Interviews with Hiroshi Takahashi

I am the second generation owner of a mold manufacturing company founded by my father.

I grew up in a house where the first floor served as a factory and the second floor as living quarters, so I was surrounded by a manufacturing environment every day from a young age.

As for design itself, I studied it for only three years in high school and joined my father’s factory immediately after graduation.

At first, I wasn’t involved in design, but after becoming the owner myself, I changed our client base and shifted from a passive manufacturing model to a proactive, proposal-driven approach.

Gradually, I began to get involved not only in mold making but also in product planning, and I gained the opportunity to design and propose products on my own.

I didn’t set out to become a designer; rather, I simply found myself in an environment where design became an inevitable part of my work.

My company manufactures molds for molding plastic products. I am the only employee, so I handle all the work by myself.

To manage such a heavy workload on my own, mechanization was the best solution. I would run up to seven machines on autopilot and use my free time to work on the next programming tasks or hold meetings with clients.

Because I’m so particular about my work and have such a strong attachment to it, I’ve been unable to delegate it to anyone else and half a century has passed.

For me, design is the first step in giving shape to my ideas.

Since I’m not a professional designer, my work isn’t complete with just the design.

It’s only complete once the product is finished, so design is simply one of the tools I use to achieve that.

Right now, I’m focusing on wood-based products.

What I enjoy most is coming up with designs that transform discarded wood into products with high added value.

My favorite design right now is my own Com Plates.

As far as I know, there aren’t any other wooden products anywhere in the world with the same concept or functionality.

That’s why Com Plates are my favorite they’re packed with my own attention to detail and personal passion.

The first product I designed was not for my own company, but for DENSO Corporation, a world renowned parts manufacturer.

In the late 1990s, DENSO’s “Iridium Racing” spark plugs came in paper packaging. The plastic packaging I designed at the request of a trading company we were working with at the time was the very first product I ever designed.

In 1998, inspired by the transparent body of the iMac G3 announced by Apple, I created design drawings and mockups, obtained approval from DENSO, and was involved in the process all the way through mold production.

Perhaps because I’ve been working with metal for so many years, my favorite material right now is wood.

What’s more, I even find a sense of purpose in adding high value to wood that would otherwise be discarded.

Whenever I come across a piece of scrap wood with a unique grain pattern or a type of wood I’ve never seen before I feel a real surge of creativity.

Are there any other designs similar to this one, or is it a knockoff?

Is the design well balanced and user friendly?

I consider whether it includes a touch of surprise.

I add to or subtract from the ideas and details I have in my head.

It’s incredibly exciting when a two dimensional image, represented by lines, gradually transforms into a three-dimensional one.

Since my creative process is self contained, I enjoy every single moment as the designs I’ve created take shape.

And when a piece is finished, I’m filled with a sense of accomplishment.

I’m not sure what defines a successful design, but I think it’s a success if my vision and attention to detail are perfectly reflected in the product.

I think whether a design is good or bad depends on the person evaluating it.

Since I’m not a professional designer, whether I think a design is good depends on whether it suits my taste.

Every designer’s sense of responsibility toward society and the environment is unique.

My own sense of responsibility lies in finding effective uses for wood that would otherwise be discarded.

It takes decades or even centuries for trees to grow to a size suitable for use as lumber.

When such wood is milled into standard sized lumber, a large amount of scrap is produced, and that scrap is typically discarded as waste.

It is my mission and responsibility to give this discarded wood a new purpose and a new place to shine.

AI is making inroads into the field of design as well, and I have a feeling that, eventually, the profession of designer will become obsolete.

However, since a designer’s sensibility has a major influence on design, I think that while designs created by AI may appeal to a wide audience, they won’t be truly one of a kind.

Although it wasn’t an exhibition, the last time my work was displayed was at an exhibition of award winning pieces from a craft competition held in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture.

I’m planning to hold a private exhibition with my wife in September 2027.

I believe nothing compares to the beauty of nature’s forms.

The Com Plates were also designed with inspiration drawn from four-leaf clovers.

Many of Japan’s iconic traditional patterns are also based on natural elements such as flowers and leaves, which have been stylized into patterns.

Seventy percent of Japan’s land area consists of mountains and hills.

We are fortunate to have daily opportunities to interact with nature.

This environment has a profound influence on my designs.

I don’t have a set design style; instead, I take the inspiration that strikes me the moment I encounter a material and pour my heart and soul into crafting it to perfection.

I was born and raised in Japan.

