Coichi Wada

Until high school, I wanted to go into the music industry, but at the age of 18, I came into contact with car design (Renault 5) and realized I wanted to become a designer. After studying design at university, I worked as an in-house designer for a housing parts manufacturer for five years and at a bespoke kitchen office for one year, before founding STUDIO KAZ in 1994.

STUDIO KAZ Co., Ltd. is a design unit established in 1994 by Coichi Wada and Junco Wada. Coichi is mainly in charge of interior design, kitchen design, furniture design, and product design, while Junco is mainly in charge of graphic design. We are good at residential interior design, and are one of the leading designers in Japan, especially in bespoke design. As a result, we are trusted by our fellow companies and are involved in many events and showroom productions. In addition, in order to expand the market for bespoke kitchens, which is still small in Japan, we provide many consulting and lectures, and also focus on training young people at vocational schools. In graphic design, we mainly focus on printed matter, but we do not limit ourselves to simple page design, but also like to propose three-dimensional compositions such as paper quality, shape, folding methods, and binding methods.

To me, design is discovery, experience, and inspiration. There are things and spaces that we find beautiful, and they exist for as many people as there are people. I think that design is what lies between us and those beautiful things and spaces, or the process behind it. The CHAKAI, for which I received the award, was not a design of something new, but rather provided an opportunity to discover something beautiful through the experience of the tea ceremony.

I love designing residential spaces and bespoke kitchens to be installed in them. I still never get bored of the process of reading the client's needs through conversation and turning them into concrete forms such as spaces and kitchens, even though I have been involved in over 1,000 kitchens to date.

As for designs by other people, the one that inspired me to become a designer was the Renault 5. Designed by Marcello Gandini, the car's form, function, and driver's behavior are all perfectly designed. We like all my designs, but We especially like "Irifune studio," which is also our office. We designed it as a living space, but WeI took advantage of the lack of sunlight and focused on how to create a nighttime atmosphere. At that time, we used black as the theme, and spent a long time looking for a lot of black, so there is a lot of black here.

During my time as an in-house designer, I designed entrance doors, interior doors, custom-made kitchens, etc. Since establishing STUDIO KAZ, I have mainly worked on bespoke kitchens and space designs for clients, but the first time I designed for a company was a custom-made kitchen for a kitchen manufacturer.

I don't have any likes or dislikes when it comes to materials. I'm always thinking about how to bring out the most beautiful expression of the material itself. Platforms and technology are just a means to that end.

Yes, shure, I try to look at things from as many different angles as possible. Materials, colors, luster, light, sound, temperature, humidity, size, hardness, texture, proportion, past, present, future... all of these are design elements and materials for me.

Being a father, a mother, a friend, a lover, a husband, a wife, I feel joy in being able to share the pain of childbirth and the excitement of completing a project.

Reading comprehension, observation skills, arrangement skills, communication skills

Designers are not special. They are part of society and must always be aware of this. Design should not suppress the environment/nature, and should not think that it is possible to do so.

The last exhibition (the CHAKAI) was held in October 2024. The next one will be a kitchen exhibition in September 2025.

I get inspiration from many things: a sliver of light filtering through a tiny slit, a tree stump, the smell of a deliciously brewed cappuccino, or a single guitar note played in the middle of intense music.

The last exhibition (the CHAKAI) was held in October 2024. The next one, a kitchen exhibition, is scheduled to be held in September 2025.

I live in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo has its own unique culture, but also has the ability to come into contact with cultures from all over the world. This always inspires us. However, I often feel that Japan, and especially Tokyo, is always seeking new things too much, and that the good old Japanese culture is becoming diluted.

design consulting, lectures, design support, design outsourcing, and education.

We start with thorough interviews and research. Then we just follow the image that emerges.

1. "Fuumi Zekka Echizen" knife, made in Echizen, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, using the same manufacturing method as Japanese swords. 2. "HOW HIGH THE MOON" sofa designed by Shiro Kuramata. 3. "WASSILY CHAIR" chair designed by Marcel Breuer. 4. "PP701" chair designed by Hans Wegner. 5. "Messenger bag" designed by my friend.

positives is that you can always have a new experience. I can't think of any negatives.

I'm hoping to release a collection of my work early next year.