Takanao Todo

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Takanao Todo ("TT") 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?

TT : I am Japanese grow up in Tokyo. I have moved to the UK from the age of 15. I studied architecture in Architectural Association School of Architecture from 2002 to 2008, receiving AAdipl, RIBA part2, and MArch

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

TT : Receiving a letter from Tadao Ando was my original motivation to become a designer. I enjoy something unexpected happen when people plays with my works, and how the structure grows in time.

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

TT : I tried many expressions, such as theater play, musician, story writer, and movie so on. I also wanted to be philosopher, and archaeologist. Being architectural designer and ceramicist can satisfy all, while I am best at testing various other expressions.

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

TT : Architectural design, and ceramic design are the majority of my work. I also do graphic works. I would like to design something larger than interior or pavilions.

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

TT : Visit many good works, and best to utilize it.

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

TT : good designer makes something good. great designer makes something make people think.

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

TT : there must be something singular, and make us think

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

TT : Good design helps people stop, think, and trying to interpret. It is one of the best way to inherit human wisdom to the next generation.

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

TT : Make my own house or tea bowls. It is always best to design it for my own.

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

TT : I would love to design a house, in a wonderful landscape, without much constraint in requirement, regulation, and cost.

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

TT : Learn proportion from the classic design

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

TT : Shiro Kuramata, Kazuo Shinohara, Louis Kahn, Lucie Rie, Koetsu Honami, Furuta Oribe, and Sen Rikyu

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

TT : Kimbell Museum by Louis Kahn, when I enter I couldn't move, and I just had to stand and keep silent until I can start to interpret the space.

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

TT : "Through the Looking Prism" is my best work so far. It combines every essence of my design, and even went far beyond. I guess a great design departs from my hands and become something else.

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

TT : Simply to aim to be the higher place by spontaneous challenges, and learning

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

TT : I cannot live. I would find another form of design or art work.

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

TT : Design offers joy and make you think

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

TT : There are so many people believe in my talent, my mother, Peter Salter, my boss, so on

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

TT : There was a luck, but the eureka. The eureka helps to integrate ideas, and let me win the competitions.

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

TT : Working under someone in practice was a pain. I am not a kind of person who can perform under the boss.

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

TT : Designer should present like poet, to share the beauty and quality.

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

TT : Developing the prism pavilion in different scales.

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

TT : My work to remain for another 1000 years, and gives inspiration to another generation

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

TT : Design to make people think

DL: How does design help create a better society?

TT : By make people think of their own society in an novel way.

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

TT : Challenging maximum potential of my idea

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

TT : "Cada cuba huele al vino que tiene", as my debut work in Logrono, Spain. There were so many people involved in making. I love the way local people confront in front of the project for a long time, then start to interact. Pavilions are relocated to the winery after the event. It is one of the first great experience as a designer.

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

TT : More opportunities for younger generations to challenge, and build with good payment.

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

TT : More towards the crafts

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

TT : depends on a scale, client, and budget.

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

TT : Organize all the basic requirement first, then leave it for sometime until i get the inspiration.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

TT : believe in Eureka moment

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

TT : Design sets the trend

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

TT : Technology gives more choices in design, and we should be optimistic about it

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

TT : Rhinoceros, illustrator, photoshop, in design, and premier pro

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

TT : Color gives mood and function, material gives the modesty and touch, and ambient is the consequence.

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

TT : I don't like questions...

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

TT : experience first, and analyze it, then understand the structure, and apply when necessary.

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

TT : I have already, fabricator (Duriflex), lighting designer (ambiguous), and landscape designer (awai).

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

TT : Duriflex, the fabricator helps to think together for the best possible execution.

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

TT : Objet Singular, by Jean Nouvel and jean baudrillard

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

TT : Precision, and simplification

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

TT : Furuta Oribe

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

TT : They are not helping my recognition as much as I wished so far

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

TT : Color = Navy Blue Place = Hill Food = Sushi Season = Autumn Thing = Lucie Rie Tea Bowl Brand = Issey Miyake

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

TT : during the construction, contractor made a mistake, because they did not check my drawings, but looked at the rendered images...

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

TT : Drinking good matcha with my own tea bowl in the morning, and thinking of my ideas to be physicalized always excite me.

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

TT : I enjoy making drawings, ceramics, models, so nothing different from what I do today.

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

TT : as long as human survives, our body itself will not change so much, so i believe in "eternal modernity"

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

TT : please visit and experience it