Kei Kitayama

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Kei Kitayama ("KK") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

KK : I grew up in Osaka Japan with both my parents involved in design and architecture. My parents took me to many places including gardens and temples in Kyoto and Nara area. This childhood experience has formed my interests in design and refined my design pallet.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

KK : What motivate me the most is to see the expression of the clients or the end users.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

KK : I chose to be a designer.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

KK : My current design projects are small scale residential, interior for hospitality (restaurants, café and bar) and furniture design. The aim is to increase the scale of the projects to small to medium.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

KK : I am still young design myself, and I am following the advice that was written by one of my favourite architect. He recommended young architects to go out and talk to other industry people and read books that are not architecture related to broaden the knowledge.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

KK : A good design is timeless. It is a great piece of design not only when it is produced, but also after many years since it has been produced.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

KK : House for my parents

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

KK : A small public building where all generation can enjoy visiting

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

KK : Not to give up

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

KK : Tadao Ando

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

KK : Church of Light designed by Tadao Ando. I like the simple yet rich and amazing internal experience created by the natural light coming through the slot windows.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

KK : I travelled around in India for couple of months 20 years ago or so. I believe that sketching different buildings / scenery, and seeing different culture during this period improved myself as a designer.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

KK : Maybe a chef so that I can still create / produce to entertain other people.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

KK : Design is something that could make our life rich and entertaining.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

KK : My parents

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

KK : Childhood experience of visiting great architecture in Japan.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

KK : Whatever the method that is used to present the idea, it is important that the presentation is made easy to understand for the client / user. As long as it is clear and easy to understand, it is not really a matter whether it is using technology or hand drawn sketches.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

KK : I have been working on a residential alteration and addition project in Australia. I am trying to create a simple exterior with rich / interesting space within.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

KK : Ultimate goal is to keep working as a designer till end of my life.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

KK : Architecture is somewhere people spend most of their time for sleeping, working, eating etc, and it has a big impact on development of people’s emotion and feeling. Architecture may only be a small component to assist better society, but it can definitely assist.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

KK : It varies depending on the size and complexity of the project.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

KK : The process always starts with meeting clients and visiting the site. The site condition and personality of the clients have a large impact on the design.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

KK : Keep learning and challenging

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

KK : Design sets the trends

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

KK : My design process is still manual. Technology is utilised for the presentation and the documentation stages.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

KK : Pen, paper, cardboard, glue during design stage; Rhino, 3D Max and photoshop for presentation; auto CAD for documentation.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

KK : Tadao Ando’s books and Taro Okamoto’s ‘Have poison in you’

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

KK : White, Japan, Sushi, Spring

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

KK : Design is my interests, and it can motivate myself when I sit down and start working on.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

KK : No. I didn’t do well in art subjects when I was in primary school.