An eclectic japanese architect with a global vision

After working at Toyo Ito & Associates, he established his own firm and has won various awards including Golden Lion at the 13th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia (2012) and Elita Design Award on installation "Photosynthesis" for Panasonic at Milano Salone del Mobile 2012. His recent work is 'amazing flow', the LEXUS installation at Milan Design Week 2013.

At the last Design Lighting Tokyo, one of the features has been the special installation “BRIDGE”.

In a sophisticated atmosphere supervised by architect Akihisa Hirata, a selected collection of simple, stylish and “NEXT” products by European lighting brands that have not been launched in Japan. Showcasing the latest European designs in the trend-setting city in Asia - Tokyo, it has act as a bridge between Europe and Asia.

Japanese people has a very sophisticated aesthetic sense that can be appreciated not just in product design but also in the way you treat food, animation movies, fashion etc. What is the field you like the most in your culture in terms of aesthetic aside product design?
Paintings by Rimpa (琳派A school of Japanese painting flourished mainly in Edo era)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rimpa_school

If you would think about the strongest characteristic of Japanese designers, what it would be?
Simple elegance

If you would think about the strongest characteristic of Japanese designers, what it would be?
That would be the ability to offer the products that fit to the scale of Japanese minds and to the scale of their living environment.

Is there an identifiable trend in terms of forms, concepts and design for the future of lighting?
Though I don’t know much about the trends, I, personally, sometimes wonder if there is anything as archetypal and beautiful as the light bulbs which are from the old generations.

The ‘Bridge’ is a collection of products by European lighting brands that have not been launched in Japan. What makes the Asian market so appealing to Europe? Furthermore, architect Akihisa Hirata, the supervisor of the installation, won several awards in Italy. Do you think Europe has also something to learn from the Japanese approach to architecture, or is it mostly the other way around?
I think that’s because of the still expanding markets such as China, Taiwan, Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Although I always deeply respect the tradition of European architecture, I think Japanese architects have been leading the world in practicing a new principle of architecture to blend with natural environment.
The important thing is that they do not only hold the concepts, but they make them built.

Which criteria have you consider to choose the products for the installation bridge?
Freshness of the image, and elegance

What s the message you want to communicate with this project?
It is to make a platform where variety with distinctive characters can loosely co-exist.

I think that is strongly requested not only in this project “BRIDGE” but also in various situations in the modern cities.