To understand where the Japanese situate themselves in the design world today, Japanese furniture and product designer Toshiyuki Kita is one to talk to. His publication Made with Heart and Soul illustrates over 40 years of Kita’s collaboration with traditional Japanese crafts and received the Gold award in public relations/culture. Kita speaks to ArchiExpo about interior design in Japan.
ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Where do you think interior design is headed for Japan in the future?
Toshiyuki Kita: Interior design in Japan is headed towards new renovation projects of half-century-old houses, and especially in the used apartments sector, many that were built rapidly, which started with the rapid postwar reconstructions, up to now. Renovation and modernization of these tens of millions of used apartments should, not only definitely revitalize the current stagnate Japanese economy with a boom, but should also further deepen the importance of design in Japan.
Japanese Interior by Toshiyuki Kita
ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Do you believe the Japanese people have regained the design eye?
Toshiyuki Kita: Unfortunately, I believe that the average Japanese person’s eye for design hasn’t progressed greatly up to now, due to the fact that much time has passed with constant low interests for interior design in ordinary Japanese households. But the rapid needs of new renovations underway will give rise to improvements and upward curves of our industries, economies and our basic lifestyles from now on.
Read our article Patching up Holes with Japanese Architects to learn about some of the latest renovations projects. Click on the image below.
100 year old cowshed © Yasuyuki Deguchi
