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Three Cubes in The Forest Movable Pavilion by Kotoaki Asano

Home > Winners > Design #56463 >Interview
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Kotoaki Asano (KA) for A' Design Awards and Competition. You can access the full profile of Kotoaki Asano by clicking here. Access more information about the award winning design Three cubes in the forest here.



Interview with Kotoaki Asano at Thursday 30th of March 2017

FS: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
KA: It is the design of the movable arbor. The contrast between simple outer shapes as the cubes and the internal spaces which has many different kinds.

FS: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
KA: It is comparison of the concise nature of the appearance and the richness of the internal spaces. The cube is an important subject for me for a long time. Small cubes enclose various interior spaces. Also, cubes are movable, and cubes have ambiguous implications at each place installed.

FS: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
KA: I want to increase the variations of the movable cube-shaped rooms.

FS: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
KA: I nursed the idea for years. For the real production, it took several months. For further improvement, the study is continued after that.

FS: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
KA: This was not requested from a specific client. Using an open call for participants of the KOBE Biennale, it came true to realize a longtime idea. This realization product is owned by an individual afterwards. I think about future development system.

FS: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
KA: This product was manufactured by my own responsibility. In actual production, it was produced and installed by me and Nishizawa Co., Ltd.. This idea will continue to evolve for a long time. I will meet an individual client and, for an individual client, want to design it one by one.

FS: What made you design this particular type of work?
KA: I want to find the possibility of a New Architecture, , which can not fit in a conventional Architecture. In architectural design, I have cubes and combinations thereof as subjects. In additional, I thought that movable cubes would produce festival spaces at its each location.

FS: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
KA: In Japan's ancient space concept, there is an idea that the smallest temporary space encompasses the richest spatial nature. Contrast of the brevity of the appearance and the richness of the interior space. Mobility. Then it is a device that gives many meanings wealthily to urban space. (an art work and a playground equipment and small room)

FS: Who is the target customer for his design?
KA: The unspecified number of people. Particularly, children and families. An owner / manager should preferably be a public local government, if possible. As actual users, I assume young and old people (especially, children and families).

FS: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
KA: The ease of movement by the truck, because of the external form of the cube. Game characteristics. Ambiguity. (art works, playground equipments, small rooms.) Advanced design characteristics. Fun of the internal spaces.

FS: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
KA: Because I thought that the handsome appearance of the cube included the characteristic of this small architecture. I tried to represent accurately the content of the design. In addition, I tried to express poetic implications.

FS: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
KA: Using models and drawings, I pushed forward our design. In addition, I went to the construction company and repeated many meetings. In actual production, we attached cloth, board, steel deck, glass, etc to steel frame.

FS: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
KA: The appearance of the cube. The degree of leaning. Design characteristics of the interior. Contrast between the simple appearance of cubes and the interior filled with diversity. Furthermore, movable cubes will liven up each place installed. And, the ambiguous spatial nature (playthings, waiting rooms, meditation rooms, public furniture).

FS: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
KA: First of all, I got advices from a structural expert. Also, actual production was carried out under the cooperation of the construction company(Nishizawa Co., Ltd.).

FS: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
KA: Technology was particularly important in the sequence of production, transportation and installation. We do not use the high-technology, but the technology raises comfort and safety.

FS: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
KA: I set cubes up for KOBE Biennale and observed situations to have people really spend there, and found improvement points. Also, before the actual production, I repeated the verification with models. Furthermore, although cubes are still set up in the forest now, I am taking data of usage situation and aging change.

FS: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
KA: The point of concern is safety when the unspecified number of people uses three cubes. In addition, it is cost. Then, the problem of durability of materials.

FS: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
KA: I think that it is a design that is internationally acceptable. And, in order to actually enter the international market.

FS: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
KA: I thought that the than expected unspecified number of people could use three cubes heuristically. How can people use three cubes safely for a long time in public places? I learned about the durability of materials etc.

FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
KA: Thank you for appropriate questions. I thank you heartily. I think that many matters are covered by questions from you.


FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.

A' Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.



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