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Interview with Ryumei Fujiki and Yukiko Sato |
Home > Designer Interviews > Ryumei Fujiki and Yukiko Sato |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Ryumei Fujiki and Yukiko Sato (RFAYS) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Ryumei Fujiki and Yukiko Sato by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
RFAYS: Because I met my mentor, the great architect Hiroshi Hara.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
RFAYS: Ryumei Fujiki : Ryumei (Takaaki) Fujiki completed his MA and the Doctor of Engineering at the University of Tokyo under Hiroshi Hara and Akira Fujii. He founded Fujiki Architectural Design Studio(F.A.D.S) in 1991. He has been teaching as a professor at the department of architecture at Kogakuin University (KOU: :ARC) ,Tokyo since 2001. Ryumei Fujiki is studying on various research focuses at Fujiki Studio of Kogakuin University, specializing in environmental and experimental architecture. He has a great interest in nature especially the advanced system of nature. F.A.D.S : Yukiko Sato joined F.A.D.S as a design partner since 2000. She graduated from Japan Woman’s University. She teaches at four universities, including Japan Women's University. F.A.D.S has made numerous practical works in Japan. http://www.fads-design.jp
FS: What is "design" for you?
RFAYS: It's not about satisfying the client's needs or solving their problems, but about creating spaces never seen before.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
RFAYS: It involves a trial and error process of challenging things without knowing whether or not I will be successful.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
RFAYS: Instead of answering about my favorite design, let me answer as my favorite designer (architect). Hiroshi Hara, Eero Saarinen, Zaha Hadid, MAD architects, Future System, Peter Vetsch
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
RFAYS: Promenade Tama Chuo (housing complex) https://sakuhin.info/japan/promenade_tamatyuou/#google_vignette
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
RFAYS: Parametric Design and Digital Fabrication
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
RFAYS: a trial and error process of challenging things
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
RFAYS: a trial and error process of challenging things
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
RFAYS: Fun and joy
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
RFAYS: I want to take on a different challenge.
FS: What makes a design successful?
RFAYS: I don't know if I was successful or not.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
RFAYS: Whether it's new or not.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
RFAYS: I believe it is important to show bold and ambitious ideas and to make proposals that will change our values when it comes to the two problems we face: global environmental issues and war.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
RFAYS: I think we are now able to achieve things that were previously impossible.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
RFAYS: An exhibition titled The Environmental and Experimental Architecture of Fujiki Studio was held at Kogakuin University in Shinjuku, Tokyo from June 3rd to June 15th, 2024. I don't have any plans for the next exhibition, but I would like to participate if I am invited by the A' Design Award 40×40 program. Through the 40×40 program, "Porous Manifold as a Japanese Tearoom" were exhibited during from February 12 to April 28, 2024 at the Academic Design Center in Poland as ART & DESIGN FESTIVAL 2023 "IM_MATERIAL" exhibition.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
RFAYS: A new interpretation of nature, namely, the idea of viewing nature as a highly advanced system.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
RFAYS: Related to the question above, I call the type of architecture I aim for "Nature-oriented Architecture."
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
RFAYS: I live in Tokyo, Japan. When I give lectures abroad, I feel proud of Japanese culture, for example, origami. However, there is no merit to living in Japan now because Japan is very conservative. It does not tolerate unfamiliar or new things.
FS: How do you work with companies?
RFAYS: I don't really work with companies, I work with individual clients.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
RFAYS: Japanese companies are conservative, so they won't commission work from design firms unless they are large.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
RFAYS: I first come up with a concept, then I make a study model to study it, and then I model it in 3D. Sometimes I make the 3D model and the study model in the opposite order. Finally, I make a mockup in full size.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
RFAYS: There aren't five. Egg chair designed by ArneJacobsen https://www.fritzhansen.com/ja/categories/products/popular-series/egg Garden Egg Chair designed by Peter Ghyczy https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/garden-egg-chair?srsltid=AfmBOoqo-hUuh4u2NcrU34yi6QSRN0E-_Ndpa4gO7kgBh6aaFBdK2107
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
RFAYS: My best ideas often come to me when I wake up in the morning, so I write them down right away so I don't forget them.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
RFAYS: I think it's important to think for yourself, in other words, not to be swayed by other people's evaluation.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
RFAYS: The good thing is that it's fun, the bad thing is that staying up all night multiple times is bad for our health.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
RFAYS: There is nothing in particular.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
RFAYS: There is nothing in particular because design is not a skill, it is a philosophy and a way of life.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
RFAYS: Rhinoceros ,Grasshopper and Maya (3D software)
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
RFAYS: I can't manage time.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
RFAYS: It takes one to three years.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
RFAYS: How can you come up with such an idea?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
RFAYS: I think it's important to fail.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
RFAYS: Most of my clients are individual individuals, but I would love to work with overseas companies.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
RFAYS: I love everything about design.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
RFAYS: I plan to design my own house using Parametric Design method.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
RFAYS: I am collaborating with Yukiko Sato.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
RFAYS: I am currently designing a small wooden house.
FS: How can people contact you?
RFAYS: Please contact us using the contact form on the F.A.D.S homepage (http://www.fads-design.jp/contact.html).
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
RFAYS: Ryumei Fujiki answered this survey.
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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