Keisuke Takayasu is a professor of aesthetics at the Graduate School of Letters at Osaka University, where he teaches courses in art and design. Takayasu has worked mainly with the history of modern design, the aesthetics of craft and industrial products, and the theory of visual communication. His recent interests cover the ethics of social design, the aesthetics of critical design, and the practice of food design. Takayasu teaches Bachelor-, Master-, and PhD-level students and has published several articles on the aforementioned topics.

Social design prioritizes addressing social challenges over maximizing profits. In recent years, some designers have shifted their focus from creating physical objects to developing social systems and fostering relationships. This raises an intriguing question: can designers still create something aesthetic if they move away from making things look beautiful? My primary concern lies with the aesthetics of design that no longer centers on material objects. Through the lens of aesthetics, I aim to explore what aesthetic qualities contribute to a state of well-being and how designers can intentionally cultivate such qualities.