckets could. Its function can be imagined from its unique naming "Electric Bucket," and it just draws your attention. It performs the functions of a washing machine, and it is fun to see the silhouettes of the items being laundered as they go round and round inside the semi-transparent tank. Its operating system is easy to understand, and it has possibilities for use as a new life education tool that even children can handle. It has gone far in the opposite direction to the latest washing machines with high technology functions, but received high marks for the clarity and directness of the concept of combining the act of laundering into a single function.

Tae Kwang Industry's answering machine muTECH is a cooperatively produced product in every aspect, starting when a Japanese designer joined forces with a South Korean manufacturer and moving on through product development, creation of a brand, and marketing. Its confident form and well-completed finishing touches are attractive enough to make a person forget himself and pick it up. Its extension phones in particular is different from those of Japanese products, and the shape clearly makes it easy to use. Some of the members of the Screening Committee voiced the opinion that they would like to see mobile phones with this same shape. Using design as a management strategy in this way has moved the playing field from Japan to the Asian mainland, and it will probably provide a shot in the arm to what seems like a hemmed-in market.

Each of above 4 items has a clear concept of design, high completeness, and charm which attracts people rather than anything. They were nominated as the Gold-Prize-worthy products.

Other highly regarded entries that I would like to mention include the MUJI refrigerator, which one praise for its simple design that harmonizes well with a kitchen space. We liked National's Soft Iron, which showed us a new way of using an iron, but we would like to see a little more attention paid to the handling of the cord. National's another product cordless canister vacuum cleaner, had high marks for the beautiful way in which its surfaces were joined and for the high quality of its form, but we would like to see a bit more thought given to the treatment of the transparency.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN ELECTRIC APPLIANCES IN THE FUTURE

When you stand in front of a shop in an electronics district, it seems somehow sad and lonely despite all the surrounding uproar. Washing machines and refrigerators are packed together, and their "thick make-up" feature is meant to lure customers, but instead, the display seems to take away one's desire to buy anything. Although this "thick make-up" would be born with inquiries from the volume retailers, it is just a pity for the design side. Seeing "objects" that don't go well together with our everyday lives is depressing, and one may end up grumbling, "What were the designers thinking of?" or "Isn't anybody doing design management?" I often hear that people around me sighs that there are no attractive home electronics recently. Why?

The current attention being paid to foreign electric appliances seems to be more than a fad. People want products that they can be a fondly regarded part of their households. They want to be able to use them for a long time. This is what most consumers really want, and you designers must certainly feel the same way. We would like to see all of you go back to the basics and think long and hard about the purpose of the product, the place where it will be used, and the people who will use it. For once in your lives, we would like you to put your feelings into your designs.

Consequently, Bang & Olufsen's audio, Toshiba's electromagnetic cooker won the Gold Prize, and Tae Kwang Industry's answering phone won the Design Management Prize as a special award from the Chairman of the Screening Committee. Such results are our gratification as they were worth our intentions that our Unit would have liked to carry out.

Reiji Oshima
Chief Jury of Unit 2
President, OSHIMA & ASSOCIATES, INC.