The ‘Japanese Design Today 100’ exhibition was held at the Japan Foundation exhibition room until the 16th of September.
This exhibition was put together around industrially designed products between 2000 and 2003, reaching back into the latter part of the Twentieth Century through to the Twenty-first century; it is an important exhibition that gives us a birds’ eye view of how companies and designers have developed their products to our life styles.
There are also 13 items from post-War Japan, so it gives an indication of the deeper history running in Japanese industrial design.
| ‘Harmony’ as Spirit of Design |  |
What are the defining features of Japanese products? I was involved with a separate curatorial investigation in to this topic, quite independent of the ‘Japanese Design Today 100’ exhibition. I, and 3 other curators discussed at length as to what defined the style of Japanese design and came to the conclusion it was the spirit of Harmony.
This spirit of Harmony – known as ‘wa’ in Japan - can be seen in for instance, harmonising and balancing elements such as nature an artifice; handwork and industry; tradition and cutting edge technology; major cities and outlying regions; small and large industries; local concerns and globalism; Japanese things and Western things; play and practicality; emotion and reason; all of these values, elements, positions have been combined and unified to synthesis a product that lies at a higher level.
Even if they seem to be conflicting elements, we can see that both have been combined without eliminating, and then the thinking has led to producing goods that suit contemporary life. Such activity is actually accelerating in the context of a highly globalised and digitally networked world. Furthermore there are some keywords to the elements in Japanese design. For example they are, Cute (kawaii) Crafted, Fine-grained, Tactile, Minimal, and Thoughtful. I’d like to introduce a few design projects with these features and elements in mind.
Japan is a country that is short in industrial resources, yet it has a long history of people making things and tools by applying ideas and accumulated wisdom. There is a method of working up from materials and parts to realise the imagined. The Sony Walkman (the 1979 model, later improved in WM-2 of 1981), which is known around the world, was realised from the craftsmanship of the people involved as well as fine-tuning the mechanical aspects within its body – a typically Japanese crystallisation of effort and design.
| A Fine-grained Product Born from the Fusion of Handiwork and Technology | |
I would like to bring up a few products that were developed after the products in the ‘Japanese Design Today 100’. Leading off is the chair by Maruni Wood Industry Inc. of Hiroshima, which started manufacturing wood furniture in 1928. The designed of this chair is Naoto Fukasawa (b.1956). You can see the sum total of the company’s technique in the curved line that is so close to a straight line going up to the upper leg, and the delicate finish on the unmarked and carved wood.
What is of particular interest is how the handwork is combined wit computerised numerically controlled wood routers. Experienced technicians who understand the movement of the machines and the characteristics of the wood take their time to program the computer, so that the computer controlled router can do the best work. This shortens the time involved and the number of steps, which opens the way for the handwork to finish it in a way that is not possible with machines. They realise the ‘industrialisation of handwork craft’ that cannot be accomplished by machine alone in their furniture.
We can see their preoccupation of this firm through their attitude to wood grain as well. Even though there were no special instructions from the designer, they took enough pride in their work as furniture manufacturers to organise the run of the wood grain perfectly – the legs have lengthwise grain up to the armrest, the side has horizontal cross-cut wood grain and the back rest once again has the wood grain running lengthwise. You can witness the aesthetic sensibility of the craftsmen seeping through in the detailed way they chose to have the straight runs for the verticals and cross-cut wood grain on the sides of the chair.
Photo 1. ‘HIROSHIMA’ - 2008.
After cutting out a section with a handsaw the CNC router cuts the wood down finer. The parts are then assembled and once more the CNC router is applied. After which the craftsmen polish the wood by hand.
(Photo courtesy of Maruni Wood Industry)
Photo 2. ‘Roundish’ - 2011
Design: Naoto Fukasawa
(Photo courtesy of Maruni Wood Industry)
Maruni Wood Industry http://www.maruni.com/en/
| Bringing Up To Date Traditional Methods And Regional Skills | |
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| Photo 3 |
At ‘HIROCOLEDGE’, the product brand created by Hiroko Takahashi (b. 1977), an artist who studied fabric dyeing at university, utilises patterns using lines and circles as a graphic motif on such things as kimono and yukata fabrics, as it searches for a ‘Tradition that connects to the Future’.
