Interview with Hiroaki Iwasa

Hiroaki Iwasa ("HI") interviewed on Friday, 5 July.

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

HI : My 30-year career as an architect began at Masayuki Kurokawa Architectural Design Office after graduating from the Department of Architecture at Musashino Art University. At the studio there, he experienced design projects of various scales, including watches, perfume bottles, diving equipment, chairs, cars, Japanese tea rooms, private residences, observation decks, factories, hotels, golf clubhouses, museums, etc. After 5 years of experience,I embarked on an 8 month journey around the world before founding my own firm. From Turkey, I traveled along the Mediterranean coast to Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Mexico, eventually spending some time in an old family's inn in Old Havana. Through that journey, I realized that I wanted to contribute to creating a better future by designing various buildings that are indispensable to people.

How did you become a designer?

HI : When I was a child, I spent time not only in various parts of Japan but also in Jakarta, Indonesia due to my father's work. In a well-ventilated house with a courtyard and a pond, I would paint, do crafts, or run to the top of the roof to fly a kite and watch the bright red sunset beyond the mosque while listening to adhan. At that time, I didn't know that the buildings where I spent memorable times, such as relaxing meals with my family and vacationing at seaside hotels, were designed by architects. During his high school days, he spent most of his time living in the dormitory and playing rugby, making it to near the top of the national tournament, the pinnacle of high school rugby, but when it came time to think about his future, he couldn't think of anything other than becoming an architect instead of a rugby player. When I was a student at the Department of Architecture at Musashino Art University, I not only worked on university projects, but also interned at numerous architectural firms such as Arata Isozaki, Riken　Yamamoto, and Organization Office, while on vacation I carried a backpack and traveled to India and Sri Lanka. I voraciously enjoyed the various landscapes, cultures, and lifestyles of Mexico, Spain, and other countries. The background to many of these experiences was that architecture is everywhere, indispensable to people, and good architecture brings excitement. I am fascinated not only by historical buildings and buildings designed by famous architects, but also by anonymous buildings where people are dynamic and make up the landscape, and I wanted to design such a building myself someday. From my experience as a student, I was attracted to the idea of ​​quickly acquiring practical design skills and actually designing buildings one by one, so I chose this career path.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

HI : No matter the size or purpose of the design, I follow the steps of hearing from the client, investigating the situation, discovering the problem, researching solutions, researching prototypes, refining and completing. What unites various projects is my attitude of honestly facing each project one by one.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

HI : First and foremost, I strive to understand the current situation of the project, including the client's requests, and what the project should look like in the future.After chaotic trial and error, when I find the light, that is the time. Moments like when Columbus put up the egg. Until the project is completed, I have enough experience with the image and mock-ups, so although it is not new, I feel satisfied and am very excited to see how it will be utilized by clients and society.

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

HI : Valuable non-design skills that architects and designers should possess are imagination, curiosity, communication, patience, a personality that enjoys everything, empathy for others, an altruistic spirit rather than selfishness, a sense of mission, and a sense of responsibility. I believe that. These are not things that can be learned through academic design research, but I think they are basic skills that I have acquired through my upbringing and life.One of my main experiences was playing rugby, where each individual brings their own abilities to help the team win.

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

HI : The record of my personal growth is each projects I have completed so far. I have ample experience and skills as I have designed various products, furniture, interiors, and architecture. In the future, I would like to go to an unknown place and create architecture that will be cherished by the area and its people.

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

HI : I think it is important for designers to have a humble attitude of serving clients and society, and a sense of mission to solve problems on their own. To that end, I think it is important to gain a lot of practical experience and hone your own practical skills so that knowledge from others or criticism from others does not take up most of your work.

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

HI : Design is an act that creates new value that has never existed before, so when approaching a project, we can create new values ​​and worlds by questioning conventional conventions and preconceived notions. It's no fun to make things using the same values ​​and methods as before.

What is your day to day look like?

