alter. Talks

During the exhibition period, alter. will host five live-recorded talk sessions at the venue.
Together with a diverse range of guests, these sessions will explore the complex issues surrounding contemporary product design—from the challenges faced by today’s designers to the creativity of viewers and users, as well as practices of repair, modification, and digital fabrication.

Important Notice

This talk event will be conducted as an open recording event.
The session footage will be publicly available after the event via audio streaming.

There are a limited number of seats available for viewing in the venue.
Due to the limited seating, standing viewing is possible.

Pre-registration is not accepted. All entries will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

In case of overcrowding, entry may be restricted for safety reasons. In such cases, we may ask you to leave the venue.

Please refrain from recording or filming during the session. Official recording and streaming staff may enter the venue.

DAY1_ The Current Landscape of Product Design

Where does product design stand today? This session examines the broader ecosystem of contemporary design—tracing global challenges, the dialogue between creators and users, and emerging alternative movements within new markets—to explore how design operates in the present moment.

SESSION1-1 Rethink Asian Aesthetics 2025.11.07 (Fri) 16:00-
Shunsuke Ishikawa × Meng Jinhui × Danny Wicaksono × Kotoko Koya

What is "beauty"? It is not merely form or decoration, but something that resides in one's way of life and worldview. To reexamine "Asian beauty"—which has long been viewed through the lens of Western values—anew from our own sensibilities, we invite creators visiting Japan from Indonesia and China to join Shunsuke Ishikawa of KESIKI INC and Kotoko Koya, Regional Manager at D&AD, in an attempt to redefine "beauty" that transcends culture and time.

TICKETS

Shunsuke Ishikawa

KESIKI INC. Founder / Chief Design Officer A graduate of Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. After working at Panasonic Design Company and PDD Innovations UK, he joined IDEO Tokyo as Design Director, contributing to its founding phase. From 2018, he served as Head of Design and Strategic Design Director at BCG Digital Ventures, and in 2019, he founded KESIKI. He has been deeply involved in promoting the integration of design across sectors, serving in roles ranging from corporate advisor to national expert committee member. He has also served as a juror for numerous awards, including D&AD and the Good Design Award.

Meng Jinhui

BIE Founder After many years of involvement in China's underground music and subculture scenes, he established the creative studio Yi Shi Yi Se and the independent label bié Records. Through bié Records, he has released works by cutting-edge artists such as Yu Su, gaining international recognition. Drawing on his experience at VICE China, he also launched the cross-cultural platform BIE, actively working across the fields of music and media.

Danny Wicaksono

studiodasar Founder / jongArsitek! Co-Founder After graduating from Trisakti University in Indonesia, he established his own studio, studiodasar, in 2014 and has been working as an architect. In 2008, he co-founded the architecture media platform jongArsitek! with friends, and actively engages in curating architecture exhibitions and contributing to domestic and international publications. Through these activities, he has received recognition from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, the Indonesian Institute of Architects, and Archi­nesia, and has been selected as a member of the International Committee of Architectural Critics (CICA) and a technical reviewer for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2016-2019 and 2019-2022).

Kotoko Koya

D&AD Regional Manager / Brody Associates Associates Born in Kanagawa Prefecture and raised in the UK. She graduated from the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies at Keio University. After working at a design management/PR firm (Transform Inc.), an advertising agency (Publicis Japan), and a design manufacturer (Morisawa Inc.), she has been working as a freelancer since 2011, involved in design management, production, and design education. She is Regional Manager (Japan and Singapore) at D&AD and an Associate at Brody Associates, the design studio led by Neville Brody.

SESSION1-2 Where Is the Future Design Scene Headed? 2025.11.07 (Fri) 18:00-
Creators participating in alter.

Many of the creators participating in this edition of alter. were born in the 1990s or later. Engaging not only in product design in the narrow sense but also in cross-disciplinary collaborations with peers of their generation—and actively pursuing commercial practices—they represent a new wave of designers redefining their roles.

In this roundtable session, a number of these creators will take the stage to discuss how they perceive the future of the design scene and the evolving responsibilities of designers.

TICKETS

Creators participating in alter.

Designer Among the creators participating in alter., several young creators born in or after the 1990s will take the stage in this session. Some work independently, others engage in cross-disciplinary collaborations, and still others form collectives with peers of the same generation. Gathered together, these creators—each pursuing their practice from a distinct set of values—will share diverse perspectives and approaches that reflect the evolving landscape of contemporary creativity.

DAY2_ Design for Engaging with the Self

At its core, product design is an endeavor that constantly engages with the individual—both the maker and the user. Creativity may emerge from the strong ego of the creator, from the dynamic interplay between designer and user, or even from moments when the user becomes the maker. In this session, we explore how contemporary product design can continue to engage meaningfully with the notion of individuality, and what it means to design for and with the individual in today's context.

