Interviews med Yui Kitahara

Born in Japan, I graduated from the Design Department at Tatsuno Kita High School before specializing in furniture design at Kobe Design University. After graduation, I received an award at the Asahikawa International Furniture Design Competition, followed by a Silver Award at the A' Design Award and Competition.

I've loved drawing since I was little. I also have a talent for sculpting and always wanted to pursue a creative career.

When I was ten years old, I had the opportunity to see furniture by Shiro Kuramata. I was deeply moved by his free-thinking approach, his use of materials, and his unconventional forms, and it sparked my dream of becoming a furniture designer.

We consciously pursue functional yet aesthetically pleasing designs. Born in Japan, we aim to create designs that introduce many people to the Japanese aesthetic of harmony.

I'm 24, so I'm a young designer too.

I want to know what I should do as well.

An excellent designer is a professional with high execution capabilities in design.

A great designer possesses all the abilities of an excellent designer, plus a broader perspective and deeper insight.

In short, a great designer is a “strategist” and ‘thinker’ who can conceive not only “how to make it,” but also “why to make it” and “what to consider.”

While “excellent design” fulfills requirements like functionality and aesthetics, “truly excellent design” goes further by considering profound impacts on people's minds, behaviors, and business outcomes.

Design evaluation should never rely on a single metric. It must be assessed holistically from three distinct perspectives: the user, the business, and the technology.

I design while thinking of people I care about—family, lovers, friends.

Next, I'm considering designs using metal and plastic.

I would like to exhibit at Milan Design Week Satellite.

Shiro Kuramata, Sori Yanagi, the Bouroullec brothers, Kōdai Iwamoto, Daniel Rybakken, Big-Game, Gabriel Tan, TAF Studio... too many to count.

It's a curse.

I envy talented designers, yet I find myself unconsciously sketching new designs.

It hurts when my work isn't appreciated, but designing is also my way of relieving stress.

I want to commercialize my work and make my presence known to many people.

We are aiming to win the Designer of the Year award.

Innovative technologies like AI and 3D printers have proliferated.

While poorly made products increase, the value of functional and beautiful authentic design seems to stand out more.

Depending on the scale, it takes about two months.

If there's flexibility, it can take up to a year depending on the project.

God is in the details.

This is Naoto Fukasawa's book titled “Ordinary.”

My favorite colors are white or black.

My favorite place is Kinkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan.

I really hope you'll come to Kyoto.

My favorite food is soy sauce ramen.

My favorite season is summer.

My favorite brand is Nils Holger Moormann.

I absolutely love Nils Holger Moormann furniture because it's functional and beautiful.

Using products by great designers. A good day starts with using fine cutlery and chairs.

This is my Instagram account. If you have time, please check it out.

https://www.instagram.com/yui__kitahara/

I have been interested in creative pursuits since I was a child. I loved drawing, and without even realizing it, I would pick up a pen and paper and unconsciously sketch landscapes, cars, and people.

When I couldn’t find something I wanted, I would draw it and then carve it out of wood with a knife.

My introduction to product design, especially furniture design, came through Shiro Kuramata. It happened when I was given my own room and started researching what kind of furniture I wanted to place in it. I vividly remember being thrilled by his unique and unconventional designs, unlike anything I had ever seen before. That was when I was nine years old.

I work as an independent designer.

In university, I majored in furniture design, and I have since become a furniture designer. My primary focus is not on mass-produced items but on creating custom furniture tailored to the specific needs and desires of individuals who say, "I wish I had furniture like this." However, I also aim to have my designs commercialized as mass-produced products.

My goal is to create furniture that is not only functional but also so beautiful that it captivates those who see it.

In fact, I don’t just design furniture—I also work on designing spaces. To keep these two areas of work distinct, I have separate studios for furniture design and spatial design.

For me, design is a solution for someone.

It is never a creation for self-satisfaction.

For example, someone might want a chair that can be hung on the wall because their house is small.

