“Give an architect a mike and they’ll talk for hours,” explains Astrid Klein at Tokyo’s Pecha Kucha Night in the standing-room only space at Superdeluxe.  Pecha-Kucha Night was started by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham as a place for architects, designers, and other creatives to publicly show their work.  But rather than placing audiences at the mercy of long-winded orators, each presenter is confined to exactly 6 minutes and 40 seconds in which they present exactly 20 slides, which advance at a relentless 20 seconds each.  When the last slide runs out, the words “Thank-you” pop up on the screen and the audience claps in appreciation.  While Pecha Kucha has been around since 2003, it has seen a remarkable worldwide expansion, with Pecha Kucha nights now being held in over 168 cities worldwide and new cities joining every month.

The unique format keeps the night energetic and engaging – talks are vibrant and concise, with many different presenters taking the stage over the course of the evening.  In the background, the constant din of networking, drinking and discussion keeps the atmosphere casual and low-key.  This friendly setting is another key to Pecha-Kucha’s growing success as the presentation floor is accessible to anyone with an interesting story to tell.  As a result the presentations are always fresh and diverse.  In the several nights I’ve attended, I’ve seen everything from portfolio presentations, architecture projects, and event promotions to social commentaries, performance art, and travel diaries.

Last month’s event was no less varied and included some fascinating talks.  Photographer Keitaro Yonehara presented some stunning unphotoshopped images, and Bruno Quinquet introduced his “Salaryman Project”, a collection of photos of anonymous office workers that examines the clash between public photography and portrait rights.  Junpei Kiz presented his design of a Japanese “cram school”, and we were treated to a surreal live performance by Masahiro Kohama, a.k.a. BOKUDES.  Teacher Daniel Cowan spoke on similarities between the design process and how children should be learning, and David Pollard and Tomonari Waku explained the “Happy Soil Project ” which uses branches to recreate sketches of houses made by children.

Written by Chris Kirby

This is a post from Home Design Find

20 slides x 20 seconds. Tokyo’s Pecha Kucha Night

Japanese architect Makoto Yamaguchi has recently been extending his practice to include sensitive and exquisitely crafted products.

His “Wooden Frame” is a picture frame cut from a single piece of wood.  By forgoing typical frame construction and leaving the annular rings and bark intact, he creates a much more intimate connection with the natural material.  Though it may look simple, there are some tricky design and manufacturing issues that arise from the grain direction.   The horizontal and vertical beams are different in strength so the design carefully accounts for the thickness, shape and type of wood in order to create a sturdy structure.

“Drawer” was made for the “DEROLL Commissions Series 1: box” exhibition in which five Japanese architects were invited to make creations around the theme: “box”.  Yamaguchi’s contribution is a stack of crisp wooden boxes that evoke surprise through their cleverly concealed drawers.

With forms both seductive and familiar, “2.8cm” is a range of cutlery inspired by the shape a ribbon takes when held between two fingers.

Written by Chris Kirby

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Product design by Makoto Yamaguchi

Mr. Mikiya Kobayashi, till last month, was sharing the same portion of the office with me, among many other young designers.  He has an especially high degree of completion as well as attention to detail and therefore a good evaluation.
Today I would like to introduce four of his works.

“MOV” is a piece he worked on when he was still a student. A chair that stands upright in sand by sticking the leg of the chair in a round hole in the sand.

“Cielo” is a piece made of a cleanly colored small round pole frame and tou (a weaved material). Although it is an unlikely combination, it unexpectedly adapts to its space.

The soccer ball made for SOFIDA,  http://www.sfidasports.com/ was a cooperative effort with graphic designer Takeo Nakano.   First a new logo for SOFIDA was created then that logo was then expanded onto the soccer ball.

Floating chopsticks “ukihashi” is a chopstick that doesn’t need a chopstick placer. These discovery like ideas can be acquired at the MOMA shop.

Last month he won a product competition held at a place in Japan called Fuji, and started a cooperative effort with a big furniture company “Karimoku.” Next year one of his pieces will be produced by an Italian furniture company.  For someone doing such big things, sharing an office with me became too small, and therefore he moved to a new office last month. More and more I pray for his development.

