toshiyuki kita

toshiyuki kita interview ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

toshiyuki kita

was born in 1942, kita studied at the naniwa design
college, osaka and after graduating he worked for
an aluminum company, developing new products.
in 1967 he opened his own design office, and began
his research on contemporary products and traditional
handcraft pieces. in 1969 he started developing
furniture and working in italy. he has worked with
companies such as moroso, bernini and bilumen,
cassina, sharp, stokke, mitsubishi. he is a professor at
the product design department of the osaka university
of art. kita has received numerous awards for his
designs and his work has been exhibited at the george
pompidou centre -paris, the museum of modern art -
hiroshima, the international world exposition -sevilla
amongst others. kita is president of the japanese
design association NPO, advisory board.

http://www.toshiyukikita.com

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designboom met toshiyuki kita in milan on april 20th, 2007.
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what is the best moment of the day?
in the morning because my head is clear.

what kind of music do you listen to at the moment?
I like classic music the most, but also contemporary
music.

do you listen to the radio?
yes, often.

what books do you have on your bedside table?
currently I'm reading many history books, my current
exhibition is based the future of tradition so many books
that I've read lately are related to this.

the exhibition is entitled 'the future of tradition'.
in the present era where globalization proceeds at a
rapid pace, new things are constantly produced while
old things fall into oblivion. it is essential for us to
contemplate on what is ourcultural heritage, traditional
culture.

do you read design and architecture magazines?
of course, I read many of these magazines.

where do you usually get your news from?
newspapers and the internet.

are there any clothes that you avoid wearing?
I never wear red, or violet, I prefer white, salmon-pink
and blue, what I'm wearing right now is by issey miyake
(salmon-pink shirt and navy-blue jacket)

I assume you notice how women dress.
do you have any preferences?
I like the designs of calvin klein and issey miyake
for women.

do you have any pets?
we had a dog for ten years but he died last month.

when you were young did you want to become
a designer?
when I was younger I wanted to be an artist,
but then I ended up being a designer.

describe your style as a good friend of yours might.
I would say it is an organic style, the main theme would
be the balance between technology and nature. I like to
combine man made materials with natural ones.

do you discuss your work with other designers
and archtects?
I discuss and collaborate with craftspeople, in order to
adapt their experience and perfection in work to
contemporary lifestyles.

can you decribe an evolution in your work?
more than being an evolution of concept
the evolution is in the materials I use.

which project has given you the most satisfaction?
there are many. for example this watch (the 'two points
watch' that he is wearing), the 'wink' and also the 'multi
lingual' chair. I especially enjoy projects where I examine
the tradition of the object, wether it's the material or
the form.

people have equated design with lifestyle...
yes, colour and shape. but I have a much more 'holistic'
approach. design is how you can harmonise many
complex factors into a single form. design is in one word
'harmony' (or chowa) and its communication adds
vibrancy to life. form and color transmit a message
and this message affects our feelings. however,
the elements change over time, so we as designers
always have to review our approaches.

... but design is 'added value' creation for
businesses too.
yes, a designer must think of 3 points of view because
a good design interacts with 3 parties. the consumer
who buys and uses the products, the distributor or
retailer who sells it and the manufacturer whose
business success depends on sale of the items. if the
product does not sell well, the company will not make
profit and pay the salaries. designs have to fit into the
culture of a target market while sustaining attractiveness
and saleability.

how do you fuse 'lifestyle' and 'business' with
'awareness'?
I always think about how to make people happy and
satisfied. the designer should create something special
that convinces people to keep and treasure instead of
discarding.

do you have any advice for the young?
the basis of design is communication, so it is for people.
art is for oneself. the designer should consider the
people who use and will make their products.
the designer should always consider ecology, economy,
function and materials and try to achievea balance of
these aspects.

is there a designer or architect from the past that
has influenced you or that you particularly appreciate
the work of?
rather than architects or designers, I take more influence
from nature.

and those still working today?
there are a lot, for example in architecture jean nouvel
and shigeru ban. with designers it's more dificult. there
are many who I like the work of, but they are my friends
so I can't just name one or two. (laughs)

is there anything that you are afraid of regarding
the future?
the earth is not well, things are not going in the right
direction, the temperature is rising and animals are
becoming extinct because of our actions, this is
something that worries me.