Japan has a culture that values innovation and creativity, and being part of that environment is a major strength.

On the other hand, perhaps due to the Japanese national character, people tend to be bound by stereotypes, and there are cases where they resist new ideas.

I believe that if people were to think more freely, without being constrained by stereotypes, Japan’s manufacturing industry would become even more vibrant.

I have absolutely no affiliation with any specific company.

For projects that are far beyond my technical capabilities, I will seek out partner manufacturers.

This applies not only to the relationship between companies and designers, but to everything.

The most important thing is that it be a win-win relationship for both parties.

No matter how talented a designer may be, it is difficult to build a good relationship if there are issues with their personal qualities.

Be sure to consider the designer’s character as one of your selection criteria.

I handle the design myself and generally manage the entire process from planning to production on my own.

Since I currently focus primarily on woodworking, I base my designs on the intuition I gain from observing the material itself its texture, grain, and other characteristics.

Having worked in metalworking for many years, I design with a practical mindset, considering the feasibility of fabrication as I bring my designs to life.

I create CNC programs based on my designs to enable machining, and I fabricate the necessary molds and jigs for the process.

Additionally, as needed, I simultaneously work on product packaging design and photography for presentations.

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My days are quite ordinary: after waking up, I have breakfast while watching a video.

After eating, I work for an hour or two. Since my wife can’t safely use the stove due to an illness she had a year and a half ago, I start preparing lunch for both of us around 11:00 a.m.

After lunch, I work for two hours, then enjoy an hour-long tea time with my wife from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.

After that, I finish up my work in about an hour, head to the kitchen to prepare dinner, and then end the day by enjoying a pleasant dinner together.

While it’s important to move forward single mindedly toward your goals, sometimes you should stop and look around from a different perspective. You might gain some new insights.

I don’t consider myself a designer.

If anything, I see myself as an artist.

I’ve worked on very few projects for clients, but that allows me to incorporate my own ideas and unique elements to the fullest extent possible.

However, the more unique elements I add, the higher the cost becomes, so I struggle to strike the right balance.

When I design, I don’t rely on any set "golden rule".

I always give shape to the ideas that well up from within me.

It’s not just designers who need the ability to look at things from multiple perspectives.

I don’t think a one-sided perspective leads to good results in any situation.

I use GibbsCAM, a CAD/CAM software package, to digitize all my designs.

I transfer the programs created in GibbsCAM to each of the four NC milling machines via machining data management software, and then proceed with machining.

Machining takes up the majority of my time when making products, and I manage four machines on my own.

Once I set up a machine, the machining process takes several hours to complete, so during that time I set up the next machine, design new products, and juggle multiple tasks simultaneously.

Using Com Plates, which won the Bronze Award, the process takes about 32 hours in total.

Since I don’t hold the title of designer, I’ve never been asked questions as a designer.

As expected, mold making my family business is the most important factor.

I watched my father create things from a young age, so I believe the spirit of craftsmanship has grown deep within my DNA.

Furthermore, the approach to mold making back then wasn’t data-driven like it is today; experience was key.

Rather than designing through meticulous calculations, it was a style of developing the work as we went along.

There were also many structure changes sparked by sudden flashes of inspiration.

The sensibility honed in that environment is the foundation of my current approach to craftsmanship.

Since I started focusing exclusively on woodworking, I haven’t had any regular clients.

While it would be nice to have clients and a steady stream of work, I want the freedom to create whatever I want.

I enjoy every step of the process equally.

The time spent conceptualizing the form itself, and the time spent designing what’s needed for actual production.

Since I mainly use an NC milling machine, the time spent programming the machining data.

The time spent actually running the parts through the machine.

As the machining progresses, the time when the full form of the designed product begins to take shape.

My excitement builds with each of these moments.

As for my future plans, I’m scheduled to hold an exhibition with my wife in September 2027, so I’d like to create products that take Com Plates to the next level in preparation for that.

Not only that, but I also want to create products designed based on an entirely new concept.

There is no team.

It's just me.

It’s still just an idea, but I’m thinking of creating products that combine wood and tin.

Since tin has a relatively low melting point of about 232°C, it can be melted even on a standard household gas stove.

I don’t have any experience with tin casting, so I’m not sure if it will work, but I’m envisioning hybrid products that incorporate tin into wooden items.

I’m not very good at English, so I’d be at a loss if you called me directly.

If you need to contact me, email is the best way.