She is developing a hand towel known as tenugui, using the traditional dyeing technique known as Chusen. With circle and straight line motifs. Chusen is a style of matched dyeing the front and rear side of a cloth. Takahashi is attempting to use this technique for difficult to dye softer colours and difficult smaller patterns. She has also created the ‘Sleeve Bag’, which utilises only sewing and no cutting of the fabric. Just as she keeps alive traditional dyeing techniques, she is also working on printing on to yukata fabric with a Inkjet printer. Thus she believes traditions and the contemporary world can co-exist, and she hopes to preserve old techniques though new technology.
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| Photo 4-1 | Photo 4-2 | Photo 4-3 | Photo 5 | Photo 6 |
Photo 3:
New Colours for 2011 Summer; hand towel ‘100 x34’.
Design by TAKAHASHI HIROKO
(Photo courtesy of TAKAHASHI HIROKO)
Photos 4-1, 4-2, 4-3:
Chusen.
The technician repeats the process where a template pattern is placed on the fabric and special purpose glue is then applied. Detailed sections have walls of glue to separate the colours. The dye does not seep into the sections where glue is applied. The dye is applied with a watering can.
(Photo courtesy of TAKAHASHI HIROKO)
Photo 5: ‘Sleeve Bag’.
The hand bag is made without cutting and only sewing the hand towel. Buttons and zippers are not used at all.
Design by TAKAHASHI HIROKO
(Photo courtesy of TAKAHASHI HIROKO)
Photo 6:
HIROCOLEDGE work which was produced as a self portrait of TAKAHASHI HIROKO.
Design by TAKAHASHI HIROKO
(Photo courtesy of TAKAHASHI HIROKO)
TAKAHASHI HIROKO http://takahashihiroko.com
The young designers who lead the way for development in local industry. |
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We will now turn our eyes to the two projects Mr. Jin Kuramoto (b.1976) is undertaking with regional companies. Both projects involve manufacturing firms in the industrial powerhouse region facing the Sea of Japan, Toyama Prefecture. The first one is with wrought iron manufacturer Nagae in Takaoka city of Toyama Prefecture.
Takaoka city itself has a long tradition of metal manufacture dating back to the 1600s, when the Lord of the Kaga clan invited wrought iron workers to Takaoka in a bid to develop the city. It became a great producer of Buddhist statues and Buddhist paraphernalia. It is in this historic town with Nagae, a company that has mainly specialised in manufacturing temple bells and statues, that Mr. Kuramoto has joined as Design director in a bid to develop a series of products using their skills as metal workers.
Photo 7:
From the Nagae catalogue, ‘Sprinkle’ coat hook.
Design: Jin Kuramoto; Photo by Takumi Ota
(Photograph courtesy of Jin Kuramoto Studio)
Photo 8:
‘Bone’ Paperknife
Design: Jin Kuramoto; Photo by Takumi Ota
(Photograph courtesy of Jin Kuramoto Studio)
His other project is with Ueda Mokkojo, a woodworking company in Toyama Prefecture, involving woodturning. Traditional woodturning is a skill hat was used to create such things as Kokeshi dolls but is in danger of disappearing today.
Kuramoto thinks that by applying these techniques to tableware, there is a possibility for renewing the industry, an that would lead to a wider appreciation of these techniques. He says that he went in deep discussion and consultation with the craftsmen to get the manufacturing method and finish right.
Photos 9 & 10:
From the project with Ueda Mokkojo. ‘Tea Set’, crafted using traditional wood turning tools.
Design: Jin Kuramoto; Photo by Takumi Ota
(Photograph courtesy of Jin Kuramoto Studio)
Jin Kuramoto Studio http://www.jinkuramoto.com/en/Projects/
| Presenting traditional creations in a modern setting | |
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| Photo 11 |
There some interesting projects being carried out in Kyoto with its traditional manufacturing. In this instance we will look at Kaikodo, which is an old Japanese tea caddie manufacturer that opened business in 1875, making these chazutsu tea caddies. All of these chazutsu are handmade and require 130 steps in the manufacturing process. They are only able to make about 10 a day. In a world of perfect-seal plastic containers, this company continues to make these chazutsu in the traditional way.
