MESSAGE

"NEUT." is a medium which allows you to discuss your requirements and ideas freely in order to obtain fresh, new design for the future. With "NEUT.", I conceived the idea that there should be no boundaries between the existing categories in the design industry such as CI, advertisement, editorial design, packaging, interior design and so on. In that sense, here designers themselves take on the role of planner, editor and producer as well as designer. Also I regard the development of a distribution channel to the world as of vital importance, while choosing a print medium such as this always enables us to have the design in hand to see at all times. In order to show our designs to the general public, I want to make "NEUT." function as an agent where new designs can be created for all areas of business and social life. In the late 90's, the spread of Apple Mac brought us unprecedented achievement in independent design. However I do not believe that we are seeing the full benefits of this achievement as design is currently constricted by the perceived boundaries between different types of industries while companies place design orders with design companies who work only within that industry. As a result, each design medium can apply only a small part of the available knowledge and resources and will never be able to produce the merit of the latest technological improvements as a whole. Currently the improvements in design will never appear unless they grow at the same rate as the industry with which they are associated. Therefore I believe that we must create a medium at the same time as we create a design. Because of this, "NEUT." features designers who endorse the changes the existing system outlined above and who want to create a new medium by themselves. In this first edition, I could have limited the number of designers, because we needed to consider again and again the point of view of how to grasp the importance of communication in design. However I would like to open the door to everyone who has the will to create a new medium. Also, I would like to see new collaborations which go beyond the existing categories like graphics, products, fashion, space, architects, audiovisual design, TV graphics, sound, information and so on. I hope "NEUT." becomes the place where to pioneer means to create new design without the hindrance of perceived boundaries. SATO naoki / "NEUT." editor in chief