Interview with Miyazaki Chair Factory

The purpose of design is to make people life enrich.
I work as a designer to achieve it.

I had liked making things by hand, so I studied wood work.
Then I felt I needed to know shapes, so I studied design.

I design furniture, interior design and housing design.
I would like to work on the structure that is not a form.

Have interest in design, see the designed products, use it and get experience from it.

Good designer can design to be sold immediately.
Great designer design the products to be sold for long time.

The design that can be made continually is good design.

With good and the design we should invest, manufacturer can grow together.

I would like to think the structure of the design with the people who need design and whom I can get along with.

Nothing special.

It depends on the situation.
The environment where you design is important.

Enzo Mari

AKARI bi Isamu Noguchi. It is outstanding design like a sculpture which is making use of the materials and technology in the area. Frame and performance are integrated.

ORI stool(Miyazaki Chair Factory).
While making use of factory’s technology at the most, it suits everyday life situation.
ORI stool is repeatedly are on production.

Gain experiences.

Wood craft artist.

To make tools which is needed everyday life beautifully and emotionally.

A teacher from my shool days and a master when I was young.
Manufacturer who made products together helped me as well.
Biggest help is from my family and stuff member.

I don't know since I am not great.

Nothing I can think of.

It is important to provide the environment and media that suit the value of the product.
With that environment, we should show the product to the people interested in the value and explain.

I work with carpenters on the project that carpenters make house and furniture for the house.
This project connects creators and users thus this creates the mechanism that things will be used with care for long period.

I don't know yet.

I don’t think I became an esteemed designer.

We should focus on the organization for creative activity rather than whole society.
Thus individual organization will be stronger which leads to strengthen whole society.

All works I relate to.

The project with Miyazaki Chair Factory.I have been working with them for last 20 years
The project with Miyazaki Chair Factory.I have been working with them for last 20 years.
I did not only product development but also did building design and venue of exhibition design.
We were able to environment for manufacture while manufacturing.

To re think the roll of design.

It will be more commercial.
It is very sad thing.

At least 5 years.

I will change the awareness of project member.

You should not design unless you are asked.

The design I am aiming to achieve is in a different place from the trend.

It is premise that there is technology.
Technology is indispensable when I design.

色は必須ではありません。
材料と環境は、技術と共に設計の前提です。
これらは重要な要素です。

Who would you design for?

I would be moved and excited.

To me, design partners are manufacturer, seller and user.
I believe the design with these partners.

The manufacturers I have worked with.
Miyazaki Chair Factory who I worked with for Bo chair is one of them.

I learned how to manage viewpoint from the book INEIRAISAN by Japanese author, Junichiro Tanizaki.

The skills will grow naturally when it is needed.

I am not good at talking people, so I can’t think of any special.

It is important for you to know your position receiving awards.
Just become a famous is not difficult, but it is difficult to be a legend whose name will remain.

color: the color of the material as it is.
place: where I live and work.
food: curry
season: spring
things to do: working
brand: Issey Miyake

I have a lot and I can't decide the one.

Make manufacturer cheer up and lively.

I am not a great design, so I don't know.

We will focus on environmental improvement and sustainability to keep us alive.
There the design will be needed for living.

Design is what we do with someone.
It is important to think what good design is.

Design things needed for everyday life, beautifully and emotionally.

I like to make a design mechanism, not a form

R+R chair.

When the idea pop up in my mind

Whether the product suit the place where it is placed.Whether the products will not give the weird impression.That is I do care the most.

Excitement after hardship

I prioritize the procedure of design, so when the design are realized, I am rather calm

You will be able to succeed if you can keep making it.So it is important to create such environment

I believe emotion is most important.

It is not about whether you are a designer.Each member of collaborators must be conscious about society and environmentand recognize the differences that makes better society and environment.

I don’t think evolving.It is changing.I don’t know the future of design.

I and Miyazaki Chair Factory are planning to exhibit Salone del Mobile 2019 and ICFF in NY.

The origin of creation for me is based on the technique and spirit of the collaborator.

I prepare the environment to make products while I am developing it. Thus I make the product which isn't sold well at first, but eventually the product becomes long seller.

I base on the suburb of Tokyo.Japanese culture affect a lot to my work.

I work with rather small local companies.

Japanese companies don’t pay attention to choose designers.Since we can choose what we want to eat at the restaurant, they should care about choosing designer.

1. Exchange opinions with collaborator(communication)2.Investigate what technique the collaborator can offer and the environment/facilities3. Confirm how the collaborator think4. Propose design idea

Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier, AKARI by Isamu Noguchi, Issei Miyake clothes, Stabilo's felt-tip pen and Peter Zumthor's chapel

It depens on the day.

Positive thing is if the result is good, that made people happy.Negative thing is sometimes people think I am dubious person.

I believe I have to design with someone and I should not design without the order.

To be able to think in a partner’s position.

Felt-tip pen, colored pensils and triangular scale.

I save the time without answering the calls for 2days in every week.Thus I can concentrate on designing.

It depends and it might be 3 days or can be 5 years.

What I like the most in my work.

The workshop style of collaboration with Miyazaki Chair Factory and Table kobo KiKi in Tokushima prefecture.We have been working together with this style for last 20 years.

I enjoy housing design the most.There are always users in front of me and I can communicate with them while designing.

New chair with Miyazaki Chair Factory.

Through e-mail.