People tend to keep special technologies they have developed to themselves as trade secrets, shielding them from the outside world.

While this may be beneficial for the company in question, it is detrimental to the industry and society as a whole.

There are limits to technological progress within a closed environment.

By making everything open, others will likely come up with something even better.

I believe that constantly striving to outdo one another and pushing each other to improve creates a stronger energy that drives development, which is why I always remain open.

The machining technology used for Com Plates wasn’t developed specifically for their production; rather, it was a method I developed ten years ago when I was making original iPhone cases out of aluminum alloy.I never wanted to own the same things as everyone else, so I decided to create my own unique iPhone case.I occasionally used an aluminum alloy called ultra high strength duralumin during mold manufacturing it boasts the highest strength among all aluminum alloys.Since it offers excellent machinability and produces a very clean finish, it didn’t take me long to choose it as the material.At the time, solid carved metal iPhone cases were already on the market, but they were all thick and bulky, which detracted from the stylish design of the iPhone itself.To create a case that would compromise the iPhone’s design as little as possible, it was necessary to make it as thin as possible.However, even though it’s metal, machining a thick sheet into a case with a minimum thickness of 1 mm using conventional machines would cause it to warp during the process.At the time, I was making molds for plastic injection molding.Injection molds create products by injecting molten plastic at high pressure into the gap between the male and female mold halves.That’s where the idea came from. First, I machined the inner shape of the workpiece to match the female mold.I then created a male mold that fit into that space, placed the workpiece with the machined female mold over it, and set it up in the machine. By machining the outer surface of the product in this state, the support on the reverse side prevents deformation, allowing me to machine it thinner without warping.Using this method, I was able to achieve a thickness of up to 1 mm.Based on this practical experience, I wondered if the same method could be applied to wood,So I attempted to commercialize a scaled down version of the award winning design.It is a small plate, smaller than the award winning Com Plates, with a depth of about 7 mm.Depending on the type of wood, we were able to process not only hardwoods but also certain types of softwoods without any warping.Next, we created a prototype that was not flat like a plate but had more practical uses, such as a deep salad bowl.Just like the flat plates, the result was Com Plates with minimal warping.

Generally, when crafting wooden products, wood is selected based on the characteristics required for the product, such as having a uniform grain pattern.Wood that is discarded or used as scrap is often material that does not meet these selection criteria and has little practical value.Com Plates has no specific criteria for material selection.Any piece of wood measuring 230 mm × 180 mm and 40 mm thick can be used.Furthermore, these pieces are incredibly thin and lightweight unlike anything typically found in wood products.To address storage issues, they are specially designed to be stackable.This was achieved by applying metalworking techniques to woodworking.Even if you aren’t involved in both industries like I am, it’s important to actively exchange ideas with other fields and build technical partnerships.And by adding high value to waste, it is transformed from mere trash into a valuable resource.

Since I don’t work for a large corporation, I have to handle everything myself as much as possible.Sometimes I’m a designer, sometimes an engineer, sometimes a CNC programmer, and sometimes a mechanical technician.Because there’s no division of labor like in a large corporation, I don’t have to deal with conflicting opinions, coordinate with other departments, or oversee multiple divisions.Even when issues arise that require improvement, I can address them immediately.Since I handle everything from problem identification to problem solving on my own, the biggest advantage is that I can take action without any hesitation.

The reason I’m sharing Com Plates’ manufacturing technology is simply that technological improvement and innovation have their limits in a closed environment.I believe that healthy competition is essential for technological advancement, and that progress comes from a constant flow of new ideas and proposals.To achieve this, we must not lock this technology away behind the barriers of patents, but rather make it freely available for anyone to see and learn from.Furthermore, since I’m not part of a large corporation but work as an independent craftsman, I prioritize technological improvement over profit.My ideas are not final products.It’s perfectly fine to apply them in new ways to create entirely new products, and because the wood can be processed to such a thin thickness, I believe it’s possible to convert items that were previously made of resin into wooden ones.With current technology, it is possible to increase the strength of wood through compaction or to harden it by applying penetrating coatings.I believe that this strengthened wood could be used not only for everyday items but also to create wooden versions of industrial parts that do not require high strength.I believe this concept will have a significant impact not only on the woodworking industry but also on other industries.

