Noriaki Mori

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Noriaki Mori ("NM") 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?

NM : I started my career as an industrial designer at Panasonic in 1991 after graduating from Musashino Art University.

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

NM : I wanted to make people's lives a little better and became a designer. And that is what drives motivation.

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

NM : Yes, I did.

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

NM : From tangible things to intangible services and community design, we will provide creative optimal solutions based on design thinking in various ways.

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

NM : You should step on the number of places in all things. Sometimes experience in a completely different industry is always useful, as in other style games. For example, you may be enrolled in a company that makes many business proposals into projects, from community design to product product design.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

NM : Good designers will put together the requirements you need. Great designers are even more proactive in putting together the thoughts and actions of others.

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

NM : I don't think there is a goal in the world of design. Like the world of Buddhism and Zen, it is a job that always needs to aim for higher heights. So you should always try to update today than yesterday and tomorrow than today. A good design eliminates unnecessary decoration, and the essence is found in the place where the flesh is thoroughly stripped off.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

NM : The value of good design is to enrich people's lives. It is worth the investment because it brings a good life.

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

NM : I would like to design a design that will energize the industries of rural areas and small and medium-sized enterprises. If the regions become healthy, the industry of the whole country will be raised more.

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

NM : Seeing the design and outcomes of the entire community in a region.

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

NM : It is to interact with people from different industries and absorb various knowledge and know-how so that they can play other style games.

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

NM : When I was young, I was inspired by Philippe Starck. Nowadays, I often get inspiration from nature.

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

NM : It's Bertone's Lancia Stratos. The design has been sharpened just to win the rally.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

NM : Is it Antonio Gaudi's Sagrada Familia? It is still unfinished and people all over the world are involved in the construction.

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

NM : It is to interact with people from different industries and absorb various knowledge and know-how so that they can play other style games.

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

NM : You would have been a strategy consultant.

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

NM : It would be a visualization of the concept. 1. Visualize intangible things 2. Show tangible things in kind It is a skill that can embody these things.

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

NM : I was an alumnus of a managing executive officer of a company. He also introduced me to our overseas network.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

NM : Seniors in design and people from many different industries.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

NM : It was all about tangible design.

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

NM : Media exposure should be increased outside of competitions.

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

NM : It is an intangible new business development.

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

NM : It is to create a state where various services and hardware are further designed while developing a new business.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

NM : It's something that people think in a good way if they can solve anything.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

NM : It is easy for anyone to use and helps to enrich your life.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

NM : It's new business development.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

NM : It's the Cast Iron Bottomless Baslet. This is because we were able to embody products that are not in the world with enthusiasm. It involved a lot of people and made it a reality.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

NM : I want the society to be a mixture of vertically divided design fields.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

NM : I think we will move toward management design that utilizes design thinking.

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

NM : It depends on the project.

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

NM : Start by observing the current situation.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

NM : It means being curious about everything.

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

NM : I think there are both cases.

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

NM : It's another wheel.

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

NM : Mac, PC, MS Office, Adobe CC, etc.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

NM : It's both functional and aesthetic.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

NM : anything.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

NM : I wondered if there was that.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

NM : It is a manager who understands design. If you meet such a person, the transformation will accelerate.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

NM : A mentor who was the owner of a company.

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

NM : It is difficult to pick up one book. Inspired by various books.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

NM : I learned a lot other than design. Business management, spending time with a manager, engaging in consulting work, learning at a graduate school for working adults.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

NM : Leonardo da Vinci

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

NM : We should always aim for new goals, not in the glory of the past.

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

NM : My favorite color is navy. My favorite place is Milan. My favorite food is Kitakata ramen. My favorite season is spring. I don't have a favorite brand.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

NM : When I later measured the height, depth, and angle that I set to be optimal for the appearance, it was a golden ratio. I realized that as I gained experience, I could remember the golden ratio with my body.

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

NM : I'm constantly searching for clues to solve problems by touching on more information.

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

NM : I never imagined that.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

NM : It seems that the world has developed measures for allergies, drug discovery, and preventive medicine that have not been elucidated, and it is now possible to get the job you want to get.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

NM : Even if you only design, you will never get a good design.