Toshiyuki KITA Designer Toshiyuki Kita was born in Osaka, Japan in 1942. In 1967 he established his design office and started researching on habitats, life styles, and traditional handicrafts. He began to work in Japan and Milan, Italy in 1969. In 1981 his WINK Chair was selected for the permanent collection in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He received the Product Design Award from the Institute of Business Designers and Contract Magazine in the USA in 1983. In the following year KICK Table was chosen for the permanent collection in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 1985 he was awarded the Mainichi Design Prize. Toshiyuki Kita was invited to "Novelles Tendances," 10th anniversary exhibition of the Centre George Pompidou in France, where he submitted his work "Furture Space" in 1987. In 1990 he won the Delta de Oro Award in Spain. In the ensuing year, he had his private exhibition in Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art. He designed the chairs and interior for the rotating theatre at the Japanese Pavilion in Seville in 1992, and in 1993 he chaired the judging committee of the Sixth International Design Competition. In 1995 Mr. Kita was the General Chairman of the committee under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry to select "Good Design" products. In 1997, his MULTI LINGUAL CHAIR was selected for the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. In the following year, thirteen of his works were selected for the permanent collections of the Modern Art Museum in France. In 1999 he had the design seminars in Peking, Taipei, and Seoul. He held his private exhibitions in Milan and Bellona (1999) and in Italy (2000). Moreover, he held the exhibition, "l'anima del design," in Milan in 2001. Toshiyuki Kita is an active, internationally respected environment, interior and product designer. He is also involved in traditional Japanese craft designs such as lacquer wares and Japanese paper products. In addition, he has actively encouraged industries in local areas. Motomi KAWAKAMI Designer Motomi Kawakami was born in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan in 1940. In 1964 he graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and his major was industrial design. In 1966 he finished a postgraduate art course at the same university.　He worked at the Angelo Mangiarotti Architecture Office in Milan, Italy between 1966 and 1969. In 1971 he established "Kawakami Design Office". He deals with wide-ranging works such as craft, product design, furniture, space and environmental design. He works on development for local industries and education for human resources. He is a visiting professor of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Tama Art University, and Kanazawa College of Art. Main prizes: the Japan Interior Designers' Association Awards the first prize at the Open -International chair Design Competition of A.I.A. in the USA the IF prize in Germany. the Mainichi Design Prize the Kitaro Kunii Industrial Design Award. the Tanaka Prize for the Tsurumi Tsubasa Bridge by the Japan Society of Civil engineering the Yokohama Civic Design award the Good Design Gold Prize. Exhibition: "Hybrid, and light and could" exhibition. (Gallery Ma) "Industrial Symphony" exhibition. (Quest Hall) "Material Message" exhibition. (Ozone Gallery) Books: "GACHI - Furniture of Kawakami Motomi"(Rikuyosha), "Kawakami Motomi-Design to connect people with technology"(Amus Arts Press.) Kunio SHIBUYA Rector Kunio Shibuya was born in Tokyo in 1940. He is a rector of Sapporo School of Art since 2001 and his specialty is industrial design. In 1963 he graduated from Chiba University Faculty of Engineering where he majored in industrial design and started working for Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. He took charge of car designings such as Nissan Laurel while he was working there. In 1970 he established Techne Design Co. Mr. Kunio Shibuya has dealt with designing merchandise such as cars, electric household appliances, commodities, illuminators, and building materials. In the same year, he became a part-time lecturer at Tokai University's Humanities and Cultures Department. In 1984 he started teaching as a professor at Hokkaido Tokai University Department of Design, which is his current job. In addition, he served in the university as the Dean of Design Department from 1987 to 1994. He consecutively worked as the chief editor of "Industrial Design" magazine, team leader of ICSID Inter Design '81 Hungary, director of Kanagawa Design Association, member of Hokkaido Arts Council, Judge of IFDA 2002, judge of Good Design Award、chairman of selecting committee of Industrial & Human Design Competition, and judge of Sapporo International Design Competition. He is the director of Japanese Society for Science of Design, manager of Japan Society for Interior Studies Hokkaido branch, director of Design Research Association, and director of Hokkaido Design. He is the author of Method of Conception for Product Design, The City and the Life Stage, The Connection between Design and Traffic Safety, and Modern Product Design in Japan. Hans Sandgren JAKOBSEN Designer Hans Sandgren Jakobsen was born in 1963 in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 1986 he finished his education as a cabinet maker. From 1986 to 1990 he studied industrial design at The Danish Design School in