Projects
Writing
Information
- Introduction
- The Capacity of Form
- Designed Form as Furniture
- The Relational Field of Form
- The Reconciliation of Form and Function
- Complex Form in Harmonization
- Restraint and Richness
Complex Form in Harmonization: Continued - Discerning Proportion
- Reflection on Contemporary Design
2023-2025
- What is Design?
- Problematic Design of Contemporary Era
- The Timeless Good Design
- Reflection on the Role of Design in our Historic Moment
-2023
This chapter introduces my theoretical and concrete expressions of certain design elements through the corresponding specific findings, reflections, and applications.
Phenomena
Inspired by the Light and Space art movement, I emphasize contemplating how an object interacts with light and space, as well as its relationships with people and other objects within that space. In spatial design, the concept of “Phenomena” involves a holistic consideration of the visible elements, while in the specific design of an object, it focuses on how that object is presented, making the appearance of the object a crucial aspect of the “Phenomena.” Light, shadow, and space play a decisive role here. Different materials, shapes, and colors of light and shadow give viewers various sensory experiences, while space serves as the overarching context for these elements. Contemplating the different ways of using light and shadow and designing them is the focal point of the “Phenomena” theory. It is essential to clarify that light and shadow are not only related to high-brightness objects. Everything people see has a relationship with light; reflective glass interacts with light, and so does a matte plastic sheet, although the human eye perceives it differently. The “Phenomena” theory is about contemplating the relationships between an object, light and shadow, space, and people during the design process. The “Phenomena” can be the main theoretical framework and presentation point in a design, but it can also exist as a supporting thinking method within other design theories. It is a crucial point worth contemplating in many designs. Concretizing the phenomena involves systematic observation and documentation, such as testing to explore how different light and shadow interact with various materials and spaces. Then, the resulting phenomena are further analyzed and actualized with different artifacts, ultimately manifesting them in a spatial or object-based design. This process includes recording data in a quantified manner, such as light and material reflections, refractions, diffractions, transmission, absorptions, penetrations, distances, angles, etc. The “Phenomenoa” theory emphasizes expressing the countless physical phenomena visible to the human eye. It is a pure visual consideration that exists within space and serves as a fundamental aspect of design thinking.
Scale·less·ness
The concept of "Scale·less·ness" originated from a reverse theoretical thinking process, transitioning from product design to spatial design. It was primarily inspired by the aesthetic approaches found in product design or product art, leading to contemplation on how those aesthetics could be adapted and utilized in both interior and exterior spaces. For example, can the production techniques, aesthetic expressions, and forms of ceramic products be designed in a larger scale? With this kind of thinking, the concept of "Scale·less·ness" emerges, resulting in a unified spatial design with similar visual effects. In my work "The Sequence," I used ceramic material and a pouring technique to create lamp fixtures resembling stone textures. By applying the concept of non-scalability, the serene beauty of materials, textures, and colors in "The Sequence" is simultaneously utilized in both interior and exterior spaces, forming a unique visual reminder and style. Even though the same type of materials and style may require different manufacturing techniques in various scales, the concept of “Scale·less·ness” remains highly distinctive and stylish. Using visually similar elements in different scales provides viewers with a sense of overall repetition yet avoids overwhelming visual cues. This emphasis on “Scale·less·ness” centers on thoughtful consideration of the perceptual experience, aiming to evoke a harmonious and balanced response within the viewer.
Double Consciousness
“Double Consciousness” is a concept with philosophical thinking that originates from contemplation on the interconnectedness of humans, objects, and the environment, emphasizing their volatility, creativity, and resonance.
Resonance is the emerging resonances between individual and individual, individuals and objects, individuals and crowd of people, and more.
Creativity is the innovative responses of individuals to various situations and the creative potential of objects as mediums for human expression.
Volatility is the ever-changing nature of humans, the adaptability of objects to human and environmental influences, and the inherent volatility of the environment itself.
