Interview with Akiko Kanna

Akiko Kanna ("AK") interviewed on Friday, 4 May.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

AK : Over the past fifteen years, I've been establishing my design perspective by studying what I am interested into and how much my idea can adapt to different ideas of people who are interested in my design. My journey of different city lifestyles and cultures has helped me to understand how people enjoy "design" in different ways and how to achieve their goals, which differs from city to city and from client to client. I believe the most important thing for a graphic designer is to give the answer to each client with fresh concepts but there have to be appropriate solutions for their needs. Conveying the information with a clear visual message is the key for what we do, alongside figuring out what is the most important message avoiding confusion due to different cultural values. My approach is always based on finding simple but meaningful solutions for communication needs. That is because I believe I am established internationally thanks to my design perspective which values diversity such as I have experienced. I am also open to communicate with clients which helps my design to be unique. Design world has so much potential but it is also very wide and I believe that focusing on communication can be crucial to achieve success in this overloaded information age, and this is why I believe simplicity is important. I do enjoy being close to people in order to find new communication methods and I am interested in pursuing self-initiated projects, collaborating with others, organizing exhibitions, and pursuing design solutions for localization and regional development with local communities. My journey is not over yet and I want to be open for many opportunities. Every country and every city has elements of design style, but I don't necessarily need to follow or be influenced by that in order to do business in that environment. I always strive to be neutral and flexible in the design point of view, so I can adapt and be competitive in new environmental and design situations.

How did you become a designer?

AK : I feel like I aways wanted to be an artist but didn’t know exactly which area of art I was most passionate about. I started playing piano when I was 5 and so I did have an idea of being a pianist since an early age but I guess I didn’t have enough passion to continue. After that, I started studying fine arts drawing and then with this skill I came across to become a Graphic Designer while in college in London. I remember I was really excited and open-minded because I could get access to most subject areas through design.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

AK : My style of design always aims to express "simple but meaningful solutions for your communication needs" and I try to convey the idea without many descriptions. This is my main focus and the keystone of all my design works. Every project is different, but I guess I try to find a good concept looking from different angles and aspects, understanding the company’s mission, identity and needs before starting a design plan.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

AK : I am really excited at the beginning of a work, I always try to explore as many opportunities as possible.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

AK : I think your perception and awareness plays an important role in the skill set required to be a successful designer. If you can pay attention to your surroundings and the environment around you, you can also focus on problem solving and on the better way to improve a concept design or project. After I joinedthe design studio in London,famous for corporate identity work, I had the privilege to work with a group of talented designers together. This greatly contributed to my professional development.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

AK : When I connect with a Italian designer network, I would like to organize exhibition like I did in Tokyo.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

AK : I suggest to try working with people or studios that share a similar style of yours and learn how they deal doing business with clients. It is very valuable if you wish to have your own studio in the future.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

AK : I do like to focus on the problem solving from what I see in everyday life and this process helps me to come up with an idea and then I try to write down some memo on the back of my sketch book.

What is your day to day look like?

AK : Ideally, morning coffee - make a plan for a day - start work - have lunch - start work - finish early. I love to have a nice cup of coffee and pick the music for setting the mood of the day.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

AK : I don’t follow design trend because everyone has different inspiration toward project and I always find “Simple communication” and convey the idea with meaningful solutions. Through my research for project concept, I try to looking from different angles and aspects and that gave me a lot of excitement for possibilities.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

AK : Good Designer - Can solve the problem. Great Designer - Can solve the real issue but can also add character and personality to the design in a balanced manner as required by the client.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

AK : I try to keep an open mind and I’m always open to tinker with and tweak the design in several iterations until the client happens to be properly satisfied. That defines the moment I can say the work is done.

What is your biggest design work?

AK : This is a really difficult question, since I had the pleasure of doing business with important clients such as Coca Cola Japan, DUNLOP, Toyota Motor Europe, Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., Ltd, Saga Prefectural Government. By working with such important companies like these I learned a lot going through the project.

Who is your favourite designer?

AK : Otl Aicher - 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, and more. It feels like his works can always teach me what being a professional designer is.Lance Wyman - Great creativity for every corporate identity and instant eye catching through colour and shape which can effectively involve people of all ages.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

AK : I really enjoy berlin and Amsterdam.I really appreciate the work from two schools, Bauhaus and HFG of Ulm, so I somehow feel connected to Germany as a whole. These classic legendary schools always remind me the principles of design and what beauty of design should be, combining simplicity and better functionality at the same time. I am living in Italy now but I have lived in London and Tokyo for a very long time. I learned many design directions and styles through cultural differences. Every experience contributed to my style and creativity, adding depth to my originality. About music.. yes, I do love classical music, and I often listen to several famous performers such as Kissin while I am in my creative mood. I feel like a designer contributes to society mostly by making communication easier thus improving the way people understand each other. So we could say design improved my life in such I way I can feel a connection (or lack thereof) to most of the environment around me, never apathy or indifference.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

AK : StudioKanna is a graphic design studio specialized incorporate identity and print design. Since setting up my own studio, my approachis based on finding simple but meaningfulsolutions for communication needs. I am also interested in pursuing self-initiated projects,collaborating with others, organizing exhibitions,and pursuing design solutions forregional developmentwith local communities.I mostly work by myself, but sometimes I can work as team specifically for a project. In virtue of this, I need to be responsible of not just the creative and artistic side of the design field, but also of the business side of it, such as financial, scheduling and time-constraint related issues involved.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

AK : I feel like I could consider doing pro bono work if that aligned with my schedule and it could noticeably contribute to improve my portfolio.I feel like humanitarian work should not be just a PR stunt but it should also connect to your personal interests and affinities, otherwise you can’t get a close connection to the project.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

AK : Possibly one good point of these events is, hopefully I can create a good designer network in Italy through this award and be connected with clients who appreciate my design style for future project. Also I get a chance to see and appreciate many other works that a distinguished jury thought to be worthy of merit, thus further expanding my connection with fellow designers in a international context.

Akiko Kanna Profile