Copenhagen, and during his studies he went to America to study the Shakers' craftsmanship. After graduating as an industrial designer Hans Sandgren Jakobsen went to Japan for three months where he worked as a designer at "COBO Design" in Nagoya. In 1991 he started working for the Danish designer Nanna Ditzel and at the same time he started to make a name for himself. At the end of 1997 Hans Sandgren Jakobsen ceased working at Nanna Ditzel's and since then has concentrated on his own designs. He has made designs for: VIA (USA), Kohseki (Japan), Art Andersen & Copenhagen, Kunsforeningen Gammel Strand, Fritz Hansen, Frederica Furniture, Bent Krogh, Werner (Denmark). Furthermore, he is a member of the design group "Spring" beginning in 1991 and the society "SE" Snedkernes Efter?rsudstilling since 1994. Hans Sandgren Jakobsen has been awarded many prizes and scholarships from Gurli and Paul Madsen's Foundation and from the Danish government's fund for the endowment of the arts. For several years he has received the Danish National Bank's Jubilee scholarship. He has also been awarded with The Forn?s Prize, Good Design Award, Rote Punkt and The Danish Furniture Award. Moreover, his works have been shown at exhibitions all over the world. Gunilla ALLARD Designer Gunilla Allard, born in 1957, is one of the most famous Swedish furniture designers internationally. She graduated in 1988 from the Department of Interior Architecture and Furniture Design of the University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm. In 1985 Gunilla was a visiting student at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture in Copenhagen. Her carrier as a furniture designer started in 1988, when she as one of five newly-graduated students was selected to become a member of Lammhults workshops. Gunilla Allard is the winner of many prestigious awards. For instance, she has received the Excellent Swedish Form Design Prize twice: in 1955 for easy chair/sofa " Cinema"for Lammhults and in 2000 for the chair "Cosmos"for Lammhults. In 1996 she received the George Jensen Prize and in 2000 the Bruno Mathssons Prize. The statement of the jury of the George Jensen Prize well describes her products. "…　strict, minimalistic and elegant design. The proportions and details of her furniture reveal a genuine sense of quality."Details from old sport cars are one of Gunilla's sources of inspiration. Gunilla has not only designed furniture, but also carpets, glass, lighting, kitchens etc. Gunilla has realized several projects within the film industry in Sweden and Denmark, among others, she was the property master of "Fanny and Alexander"by Ingmar Bergman. In 1994 she was awarded with "The Robert"from the Danish Film Academy for the best stage design ( film "Black Harvest"). Gunilla Allard has had several separate exhibitions, for instance, "Gunilla Allard Collection at Coexistence" in London 2000, Swedish Museum of architecture in Stockholm 2001 and " Swedish Style in Tokyo", Japan in 2001. Also, Gunilla has a lot of international jury experience, e.g. " Interior innovation award Cologne 2004" in Germany. Yeoh-Hang YOON Designer/Professor Yeoh-Hang Yoon was born in Seoul, Korea in 1955. He graduated with B. F. A. in industrial design and M. F. A. in furniture design from Hongik University in Seoul, Korea in 1979 and 1984, respectively. In addition, he received a B. S. with honors in product design from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA., USA. in 1988 and also a M. A. in industrial design from U.C.L.A. in 1992. He began his career as an assistant manager in the I. D. Lab. at Daewoo Electronics Co. Ltd. in Seoul, Korea from 1981 to 1986, during the period of 1984-1986 of which he worked as a staff designer at the I. D. Focus Inc. in Santa Clara, CA., USA. He then joined the Oswaks Industrial Design in Shadow Hills, CA., USA, where he held the position of a principal designer. Since 1995, he has been with the Department of Woodworking and Furniture Design at Hongik University in Seoul, Korea as a professor. He is currently with the Department of Design at Hokkaido Tokai University in Japan as a visiting professor. Yeoh-Hang Yoon has held numerous design exhibitions over the years, both domestically and abroad, in various capacities. His most recent private exhibition titled "Wooden Product Design Exhibition for Everyday Life" was held in Asahikawa, Japan in 2004. Before this event, he has participated in several exhibitions in Japan, USA, China, U. K., and Taiwan in the past. He has also contributed many invited works to a number of exhibitions, and over the years, he has participated in group exhibitions by various academic societies as well as industrial and alumni associations. In addition, he has also been active in the field of design, with the designs for environment-friendly furniture and facilities for the Kyongju National Museum (1999) and the Songdo New Town, Inchon City (2001), Korea, as well as the recent design development in collaboration with the Interior Center Co. Ltd. of Asahikawa, Japan, among his accomplishments. He has served on the jury for a number of design competitions in the past, and has also been actively involved in professional organizations and events in various roles. Currently, Yeoh-Hang Yoon is the Vice-president of the Korean Society of Furniture Design and Technology, and the Chairman of Furniture and Art Committee of the Wood Culture Forum.