Kazuo Tanaka graduated from National Tokyo University of the Arts, where he majored in industrial design. He is CEO of GK Design Group Incorporated, a comprehensive freelance design office in Japan founded in 1952. He is also the Executive Advisor of the Japan Industrial Designers Association (JIDA) and the Executive committee Chairperson, World Design Assembly Tokyo 2023. In 2007, he was elected member of the board of directors of the World Design Organization (formerly ICSID) and since then has acted as a regional adviser, for various international projects. He also has been involved as a juror in many design promotion activities in and out of the country.

The design concept was “Thunder Capital to the Future.” We took part in the project from formulating the concept taking into consideration lightning and ears of rice contributing to the rich environment of the Haga Utsunomiya region and its nickname of Thunder Capital. GK expends energy to create people’s consciousness to think about the future of their local area through LRT. For this purpose, we proposed a people’s participation plan to help people recognize the presence of LRT and think proudly of it. In addition to visible designs, it will become increasingly important for a total design to develop local identity, forge local consciousness and pride among the people concerned.

The exterior form represents the sense of dignity and speed befitting Meihan Express. The elegant deep red external color was achieved by triple-layer metallic coating. As for the interior design, the premium high deck cabin, which has three seats with real leather lining per row, is placed on the first carriage. Every seat on all the carriages employs a back shell that eliminates the stress caused due to reclining. The name and logotype express the quality traveling experience and vehicle.

This is a design for a new standard-type bus stop in the city of Berlin. It is managed by the Private Finance Initiative using revenue generated by advertisements inside the facility. With the presence of a piece of beautiful street furniture, the bus stop improves the quality of the urban landscape.