"The Uncomfortable Design Exhibition That Makes the World Better," at GOOD DESIGN Marunouchi from March 24

Dentsu Inc. Creative X, in collaboration with the Japan Institute of Design Promotion, will host the "Uncomfortable Designs That Improve Society" exhibition at GOOD DESIGN Marunouchi in Tokyo's Marunouchi district from Friday, March 24 to Sunday, April 23.

This exhibition is a selected proposal from the open call for exhibitions hosted by GOOD DESIGN Marunouchi, the communication space of the "Good Design Award," Japan's leading design award. It was recognized for its concept, which explores the potential of the sensation of "discomfort" to reveal the contours of modern humanity and its psychological effects, thereby presenting a new approach to design.

The exhibition explores how effectively using "discomfort" can lead to "design that improves society," unraveling this through psychological effects. It introduces various examples, ranging from everyday objects to slightly intriguing concepts.

【Overview】
Dates: March 24 (Fri) - April 23 (Sun)
Hours: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM ※Closes at 6:00 PM on the final day
Venue:GOOD DESIGN Marunouchi
　　　Shin-Kokusai Building 1F, 3-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Admission: Free

【Exhibition Content】
Using dioramas, the exhibition visualizes "unpleasant designs" hidden in daily life and provides detailed explanations of these examples. Supervised by Professor Emeritus Haruo Hibino of Chiba University, it explores the relationship between "unpleasantness" and "design" from the perspective of psychological effects. This includes initiatives and processes that directly address "unpleasantness" to solve problems, as well as products that create new value starting from "unpleasantness." Additionally, the exhibition features digital content designed and produced by Dentsu Craft Tokyo, known for its expertise in planning and creating digital experience content. This content engages visitors through sound and visuals, allowing them to deepen their understanding of "unpleasant design" through both physical and cognitive engagement.

Exhibition Examples (Partial List)
・The "Emergency Earthquake Early Warning Chime Sound" that communicates danger through discomfort
・"Training Pants" that teach through discomfort and comfort
・"Sans Forgetica," which boosts memory through discomfort
・"Pancake Mix" that increases value through inconvenience
・Energy drinks that use unpleasantness to make them more effective

[Planner's Comment]
Shun Nakazawa / Creative Director
Amidst the strong push for diversity and compliance, "discomfort" is being eliminated from society. While this may seem correct at first glance, I've long questioned whether a truly "pleasant society" awaits us after eliminating all discomfort. This exhibition is a challenge to that question, and I hope it becomes a starting point for new discoveries about future society and design.

Planning and Production:
Shun Nakazawa (Creative Director), Chiho Sasaki (Copywriter), Keita Asaoka (Art Director), Mitsuki Eguchi (Designer), Ryo Matsumoto (Video Director), Ryo Hatano (Video Director), Hirotoshi Murata (Technical Director), Tatsuya Ishikawa (Technical Director), Sota Suzuki (Producer), Hideya Iguchi (Producer)

■Press release regarding this matter is available here