Daisuke Kobayashi

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Daisuke Kobayashi ("DK") 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?

DK : I grew up in a free environment since childhood. I loved playing by designing simple spaces and imagining stuffed animals going on adventures in a world of fantasy.

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

DK : The people involved in design looked very happy.

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

DK : I aspired to become a designer.

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

DK : I specialize in graphic design. In addition to creating symbol marks and packaging, I've also gained experience in redesigning traditional crafts and winning medals design for world championships and monument panels design for pavilions. Moving forward, I aim to continue designing iconic three-dimensional objects.

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

DK : Turning failures into stepping stones for future success and embracing positivity. Keeping calm to surrender to the flow, rather than letting feelings of haste take over.

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

DK : I think that designs created by talented individuals have a long-lasting "depth" and "dwell time" in people's hearts.

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

DK : A good design includes "white space" to captivate people.

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

DK : Creating designs that linger in people's minds is crucial. If a design can achieve long-term memorability among people, it can ultimately reduce the frequency of redesigns needed.

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

DK : I want to create designs related to cats for people who love them.

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

DK : As fellow Earthlings, this is a design project to think about the Earth together with people from around the world.

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

DK : Harmony with nature.

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

DK : Tom Geismar, Paula Scher.

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

DK : The poster design for Smap's CD by Kashiwa Sato. It has an overwhelming presence within a simple expression.

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

DK : One of the everyday items that blend into Japanese daily life is the sparrow-themed memo pad design, which I particularly like.

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

DK : I believe that facing the errors within myself is crucial. By understanding these errors, I can increase opportunities to positively influence those around me and, as a designer, contribute effectively to society.

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

DK : An artist.

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

DK : I think design is about opening the doors of people's hearts.

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

DK : My daughter.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

DK : The pure hearts that children have.

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

DK : An own desire.

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

DK : A design expression that allows it to linger in people's hearts and minds for a long time.

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

DK : I hope it becomes a design that lingers in children's memories, although I can't specify exactly how.

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

DK : Creating designs that permeate society regardless of changing times.

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

DK : I don’t care about what people expect from me. Just focusing on the project at hand.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

DK : It becomes a common vision for many people, indicating the direction towards a better society.

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

DK : I am excited about everything I am working on, while at the same time, approaching it with a sense of calm.

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

DK : World swimming medal design. People all over the world responded.

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

DK : Promotion of the concept of global-scale design beyond borders.

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

DK : Designs inspired by invisible entities such as microbes or air.

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

DK : The duration of a design project varies depending on the content of the project, from 3 weeks to 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months.

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

DK : I facilitate building a shared vision through communication with clients and team members.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

DK : A design with harmony with nature, the perspective of living beings.

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

DK : I believe that ideas and designs conceived from scratch by someone often create trends.

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

DK : The role of enhancing the resolution of expression.

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

DK : Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

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

DK : Something that constructs presence.

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

DK : I believe that the perception of design resides within people's hearts, so I don't particularly have anything specific I want people to ask about my designs.

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

DK : I imagine which experiences or events from my life are most closely related to the emotions I feel when I see a great design.

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

DK : A mutual respect for each other's existence. I believe that through collaborative design, we can achieve expressions that surpass expectations.

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

DK : My daughter.

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

DK : Creative thinking by Kashiwa Sato.

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

DK : In nature, people recognize their smallness, become humble, and believe that their skills are honed by perceiving things with the sparkling eyes of a child.

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

DK : People who live on Earth in the future and feel happy.

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

DK : It's very fortunate. Whether one becomes famous or not, I perceive it as a very small matter.

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

DK : I love the color of the sky, nature, food that is easy on the intestines, and spring in Japan.

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

DK : When I was a newly minted designer, I accidentally scratched up the meeting table frequently used by the company president while trimming posters. The next morning, I immediately went to apologize to the president, who kindly said, "It's no big deal even if this cheap table gets scratched."

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

DK : The meditation. It clears unnecessary thoughts within myself.

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

DK : I haven't imagined it. Even now, I don't consider myself great and cherish my original intentions.

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

DK : If human desires take precedence over the Earth, I believe that in the future, it will create an environment where life becomes increasingly unsustainable.

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

DK : As fellow Earthlings, we gaze upon the same sun each day, savor the air, and share the same moments in time. I would be happy if my designs could naturally permeate people's lives, much like water flowing down a mountain, gently seeping into the earth over time.