Or they might want a side table that also functions as storage.

Or perhaps they need a shelf that can be easily assembled without screws or tools.

The chair I designed this time was also created in response to a request for an armchair that would suit a traditional Japanese-style room.

I enjoy thinking about designing furniture that fits into someone's life.

Having a favorite piece of furniture at home can surely enrich one's life and brighten up the space.

The morning sunlight will feel more magical, and the coffee you drink in the afternoon will taste even better.

There are so many I can't count them all, but one that recently struck me anew is Daniel Rybakken's LIRA chair. It's a stackable chair where the collaboration between the wooden and iron parts works beautifully, and its form as a chair is also very unique.

When I first saw it at the 2024 Salone del Mobile in Milan, I was stunned.

Not yet.

I'm looking for companies to collaborate with.

Let me share my favorite material: wood.

Wood is very honest. When it comes into contact with something harder, it gets scratched. Over time, its color deepens gradually. If neglected, it will begin to decay.

There are countless types of wood, each with unique colors and patterns. Even with the same piece of furniture, the atmosphere can change dramatically depending on the type of wood used.

When I design furniture with wood, I often create sharp, linear forms with defined edges.

Since wood is soft, the edges will naturally become rounded with use, and I believe this process will make the piece feel more endearing over time.

The concept has been finalized, and it's time to create prototypes and refine the fine details.

We prioritize beauty and functionality, aiming to create products people will want to buy and use at home.

Unlike art, design should not be about self-indulgence.

I often feel a sense of uncertainty.

Is this design truly good enough?

Will this functionality really help people?

If I search the entire world, might there be something better out there?

The list of doubts is endless, but even when I can’t see the end of my anxieties, I keep going, believing that what I create will be meaningful to someone.

I refine my ideas, create prototypes, and test their strength and usability.

Through this process, something that starts out as just a large rock gets polished and begins to shine like a gemstone.

It feels as if I've had my own child.

I might want to make further improvements and create an even better design.

Above all, create prototypes to clearly visualize the best design you envision.

I believe beauty is the most important factor. Even if a product has excellent functionality, no one will buy it if it isn't beautiful.

What is required of designers today is not merely the role of a “creator.”

They bear the responsibility to question ideas and projects that could have ethical, environmental, or social impacts—asking, “Should this truly be brought into the world?”—and to have the courage to say “no” when necessary.

As advocates for users, society, and the environment, they have the responsibility to actively propose designs that realize a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future, thereby strengthening organizations and society.

The field of design has undergone dramatic evolution over the past few decades. This evolution lies not merely in superficial stylistic changes, but in the very nature of design's role itself.

Traditional design centered on solving the “problem statement” given by the client. Today, however, designers play a crucial role in engaging from earlier stages of the process, discovering and defining the “true underlying problem that needs solving” through user research and data analysis.

In April 2024, I showcased my work at Isola Design during Milan Design Week.

I exhibited an assembly-style coat rack.

The piece I designed this time, Sukiya Serenity, was displayed in Hokkaido, Japan, from June to September of the same year.

Currently, I am working on designing new furniture.

I hope to exhibit my next piece at the Milan SaloneSatellite scheduled for April 2026.

Like many designers, I draw inspiration from a wide range of sources regardless of genre: architecture, art, solving minor frustrations, everyday scenery, unexpected experiences, designs unrelated to furniture, ancestral tools, nature, and more.

I consciously strive for beauty in form and functionality.

I live in Japan.

Imagine a scene with rows of wooden houses and tiled roofs, like those in Kyoto.

In Japan, there is a culture called "mottainai." This concept reflects the idea that even something that appears to be mere trash can become a new resource when seen from a different perspective.

This culture is influenced by the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, which emphasizes simplicity and using only what is necessary.

When designing furniture, we consider how to highlight the essential elements and how to avoid wasting resources.

One downside, however, is that presenting a new design often requires courage.