I am not a wood expert, nor have I conducted any scientific experiments, so I may be wrong, but I believe the cause of cracking, warping, and swelling lies in the thickness of the wood itself.For example, a 100mm thick piece of wood and a 1mm thick piece have different moisture contents between their surface and interior.In the case of 100mm thick wood, the difference between the surface and the interior is significant, and I believe this difference is the main cause of warping and cracking.The thinner the wood, the smaller this difference in moisture content becomes. Furthermore, products like Com Plates, which are primarily composed of curved lines, have the advantage that warping is less noticeable compared to products composed of straight lines.Also, while conifers like cedar have a soft, fibrous texture and some may not be suitable for processing depending on where they were harvested, hardwoods have a dense, hard cellular structure, making them easier to process and resulting in a better finish.

When I first started making things, craftsmen used to design and build molds based on their own ideas.However, with advances in technology, mold making has shifted from relying on individual skill to a process where we simply receive data from companies and machine process it.With the opportunity to infuse individuality into the manufacturing process lost and products now created through data driven machining I found myself losing the joy and passion I once felt for making things.To be more true to myself and pursue the kind of craftsmanship I truly wanted to do, I left the mold manufacturing industry and began taking steps to reignite my passion for making things. It was around that time that a furniture manufacturer I knew asked me to repurpose the legs of a Japanese style low table.That was the catalyst that led me to start woodworking and marked my departure from metalworking for many years.The foundation of my craftsmanship is the pursuit of something completely original, not a copy of someone else’s work.To fully commit to this, I must come up with ideas and processing methods that others would never think of.I believe that by making this process a daily habit,I have cultivated the ability to think creatively and achieve what might seem impossible.

I love wooden tableware, but I’ve always found it frustrating that it’s so thick and heavy that it’s difficult to store.So, when I began developing Com Plates, I realized that by using molding technology, I could achieve a much thinner wall thickness.Generally, product wall thickness tends to be standardized at 1.5 mm, but that wouldn’t have allowed me to achieve the goal I had set for myself.To stack the plates seamlessly, without any gaps.To achieve this, by aligning the data for the inner and outer surfaces, it became theoretically possible to stack the plates without any gaps at all.Ultimately, the precision of the stacking depends on whether we can process the product while minimizing deformation.In any endeavor, problems that cannot be solved from a single perspective can sometimes be resolved by examining them from multiple angles.In product design, I believe it is essential to never compromise and to always pursue perfection with unwavering passion.

Com Plates’ processing technology was developed not with a focus on profit, but with the primary goal of adding high value to waste wood.No matter how groundbreaking this technology may be, it cannot gain widespread adoption without a strong brand.Winning this Bronze Award has put me in the international spotlight, and I hope it will allow me to connect with others who share this philosophy.I also hope that Com Plates’ processing technology will serve as a catalyst for the emergence of even more advanced technologies.I believe that such healthy competition among technologies will lead to progress not only in the woodworking industry but in all areas of manufacturing.

From the very beginning, I didn’t set out to make Com Plates into an artistic product.Rather, the final form of Com Plates emerged simply as a result of systematically addressing my own design priorities one by one.The first challenge was to make them as thin as possible while maintaining their shape.The second was to create wooden tableware designed to be stacked.The third was to ensure they could be arranged in various layouts.I continued to work on all these challenges until I was completely satisfied with the result.I designed them based on my own intuition, without taking instructions from anyone.They were not designed simply to be beautiful or stylish, but rather with practicality in mind.This is something I realized after Com Plates were completed and I actually held them in my hands.The distorted heart shape fits very comfortably in the palm when you hold it.It’s much lighter than you’d expect given its size, and rather than having the cold, inorganic feel of stainless steel or plastic, you can truly feel the texture and warmth of the wood.In this way, Com Plates isn’t a product I designed with a specific intention from the start.It’s the culmination of my work, created with a variety of thoughts and feelings poured into it.

While high machining precision for the raw material block may not be critical in general woodworking, Com Plates require precision across all six faces.Three mutually adjacent faces are particularly important; the point where they intersect serves as the reference point for NC milling operations.If the precision of this reference area is poor, the wall thickness nominally 1.5 mm can fluctuate to 1 mm or 2 mm, resulting in uneven thickness.Since uneven wall thickness can lead to deformation or cracking, maintaining precision is of the utmost importance.We have machined Com Plates using over ten different types of wood.With the exception of certain extremely soft conifers, they could all be processed under the same conditions.Equally important is avoiding the removal of large amounts of material in a single pass such as during roughing simply to shorten machining time.It is essential to minimize the stress placed on the wood.Therefore, the machining program must be designed to remove material gradually, even though this extends the overall processing time.