Interview with Miyu Nakashima

Miyu Nakashima ("MN") interviewed on Friday, 29 October.

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

MN : I was born and raised in Tokyo and had my Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Architecture and Design. From my university years, I researched the relationship between patterns and structures in Architecture and experienced the charm and wide possibilities of geometric patterns alongside Japanese parametric pattern artist Tokolo Asao. As I firmly believe that getting to know Islamic Architecture which combines basic shapes and lines to achieve geometric patterns is, in fact, going back to the design basics where a designer can build a strong foundation, in 2012, I had moved to Istanbul from Tokyo where I had already got vast experience in modern architecture. After studying the Organic pattern design of tile art which is indispensable for traditional Islamic architecture under the famous Ceramic tile artist Fatma San, I worked as a modern Islamic designer at Hassa Architecture that builds mosques and cultural centers around the world. My design methodology/vision is based on my work experience in Tokyo and Istanbul.

How did you become a designer?

MN : Even when I was a child, I was always a visual person. I used to draw almost everything that was in my mind. As a person who always thinks visually, the best way to be me is to be a designer.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

MN : For me, one of the most challenging stages of the Parametric design is to create the basic structure, there is a feeling of excitement when the basic shape starts to form.

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

MN : As a parametric designer, my goal is to get rid of the real-world production constraints and design freely in the metaverse.

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

MN : Do whatever you love. Be brave, be bold!

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

MN : As a digital designer, I follow design technology trends as much as possible. I do research on how technology will change production in the next years.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

MN : It is purely instinctive for me to decide whether the design is ready or not. If I get stuck or dissatisfied with my design, I take a break from the design process. Taking a break helps me to see the deficiencies that I couldn't see before. By eliminating these deficiencies, I continue to design by taking a break until I decide the design is ready.

What is your biggest design work?

MN : The BIROI collection that I was awarded. As a macro-scale architecture designer, the Biroi collection is the first micro-scale jewelry I have created. My biggest challenge was to move the elegance I am familiar with from the heights of the macro dimension to the micrometric precision of 3d printing.