Design Magazine Vol.233 on Sale July 1！

AXIS Inc (Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Nobuo Asaka) has released  Design Magazine AXIS (vol. 233) published on Jury 1, 2025.

COVER STORY

Shohei Takei  Engineer and Founder of nomena

There is a realm of consciousness that can only be reached by people who constantly use their hands.

nomena has been bringing surprise and inspiration into design through engineering. It supports ideas from designers and enterprises with its technical expertise, and leads them to expressions that attract the viewers. As nomena is involved quite often in works that attract public attention, they are reliable driving force behind the scenes, and in recent years, it has also gained attention as a creator pioneering new frontiers in design. It received the Mainichi Design Award in 2024, and given their broad-ranging activities it has been said that "nomena's influence has already spread to diverse fields." The impressive design is born of the philosophy of the founder, Shohei Takei.

Feature
In-honse Design in 2025――Silent shifts in creativity and internal innovation

The function of design inside companies is undergoing a subtle shift. In-house designers are shifting their practices--from surface to structure, from one-off projects to designing systems, and from generating concepts to shaping meanings. Navigating the intersections of technology and society, individuality and organization, strategy and culture, they are pioneering new models of creativity and organization. What lies ahead for in-house design in 2025? Through the four chapters, we trace both the concrete realities and the future possibilities of this ongoing change. 

INTRODUCTION: The future of work for in-house designers
Exploring social positioning and identity

As the global business environment surrounding the organization shifts dramatically, in-house design is once again in the spotlight as a catalyst for growth. Two designers, from inside and outside the company, shared their thoughts on the current landscape, and how we got here. Yukinobu Maruyama has worked in the design field at Hitachi, Ltd. and teaches at Musashino Art University. Kunitake Saso is a strategic designer with experience at P&G and Sony, who now supports the company's design management promotion from outside the organization.

FUJIFILM　Structural Color Inkjet Opens Up a New Realm of Material Expression

Fujifilm's proprietary "structural color inkjet technology" is a new technology that produces structural color--like that seen in peacock feathers or the carapace of jewel beetles――through the reflection of light by microstructures formed in an ink layer, without using any pigments at all. An exhibition based on this technology, "IMPRESS," was held this March at TIERS GALLERY in Omotesando. At this exhibition, realized in collaboration with Kaori Akiyama, who represents the design office STUDIO BYCOLOR, we explored the state of co-creative design Fujifilm has been promoting. 

IBM　At the forefront of design thinking in tech

When it comes to IBM's design, many people might first think of the ThinkPad (currently a Lenovo product brand), whose basic design was created by Richard Sapper. However, going back to 1966, when IBM's second president Thomas Watson Jr. advocated to his employees that "Good Design is Good Business," perhaps IBM's business essence became about solving social and corporate issues through design from that point forward. We spoke with Eiki Shibata who contributed to the early design of the ThinkPad and now serves as a Distinguished Designer at IBM iX (Interactive Experience), the company's consulting division about the evolving role of design within IBM. 

MERCARI　Redesigning the in-house Team: A new approach to division and collaboration

Mercari may not yet be widely recognized as a company with a strong design culture. But behind the scenes, a quiet transformation is taking place. In recent years, the company has introduced a CXO (Chief Experience Officer) role and established a cross-functional structure that enables seamless collaboration among design, product, and engineering teams. Design is now an integral part of every stage of product development. We spoke with Mayumi Narisawa, who stepped into the role of CXO in 2024, to learn how this new framework came to life.

Shaped by the in-house years
――The foundations of design and an attitude of empathy

What role has in-house experience played in shaping the core skills of freelance product designers today? Three designersーFumie Shibata, Gen Suzuki, and Daisuke Kitagawaーeach with a background in different manufacturing companies, reflect on their time as in-house designers, how they transitioned to independence, and how they currently engage with in-house design teams.

Can a Healthy Relationship Between an Organization and Individual Change Design?
A New Generation That Is Both In-house and Freelance

Today's society is demanding more flexible ways of working. The four individuals featured here are actively engaged in personal projects while being employed by companies, presenting their work both in Japan and internationally. We will explore new ways of working in this new era, along with the perspectives of a generation that faced the pandemic during their early careers or student years.

SHISEIDO CREATIVE
Design and Philosophy That Bridge Eras: Beauty Born from Inheritance and Innovation

In 2022, Shiseido Creative was spun off from Shiseido. Its stated vision is "We create beautiful impact." How is the aesthetic of Shiseido, which led the way during the formative years of design and advertising in Japan, being inherited and cultivated? We spoke with them about recent trends and the changes in their environment three years after the company's establishment.

The intersection of strategy and creativity: Redefining the role of in-house design
Jun Katsunuma (NEC) x Yumiko Tanaka (NTT Docomo Business) x Kazuhisa Horikiri (Fujifilm) x Katsutoshi Ishibashi (AXIS)

Architect Toyo Ito was involved in the design of the Expo Tower, the symbol of the 1970 Osaka Expo. Designer Yuma Harada recalls growing up seeing the tower from a young age. The two, who are also involved in the upcoming the EXPO 2025, discussed the architecture and designs they have created, the concept of public space, and the future beyond the Expo.

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