SESSION2-1 Expanding the Creativity of the Receiver 2025.11.08 (Sat) 13:00-
Ryuki Sugino × Hirotaka Fukui × GAKU

Design and creativity are not the sole domain of the maker. Viewers, users, and audiences are also active participants in the creative process. In this session, DODI—a group exploring creative processes through diverse activities—joins theater director Hirotaka Fukui, known for works that question the relationship between objects and people, along with teenage participants from GAKU, who have been engaging in workshops around “the creativity of the user.” Together, they will discuss how creativity can be expanded from the perspective of the receiver.

TICKETS

Ryuki Sugino

Representative of DODI Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1995, Tatsuki Sugino is the principal of the design studio DODI, which was established with several collaborators.

Hirotaka Fukui

Director Born in Kyoto in 1996. Began creating and presenting works under her own name in 2018. While drawing on existing theatrical forms and institutional frameworks, she re-presents relationships with familiar objects and spaces from perspectives and scales that differ from everyday life. A recipient of the 2nd Kuma Foundation Creator Scholarship. Selected for the ROHM Theatre Kyoto × Kyoto Art Center U35 Creative Support Program "KIPPU." Associate Artist at THEATRE E9 KYOTO for 2022–2024.

GAKU

Creative School for Teenagers Based in Shibuya PARCO, this school serves as a hub where young people in their teens can encounter the origins of creation. It offers a wide range of programs spanning fashion, architecture, theater, and more. For this edition, participants from the GAKU × Rondade program "The Composition of the Viewer"—who are also exhibiting at alter.—will take part in a talk session.

SESSION2-2 Design Starts from Human Desire 2025.11.08 (Sat) 15:00-
Koichi Matsumoto × Takuto Ohta

Products that transform people's lives stem from fundamental human desires. Among such innovators, Koichi Matsumoto, founder of TENGA, has created products that break through social taboos and preconceptions by thoroughly confronting human sexuality. At the same time, Matsumoto finds the driving force of design in bringing joy to others. What compels designers to create? Together with artist Takuto Ota, an alter. exhibitor who continues to explore through trial and error, we return to the essence of creation.

TICKETS

Koichi Matsumoto

President & Founder, TENGA Co., Ltd. Born in 1967 in Yaizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Fascinated by cars from an early age, he began his career as an auto mechanic, working on supercars and classic cars such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Later, as a top-performing salesperson at a used car dealership, he still couldn't abandon his passion for manufacturing and left the company at the age of 34.
After experiencing a sense of "discomfort" while visiting adult shops, he decided to develop adult products as general consumer goods. Following three years of research and development, he founded TENGA Co., Ltd. in 2005. The same year, the TENGA Standard Cup Series became an instant hit, selling over one million units in its first year.
In 2025, the company celebrates its 20th anniversary and now operates in 73 countries and regions worldwide.

Takuto Ohta

Designer/Artist Born in France in 1993. Graduated from the Department of Industrial, Interior and Craft Design at Musashino Art University in 2017, and completed a Master's degree in Design at the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts in 2022.
Ota's practice explores the communication between objects and humans, transforming discoveries from everyday observation into works that offer new perspectives. Without confining herself to a specific field, he values fluidity in process and thinking, as well as a multidimensional approach.
Major exhibitions include "The Voice of Crystallized Air Quartz" (CONTRAST, Tokyo, 2025), "Thinking Piece" (Dropcity, Italy, 2023), "Geidai Arts in Marunouchi 2022" (Marunouchi Building, Tokyo), and "Salone del Mobile.Milano" (Italy, 2022).

DAY3_ Designing the Frontier

The field of product design is constantly expanding. From the growing influence of Asia—including China—to the emergence of new digital interfaces and the innovative possibilities revealed through this year's alter. projects, this day explores the evolving frontiers of product design and the directions that lie ahead.

SESSION3-1 The Right to Repair, the Freedom to Modify 2025.11.09 (Sun) 13:00-
Takehiko Yoshida × Tomomi Nagasawa

Products are not solely defined by designers—they often evolve through their interactions with users. In recent years, Europe has advanced legislation around the “Right to Repair,” reflecting a shift toward user agency in shaping objects.

In this session, Takehiko Yoshida —a researcher and engineer specializing in the right to repair—and Tomomi Nagasawa—executive producer of the television program “Makaīzō no Yoru” (Night of Radical Modifications), where engineers create extraordinary transformed products through modification—discuss how acts of repair, alteration, and user-driven intervention can become sources of creativity.

