Tokyo Design Week (TDW) seemed a little pared down this year, with a notable absence of a handicrafts creators¡¯ fair and only one awards exhibition. Nevertheless, it still offered the familiar lineup of products, interactive installations, architectural models, artworks and robots, as well as a new outdoor ¡°air-tent¡± display of giant transparent inflatable spheres, many of them comprising collaborations between universities and big-name designers.

The Sharaku Exhibition of ukiyo-e inspired art, design and fashion, which even included a stunning toilet decorated with Sharaku¡¯s print of kabuki actor Otani Onji III, was particularly impressive, while the Interactive Architectural Model Exhibition also proved popular, with its extensive collection of models ranging from Kengo Kuma¡¯s new origami-inspired plan for Shinagawa Station to Shimizu Corporation¡¯s whimsical earthquake-resistant Wooden Blocks Tower.

For On: Design, here are three personal favorites from the Professionals section, which included accessories and stationery but predominantly showcased prototype furniture and other interiors.