Tomoko Azumi

BA Environmental Design, MA RCA Furniture Design.

Research Fellow in Design, Production and Manufacture

RAE Outcomes

Research interests
Furniture, space and product design; the usage of advanced technologies in creative process of 3D, product and exhibition design; how the applications are used in concept developments and to bridge design concepts to emotional quality in result.

Professional activity

2007-2008 - Good Design Award, JIDPO (Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization) - jury member

2007 - Young of the Future Award, Design Miami, Basel - jury member

Design Report Award, SaloneSatellite, Milano - jury member

2005-2007 - 100% Design Tokyo, Reed Exhibition and Design Association, Japan - member of selection board

2004 - Kokuyo Design Award, Japan - jury member

2004 - D&AD Design Award, UK - jury member

2004 - FX International Design Award, FX Magazine, UK - jury member

Design

2007 - ISOS Collection, The Furniture Show, NEC Birmingham; exhibition stand design

2006 - ISOS Collection, The Furniture Show, NEC Birmingham; exhibition stand design

2005 - Nesting Tables, Maruni, Japan

Exhibitions

2006 - 10 X Ten, 100% Design, London; work: Tinned Localities

2006 - Digital Explorers: Gravity & Glow - Tomoko Azumi & Assa Ashuach, Metropolitan Works, London, and associated products for this exhibition

Conferences, symposia and seminars

2007 and ongoing - seminar organisation: Design Research Seminar Series, London Metropolitan University. Featuring a variety of design and craft practitioners, as well as supportive bodies and firms in the industry. Review of each seminar is in progress here

2007 - paper: Design and Local Industry in Japan, 100% Design Forum, London. Organised by Reeds Exhibitions and Japan External Trade Organization.

2006 - paper: Digital Technology in Design, Exploring Innovation: Best Practice Forum for Designers, Bloomberg, London. Organised by Hidden Art, London Design Festival, Design-Nation, Metropolitan Works.

2006 - paper: Design Realities and Design Education in the UK, 100% Design Tokyo Seminar, Tokyo, Japan. Organised by Reeds Exhibition, Design Associations and British Council

2006 - Symposium on Design and Life, Tokushima Design Conference, Tokushima, Japan. Organised by Japan Inter-Design Forum.

2005 - paper: Technology and Craftsmanship in Contemporary Design, Nextmaruni Design Forum, Tokyo, Japan

2005 - paper: Design and Manufacturer in Europe, Design & Environment Forum, Hiroshima, Japan. Organised by Hiroshima Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Publications

Tomoko Azumi meets Step Stools - chapter in Pullin, Graham: When Design Meets Disability, under peer review for publication in late 2007

Journal articles

A wealth of books and reading: A door to unknown world, book review on Ethnology Quarterly by National Museum of Ethnology, Japan. Axis, Issue 129, p 92. (August 2007)

A wealth of books and reading: I forget about everything when I walk, book review on Great Japanese Essays - Supplementary Volume 32: Walk. Axis, Issue 120, pp. 90-91. April 2006 (ISSN 0285-8223)

Review articles

Atilano Gonzálex-Pérez, Digitalability Exhibition, Design Mai Internationales Designfestival, Berlin. Digitalability, May 2007

Takahiro Tsuchida, Special Features NEXT UK, Interview 1: Tomoko Azumi, photon, Issue 8, p. 16, January 2007

Takahiro Tsuchida, The London Design Festival, Sustainable and Recycle: Ten / 100% Design, photon, Issue 8, p. 26, January 2007

Kiko Matsumoto, 2006 Autumn Tokyo Design Event Report: Design Tide: On Wall, photon, Issue 8, p. 44, January 2007

Sean Ashcroft, Works and Play, Creative Review, November 2006, pp. 42-44.

Fiona Rattray, Cheap and Chic: with just peanuts to spend, 10 designers got crafty, I.D. (The International Design Magazine), December 2006, p. 17. (ISSN 0894-5373)

David Sokol, Lone Star, I.D. (The International Design Magazine), June 2006, pp. 82-87. (ISSN 0894-5373)

Awards

2007 - Best Innovation Award by Living Etc, for Millefeuille, The Furniture Show, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham,

2006 - Best contribution to the show, Blueprint / 100% Design, for TEN X 10 stand (includes 'Tinned Localities')

2006 - Best Exhibition Award, The Furniture Show, NEC Birmingham for ISOS exhibition stand.

2004 - Best Designers of the Year, Blueprint Design Sessions, Blueprint, UK - finalist

2004 - Jerwood Applies Arts Prize: Furniture, Crafts Council, UK - finalist

2003 - Best contribution to the show, Blueprint / 100% Design, UK for partnership Azumi