Mikiya Kobayashi Design

http://www.mikiyakobayashi.com/

Written by Keiji Ashizawa
Translated by Hannah Hernandez

This is a post from Home Design Find

Mikiya Kobayashi Design

Of the many exhibitions that took place this year, the one that was most talked about was most likely the “Japanese History” exhibition.  These works used Ii Naosuke as a motif.  He guided Japan from being nationally isolated to being opened up by using forceful leadership as an important person to the “Edo Bakufu,” the government of Edo.  He was then assassinated after leading a counter force against the powers.  There is no mistaking that featuring a historical figure with a slightly “dirty” image, to many Japanese has never and will never happen again.  What does the opening up of Japan mean to the country and what does this conversion mean to Japanese history as a whole?

Mr. Okada who planned the exhibit, and the playfulness of Mr. Shimizu, the designer, challenge the identity of the Japanese people who come to view the exhibit.  Since opening to the world, cutting their “mage” (ancient male hairstyle of Japanese), getting rid of the kimono, the Japanese have changed their identity and become a money saving country. (Private property 1,500,000,000,000,000 Yen) The idea that a savings box container appears to be a huge “mage” like sushi, is very strange.  Further a beautiful mirror made with an image of Ii Naosuke’s face, cannot be considered an object of mere irony or jokes.  It helps us to think about the fact that we are Japanese, to think about Japanese history, and to realize that this object that seems as though it is a joke could be considered good design.

DEROLL is a design brand of EIZO OKADA who directs the direction of design.net.
Designer: Shimizu Hisakazu
Has worked on the canon compact digital camera IXY digital series as an in house designer, as well as the SABO STUDIO director.

photos by: Muga Miyahara

Written by Keiji Ashizawa
Translated by Hannah Hernandez

This is a post from Home Design Find

Japanese History by DEROLL

This is the third year for Design tide. Up till last year they were exhibiting in buildings under construction and vacant stadium spaces which served as a message in itself. This year they were exhibited at an event space located on the basement floor of a shopping mall in midtown Tokyo. Due to the convenience of transportation and the shopping malls location, it was commercially successful but it appeared to be less eventful. Mr Makoto Tanijiri coordinated the space which did a great job.

Chris Kirby – Negative Series

Stool by Raw Edge design studio

Stool by Grand furniture & Factory Naoya Matsuo

Clock by Tamotsu Koshima

Vase by Jin Kuramoto

Chair by Mile

Chair made with hard rubber and wood

Furniture made with glued wood by Jo Nagasaka

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Tokyo Weekly: Design Tide

Tokyo design week turned out to be a successful and very prosperous event.  The two big events were 100% design Tokyo and Design Tide.  Tokyo design week on 0ct 30th thru Nov. 3rd turned out to be a very successful week.  Both events were blessed with many participants as usual.  We are proud to say that the prototype exhibitions which we hosted were also a great success.

I’d like to introduce a few designers out of the 29 pairs.

Chris Kirby

He is an industrial designer who comes from an engineering background. His Spiral Lamp shows a great engineering idea. I’d like to state that this lamp is a prototype he created himself.

Youichiro Yamanaka

CH-BED-AIR can be considered a prototype that encourages one to think about what it could possibly evolve into. This can be seen by his sketching as well. By exhibiting a piece like this at the show, it allows people who see it to imagine more possibilities. There were many participants who created products for the show with the hope of possibly expanding these ideas into greater products for the future.

In design

They are a group who should be feared that independently produces all of their tools. We are excited to see the unique objects they create with a good sense of surprise and humor.

Keiji Ahsizawa - Ellipse

The lumps are made of 0.5 mm thin iron board that are laser cut and bent by hands. This process creates soft lighting made by the curving of the iron board and dotted line. There are three different types created: one that mounts on the wall, stand type and hanging type.

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Tokyo Weekly: 100% Design and Design Tide

Tokyo has many events lined up from October 30th to November 3rd, worthy of being called a design week. The biggest events are called 100% Design Tokyo and Design tide. This year, they are opening a prototype display. It is actually the second time it’s been on exhibition. Last year it was exhibited in my office.   This year it was decided that there would be another exhibition held after the positive feedback from last year’s exhibition. This year the number of participants substantially increased as well as the quality. A number of the pieces and designers have been introduced, however today I would like to pickup on two people out of the participants.