TICKETS

Takehiko Yoshida

Researcher / Programmer Born in 1973. His research centers on environmental philosophy and media theory, with a particular interest in posthumanism and media art. His major publications include Mediome: Media Theory of the Posthuman (Kyōwakoku) and the paper “Repairing and Maintaining the Universe: Can the Metaverse Become the Universe We Live In?” (Gendai Shisō, Vol. 50, No. 11, Seidosha, 2022).

Tomomi Nagasawa

Executive Producer / Director, TV Man Union Joined the production company TV Man Union in 1987. As a director, he has produced numerous programs covering history, science, culture, and human-interest documentaries. His major works include NHK Special: The Unknown British Museum: Greece (2012) and ETV Special: Shunsuke Tsurumi – Memories of the Postwar Japanese People (2009).

In 2020, he conceived and produced the NHK program Night of Extreme Remodeling (Makaizō no Yoru).

SESSION3-2 Expanding Interfaces 2025.11.09 (Sun) 15:00-
Rintato Fuse × Tora Koyama

From the early days of computer GUIs to smartphones and head-mounted displays, every new interface has not only generated new experiences but has also continually reshaped how humans perceive the world—transforming the relationship between people and objects. In this session, artist Rintaro Fuse, whose recent work explores the role of interfaces, joins Tora Koyama, an expert in the history of computing, to discuss what new possibilities may emerge from the ever-expanding landscape of interfaces.

TICKETS

Rintaro Fuse

Artist An artist whose practice explores "loneliness" and the recovery of "togetherness" in post-smartphone urban life. Beginning from self-written poetry and texts, their work spans video pieces, websites, exhibition curation, book publishing, and event organization.
Major projects include the solo exhibition New Corpse (2022, PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO) and the curated group show Planet Samsa (2022, former Odaka Bookbinding Factory).

Tora Koyama

Philosopher Associate Professor at the Institute of Time Studies, Yamaguchi University.
After completing his doctoral program at the Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, he served as a JSPS Research Fellow (PD) at the Faculty of Letters, Keio University, a Visiting Researcher in the Department of Philosophy at Rutgers University (USA), and a Specially Appointed Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, before assuming his current position.
His areas of expertise include analytic metaphysics and the philosophy of robotics.
He is the editor of The Unknown Intellectual History of the Computer: From American Idealism to Analytic Philosophy (PLANETS, 2022) and Thinking about Trust: From Leviathan to Artificial Intelligence (Keisō Shobō, 2018).

Opening Session Responding to the Challenges of Our Time 2025.11.06 (Thu) 18:00-
Tanja Hwang × Olivier Zeitoun × Kristen de La Vallière × Keisuke Nakamura × Simone Farresin(TBD)

As society undergoes rapid transformation—driven by climate change, shifts in global dynamics, and the emergence of new technologies such as generative AI—the environment surrounding "design" is also in constant flux.

What challenges does design face today? Together with the alter. committee members, this session explores the current landscape in which contemporary design exists.

During the session, the committee members will also announce the recipients of the alter. Awards. *This session will be closed, but will be available for audio streaming after the event.

TICKETS

Tanja Hwang

Design Curator and Researcher / MoMA Curator in the Department of Architecture and Design at MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art, New York). She served as Associate Curator in the Design and Architecture Department at M+ in Hong Kong from 2021 to 2023, and has held her current position since 2024. Her research focuses on modern design from a global perspective, including the Asian region. In 2022, she was selected as a finalist for the Hyundai Blue Prize Design.

Olivier Zeitoun

Design Curator and Researcher / Centre Pompidou Associate Curator in the Design Department at Centre Pompidou. He has served as curator and co-curator for numerous exhibitions, including "La Fabrique du Vivant" (2019), "Réseaux-Mondes" (2022), and "Mimésis, un design vivant" (2022). He also works as an independent curator and critic.

Kristen de La Vallière

Creative Consultant and Curator / say hi to_ Creative consultant and curator. Founder of KdlV Creative. Based in Paris, she established the digital platform "say hi to" in 2015, focusing on design and architecture. Through interviews with designers and architects from around the world, she has built an alternative creative community.

Keisuke Nakamura

Architect / DAIKEI MILLS Founded DAIKEI MILLS in 2011, undertaking the design of various spaces including commercial and office environments. In 2020, he launched SKWAT, a movement that temporarily occupies urban voids (idle facilities and social gaps) and opens them to the public. Since 2021, he has also served as a part-time lecturer in the Department of Architecture and Environmental Design at Tama Art University.

Simone Farresin *TBD

Design Studio / FormaFantasma A research-based design studio established in 2009 by Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin. They develop diverse projects across disciplines, ranging from product design to spatial design, strategic planning, and consulting. Their approach, which emphasizes the exploration of new materials and technologies while valuing culture and tradition, has earned them high acclaim both domestically and internationally.