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Feature: Exploring the Japanese Perspective on Design

DESIGN / FEATURES

December 25, 2014

Feature: Exploring the Japanese Perspective on Design

Japanese Designers: A Series of Interviews

The Power of Design and Craftsmanship

It has been a long time since the era when Japan was called a manufacturing powerhouse and the Japan brand dominated the world. The production of industrial products, emphasizing functionality and economics, is now primarily centered in China and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, as Japan's soft power gains attention, individual Japanese designers are able to create distinctive works that strongly emphasize creative elements like "concept" and "design," while still prioritizing functionality and economics. With a background in Japan's manufacturing traditions, their unique design capabilities are making a strong presence felt globally. Here, we speak with Japanese designers who embody the current state of Japan's design scene.

Text by KATO Takashi

Tokujin Yoshioka

Expanding the Concept of Design

Tokujin Yoshioka, whose projects span product design, architecture, spatial design, and installations both domestically and internationally, consistently challenges the essence and concept of design, pushing beyond the conventional forms of objects. For instance, when designing a chair, his work transcends the inherent concept of a chair, imbuing the user with an image of something more than just a chair. Yoshioka, who states that nothing surpasses the beauty of nature, conveys a sense that his designs share a commonality with natural phenomena that transcend materiality. Our conversation delved into Yoshioka's practical approach, including his design process and how he manages international projects.

S&O DESIGN: Hisakazu Shimizu & Eizo Okada

The Present of "Industrial Design"

Hisakazu Shimizu, who was with Canon until this year and handled the design of digital cameras, and Eizo Okada, who presides over dezain.net, a website disseminating the latest information on architecture, design, and art, and directs various projects. These two individuals, with their distinct roles as a product designer and a design director, established the design company "S&O DESIGN" in July 2012. Their clear focus is "industrial design." We spoke with them about their vision, which encompasses not only the design of individual products but also the broader role of design in society.

Fumie Shibata

Creating Warm Forms: A Thought Process

Fumie Shibata, an industrial designer whose work ranges from stationery and home appliances to capsule hotels, often describes her designs with terms like warmth, coziness, and gentleness. Behind these designs lies a meticulous thought process that translates the technology essential for industrial products into soft, approachable forms. Shibata, who aims to share wisdom for better living through design, imbues her products not only with the inherent inclination towards form and strength of the product itself but also with a questioning of design's role in society.