Photos By: Takumi Ota
MILE – MILE design project
Design project MILE was formed by Bandai Matsuo (acoustic engineer), Kentaro Kai (software engineer) and Kozo Shimoyama (interior designer) while they were still students at the University of Tsukuba.
The MILE design project is a made up of a designer and engineers. The products which MILE makes are all very unique. Products that could not be born of a designer alone or an engineer alone are made into new forms. Good afternoon is one product that I like very much. It is able to determine the time just by light. It is a poetic piece of work, while also being a product that is very characteristic of MILE.

Naoya Misawa – Prototype Exhibition
The prototype that he submitted this time, ASO/ TANE has a very playful feel to it. The design and function are put together very well to be what I think is a good design.

One reason for 30 designers being able to come together for this exhibit was due to what has been cheap exhibition fare, being raised. These days the exhibition fees in Japan continue to soar. The price of m2 is one that is a world top level. The entrance fee has become even more expensive then the Milano Salone Satellite exhibit of last year that I attended. Proper designers try to be cost effective while trying to be aware of who the audience of the exhibit is. There is a certain sensitivity that can be felt about this. The two big exhibits can’t deny the fact that it leaves out individual designers. The participants are eager to participate due to the cheapness of participation expenses and are eager to make this event successful also as a protest to the bigger events.

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Tokyo Weekly: Tokyo Design Week Preview

Written by Keiji Ashizawa
Translated by Hannah Hernandez

Multi-complex house by Makoto Takei / Chie Nabeshima of TNA Architects

Next to the forest

TNA is a team made up of two architects, Makoto Takei and Chie Nabeshima. Although this design is simply a multi-complex house, the Ring house that these two have designed has been featured on last years cover of the architecture review. Their precise detail work and bold concepts can be seen despite the large scale of these designs, in all of their work including the home above.

Photos by Daici Ano
VINTA

Toshitaka Nakamura

Butterfly

This light uses the concept of folding paper as its basis. It has the simplicity of one plane creating a different atmosphere in a matter of two minutes by unfolding into a functioning modulated light, emitting calming lights. From the way the paper is folded in a non parallel way, the concept of “unfolding” can most likely be associated with this light. It produces an attractive look of a butterfly quietly fluttering in space.

Stroke

This vase is constructed of one tube being bent. It transforms the image from water just “passing” through the vase to flowers being “arranged.” A concept that seems simple constructs a more complex atmosphere. By combining these concepts together a look with more stability is constructed.

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Tokyo Weekly: TNA Architects and Vinta Design

Written by Keiji Ashizawa
Translated by Hannah Hernandez

Hiroshi Araki & Koji Nagasawa
AN Architects is an architectural design office which was formed by two architects who studied at Tadao Ando’s office.  It was formed in Osaka in 2005.

The booths were created for galleries and museums, as you can tell by the photos.  They were created to be compact with many variations.  They are going to be introduced during Tokyo design week at the prototype exhibit.  See more images below.

Luft is a design office created by Nami Makishi and Satoko Mizoguchi in 2005.  The theme is furniture that you would want for your home.  This series of furniture that is made by Rawan glued boards (laminated board) which are very cheap in Japan.  It is designed with sturdy shapes that add beauty to the design.

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Tokyo Weekly: AN Architects and Luft design

Written by Keiji Ashizawa
Translated by Hannah Hernandez
NE apartment
Nakae Architects

Associate design
Takagi Akiyoshi /takagi akiyoshi architectural design firm office
Oono Hiroshi /ohno Japan

The Condominium contains eight family units in three levels including a bike garage.  By arranging curved walls an elegant space on each unit is created.

Photos : Hiroyasu Sakaguchi

MUSVI
Design : Point

The designers of musvi, point, is a team that was put together by
Nagaoka Tsutomu, an architect.

He is also a well-known member of the management shaaoffice co- lab.
This office is full of vigorous energy with many young creators.
It is s jewelry shop specializing in wedding rings.
The brand name musvi means knot and is created with fine ribbons.
Different appearances and spaces are achieved by cris-crossing the fine ribbons together.

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Tokyo Weekly: Nakae Architects & Musvi Point Design