In essence, it is a thinking of the volatility, creativity, and resonance of humans, objects, and their environment. These aspects continuously intersect and merge, giving rise to this concept known as the “Double Consciousness.” As stated in the opening sentence of this section, the “Double Consciousness” represents contemplation on the relationship between humans and objects within the environment. How is an object defined as a specific entity, such as a seat or a chair? How does this object express itself as an existence within the environment? What differences arise in such environments with or without people? Temporarily setting aside pre-existing definitions and reevaluating the meaning of the object’s existence is the mindset here. For example, it involves observing the interactions and trajectories between people and objects, as well as the way they are used. Concurrently, it involves contemplating the existence of the environment and the significance humans attribute to it. How do people’s perceptions of the environment define the nature of objects, and how does the environment, in turn, influence these objects, consequently affecting individuals? Designing objects and environments with these consideration of humans, objects, and the environment is the embodiment of the “Double Consciousness”.
Design to Solving Problem
In modern design conscious, solving problems through design is not a novel idea. Especially in product design, many designs are originally intended to identify issues and address them through design solutions. The notion of problem-solving through design here references more with the design philosophy of Oki Sato, the chief designer from Nendo design studio. In his book “Design to Solves Problems,” Oki Sato expresses a unique design mindset: To think with the sudden inspiration of “It would be great if it were like this” while designing.
「あったらいいな」をかたちにする「ひらめき」の技術
Oki Sato has a unique insight into how to cleverly and unpretentiously design products that seamlessly integrate into daily life. His designs possess a charming quality that brings a smile to people’s faces. This charm can be attributed to his first-hand experience in recognizing issues that arise during product usage and his smooth and ingenious ways of solving them. The solutions he implements are so seamless that people may not even realize they were intentionally designed to address specific problems. Instead, they effortlessly blend into the overall design, becoming an organic part of it while cleverly resolving the issues at hand. This design approach offers different perspectives and a strong sense of human touch since it stems from a genuine user experience. However, the downside is that such designs often require repeated usage of a product, making it challenging to incorporate them into product designs that haven’t undergone actual use. Inspired by Oki Sato’s mindset, I also embrace the thought process of “It would be great if it were like this.” This mindset demands frequent and subjective observation of the designer’s living environment and objects to discover those moments that can be improved upon. For example, many people have experienced the pain of bumping their little toe on a bed corner, and that becomes a moment of inspiration. A design to address this issue may emerge. Take my design “Home Shoehorn” as an example. While putting on shoes can be facilitated by a shoehorn, taking them off can be frustrating. Either using hands to remove the shoes or awkwardly stepping on one foot with the other are not ideal ways. This led me to design the concept of “Home Shoehorn,” which has a concave shape at the bottom of the shoehorn. This allows the shoehorn to comfortably slide the foot in and also makes it adhere to the back of the shoe for easy shoe removal. I also extended this idea to represent personal lifestyle choices, based on clever problem-solving design and resonance between people. In other words, designs falling under this theme are ones that many people find troubling and wish to improve. Such design approaches lead to an overall way of living. For instance, my design concept called “One Sip Cup” is a cup used for mouth rinsing. It has a capacity that holds exactly the amount of water needed for one mouthful. Often, we only require 3-4 mouthfuls of water for rinsing, so this capacity offers a water-saving and lifestyle-friendly solution. The concept of “design to solve problems” is human-centric, emphasizing a resonating design approach that closely aligns with daily life.
「物在以人的环境里使人成为聚焦，亦在无人的环境里成为聚焦。」
共鸣性为，人与人的，人与物的，个体与群体的人，等所产生的共鸣；
创造性为，人面对不同情况产生的创造性，物作为人的介质所产生的创造性；
易变性为，人自身的易变性，物因人和环境而起的易变性，环境自身的易变性。
总的来说，这便是对于人，物，环境，以及他们的易变性，创造性，和共鸣性的思考。他们互相不停的交汇与融合，而在这样的思考中出现的一种思维便是“聚焦点”。
如同本章的首句，聚焦点是思考人与物在环境中的关系。一件物如何被人定义为一件特定的物，比如何为座位？何为椅子？而这物，在环境中又充当成一个什么样的存在？在有人或无人的环境中又有什么差别？暂且抛去人对物已有的定义并重新去思考其存在的意义。比如观察物与人互相的活动轨迹，运用方式。与此同时，思考环境存在的方式以及人给予的意义。人因为怎样的环境定义了怎样的物，环境又对物产生了什么影响，受到环境影响的物又给人带去了什么影响。带着这样对人，物，环境的思考去设计物与环境是“聚焦点”这一思维的贯彻理念。
-Original Text