Japan is a collectivist society. This means that the majority's opinion is often considered correct, while the minority's opinion is seen as wrong. Of course, this does not apply to everyone, but it does impose restrictions on free thinking.

The benefits of design are enjoyed by an unspecified number of people, and criticism of new designs also comes from an unspecified number of people.

We have not yet established a partnership.

I would like to commercialize the Sukiya Serenity Chair.

If anyone is interested, please consider it.

Rather than companies selecting designers, I feel it's better for designers to promote themselves to companies. I believe it's important to take on various competitions and build up a portfolio of work.

The process begins with converting ideas into sketches.

I then create a model, decide on the basic functionality and form to some extent, and develop the finer details of the concept.

Next, I build a full-scale prototype and use it myself for one to four weeks to test its strength and usability.

Once nearly all the elements are finalized, I create another prototype to solidify the design.

I make many prototypes. For example, with the Sukiya Serenity Chair, I produced around 20 prototypes, adjusting the thickness of the parts by 1mm increments to find the perfect balance.

It’s a painstaking process, but I believe it’s an essential step in creating beautiful designs.

This meticulous process leads to refined details.

Sori Yanagi's Fork

Hitoshi Kuramoto's Coat Rack “KNIT”

The Bouroullec Brothers' “Algue”

Ambientech's Light “Cachalot”

Shunji Kikuchi's “MANEKINEKO”

Every morning, I eat a sandwich for breakfast. Then until noon, I go for walks or read books. Lately, I've been studying English. After lunch, I work on design concepts. This involves research, sketching, and making prototypes.

In the evening, I play music while doing a quick cleanup of my room.

I'm 24, so I'm a young designer too.

I want to know what I should do as well.

Design is a wonderful profession that offers the irreplaceable reward of “the joy of creation,” yet it also demands mental and physical toughness, along with strong communication skills.

To succeed, passion for design is essential, but equally vital are the ability to take criticism constructively, the skill to explain your ideas logically, and the capacity to manage your own mental and physical well-being. Understanding both the pros and cons is crucial to determining whether this is truly an appealing career path for you.

It means that the work should not be a work of self-satisfaction.

Design must solve someone's inconvenience or dissatisfaction and enrich their lives. Functional and easy to use. And beautiful. Beauty is very important. It improves the quality of living space and brightens every day.

This is the kind of design I aim for.

The ability to observe, and the ability to make it your own.

For example, even if you eat a five-star dish and know its flavor, it's difficult to recreate it yourself.

Take photos of scenes, objects, or events you find appealing and print them out.

Think about why you found them appealing and sketch your ideas in a notebook.

All you need is a camera, a notebook, and a pen.

I haven't really managed my time much.

I think many designers are like me—constantly thinking of new ideas. While eating, showering, taking walks, feeding my pets.

Depending on the scale, it takes about two months.

If there's flexibility, it can take up to a year depending on the project.

Why did you decide to become a designer? That's the question.

I suppose one's upbringing tends to manifest in the characteristics of their design.

When I go for a walk, ideas start to come to mind.

I carefully observe everything around me, thinking about how I could apply what I see to my designs.

The most enjoyable part is turning the endless stream of ideas into sketches.

When I actually start drawing, I often discover shapes I hadn’t imagined before.

I also enjoy thinking about how to overcome the challenges that arise from those discoveries.

I am currently considering exhibiting at the Milan SaloneSatellite.

I want as many people as possible to see my designs,

and I hope to connect with many people to seize opportunities for commercialization.

I develop my own designs.

I would like to team up or collaborate with someone.

The detailed concept isn't finalized yet, but I'm envisioning typical stereotypical furniture. Stereotypical designs can be used in various ways, but they aren't universal. Being simple can also be rephrased as having stripped away everything else, paradoxically.

This is furniture with customizability—it can be assembled with preferred parts to suit the location, the items placed on it, and the room's atmosphere.

Please message me via email or Instagram DM.

email:yui.k.base@gmail.com

InstagramURL:https://www.instagram.com/yui__kitahara/