HI : My day consists of running along the river in the morning, then quickly cooking a simple, well-balanced meal and eating it with my family before riding my bike to work. It takes about 40 minutes to pass through main roads, riversides, and parks, so I can feel the change of seasons and feel refreshed. This is also training for a triathlon. At work, I take a shower, water and feed the plants and fish in the aquarium, and then check my email and plan out the day's tasks.Then, I study and brush up the layout of the project while writing the manuscript and communicating and checking with the site and collaborators. Making it a habit to cook lunch in 20 minutes will not only change my mood, but also give me time to think about how to use your kitchen more efficiently. In the afternoon, I often go to the site and spend time checking, holding meetings, and giving instructions. Sometimes I make mockups in my office. Sweets during tea time are a must. In the evening, after attending an exhibition opening reception or meeting with friends, I go home and cook and eat dinner with my family. It's a day like that.

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

HI : I look at the latest trends, but I don't follow them. Fashion trends change rapidly and are interesting, but in architecture, I think we need designs that can be used for a long time and provide universal comfort, rather than the commercial and expendable pursuit of following trends.

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

HI : The best way to judge whether a design is good or appropriate is to try it out. It's not something you can understand just by looking at it or listening to an explanation. In other words, good images and good explanations are important, but I think it's important that a good design itself makes you smile when you actually use it.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

HI : I think the design should be completed on the spot. However, even once the project is complete, it is necessary to check and improve it from time to time, such as verifying it after a certain period of time, making improvements if defects are discovered, and making changes to respond to changes in the times. I think that is my responsibility as a designer. The same applies to mass-produced products such as home appliances, as well as one-of-a-kind architecture.

What is your biggest design work?

HI : There are several works that I am proud of. In particular, for the children who will be responsible for the future,I designed a nursery school in a concrete building area in the center of Tokyo that is covered with plants all the way to the roof, where they can experience the plants and the sky. Designing a ceremony hall for a temple that inherits the memories of local people and the history of the region. Designing a hillside house where a couple and their dog can live happily together. I'm proud of the fact that I've met wonderful clients and environments, and that they've been happy with the results of my designs. I'm looking forward to seeing what their future holds there.

Who is your favourite designer?

HI : Achille Castiglioni, Luis Barragan, Jeffrey Bawa, Renzo Piano, Kenzo Tange, Fumihiko Maki...My favorite architects and designers.

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

HI : I live in Tokyo, Japan. Raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, traveled to various landscapes and cities such as India, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Turkey, Greece, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Morocco, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Cuba, and the United States. Did. I loved seeing what people enjoyed and what they were looking for in each town. As an architect, I acquire creative skills while communicating with such communities and people, which I use to help with design and my own life.

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

HI : As an architect, I think every day that I want to contribute to people and society and create a better future. Although I work alone in the studio, I have worked on various projects in collaboration with experts in other fields. In order to work together, you need to master your own specialty and I think it's important to enjoy it, and that's how I want to be as well. I believe that by approaching the project honestly and with a sense of responsibility, we can deliver a happy design.

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

HI : As an architect, if there is an opportunity to do charity work, I would definitely like to do it. I contributed to the high school that raised me by designing the 30th anniversary hall. I believe that the classrooms for the IBDP curriculum and the multipurpose hall for exchange presentations were useful for the students who will be responsible for the international future society.It is Meikei Highschool Agora Hall project. I think architects and construction companies need to use their abilities more proactively to help people who are struggling with basic living needs. Especially in disaster areas, it is necessary to respond quickly, and I think that support from the government is essential.

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

HI : Architecture is rooted in the region and the designer, so by participating in the competition, the first thing you can do is see how the regional characteristics and unique designs are evaluated from a global perspective. Second, the evaluation itself has a positive impact on the area and architecture.Third, as architects themselves put their projects into words and organize their philosophies, I think more and more architects will aim to improve their skills in order to create better architecture. When it comes to architecture projects, applying for awards and being featured in the media tend to take a backseat. (At least for me) However, unlike awards and media that tend to chase new topics, A' Design Award is open to applications even if it has been a number of years, and after a certain amount of time has passed, it has been conveniently satisfied with clients and the region. I applied because it was an award I could apply for to make them proud. And I think it's important that we were able to win this award, and that we were able to confirm that it was an international and universal design that was not easily forgotten or wasted, but also had a variety of cultural perspectives. I am happy to think that this is the reason why I was chosen as Designer of the Day. thank you very much.

Hiroaki Iwasa Profile