It is within that context, the fifth generation proprietor of the firm continues to direct the production while the sixth generation proprietor of this firm is at once seeking market possibilities in the contemporary world as well as enthusiastically embracing export markets overseas.
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Working with the unique airtight containment and the changing characteristics over time, they have now moved into making stackable chazutsu, pasta cases, and even a portable drip coffee set. These products that combine with the modern world are attracting a lot of attention outside of Japan as well.
| Products made of paper, the most familiar of materials | |
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| Photo 14 |
Paper, which is a familiar material has also been used for product development, as traditional Japanese paper manufacturers tea up with designers in various projects. It is not only confined to traditional Japanese paper manufacturers who are working with industrial designers, as printing paper companies also have projects with designers.
An example of this can be seen in Kaminokousakujo, which is one of the brands of Fukunaga Shikou, company in Tokyo. Architects and Industrial designers make suggestions for products and some of them have seen the light of day in the marketplace.
This product ‘Arivase’ was designed at TORAFU ARCHITECTS. A thin sheet of paper with two different colours on each side has regular cuts at 0.9mm. By opening up at the incisions, the paper can be made to form shapes and can be used as containers and wrapping paper.
kaminokousakujo (Japanese language only) http://www.kaminokousakujo.jp/
TORAFU ARCHITECTS http://torafu.com/
| The Latest News On The Necessary Item Today, The Mobile Phone | |
Mobile Phones were included part of the ‘Japanese Design Today 100’ exhibition. I would like to introduce some of the latest models. The ‘INFOBAR A01’ KDDI mobile phone from iida is the successor to the INFOBAR (2003) and INFOBAR 2 (2007) designs which is in the exhibition. The designer was Naoto Fukasawa.
Mobile phones have a high change over rate in the market place but in this instance, the iconic design and its elements that are so well received, are preserved. It is a good example of valuing people’s attachment with their mobile phone products.
The same iida brand has a mobile phone that is transparent called ‘X-RAY’, designed by Tokujin Yoshioka (b. 1967).
The idea comes from the watershed idea that the design is on the inside, with its printed circuit boards and integrated circuits and various other shapes. The body itself is made from some fibreglass added to polycarbonate.
http://iida.jp/english/products/mobilephone/
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| Photo 17 | Photo 18 | Photo 19 | Photo 20 | Photo 21 |
| The environment and the search for the designs of tomorrow | |
How should we face up to reality of finite resources? I could like to introduce some attempts to deal with water by some corporations.
INAX and TOTO lead the way in researching bathroom and toilet technologies with their delicate attention to detail – for instance they have automatic lids opening and closing triggered by sensors, automatic rinse and clean by sensors, automatic music generation for when people approach it, temperature control of the toilet seats, easier to clean designed surfaces. What is even remarkable is the amount of research done to conserve water when flushing. Recent toilet designs save up to 70% of water when compared with traditional flushing toilets. Each company has published figures along the lines of “a family of four with 2 males and 2 females will save 280litres of water in only 2 days., which is equivalent to a filled bath tub.”
Engineering and product design essentially unify in the product development. Panasonic have rethought even the material used from the ground up and instead of porcelain, they have developed an original organic fibreglass material toilet. By developing a material that is easier to clean, combined with an auto-cleaning mechanism, loaded with a domestic house cleaner dispenser in its tank, they were able to produce the ‘‘A-La-Uno’ self-cleaning toilet. Once again, these toilets too use sensors and have designed the water flow, these toilets conserve water and electricity; which goes to show how seriously they are engaging with the issue.
Photos 22 & 23:
Panasonic ‘A-La-Uno’
(Photo courtesy of Panasonic)
Even in the world of clothing, there are attention-grabbing developments.
‘132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE’ is a series of products made from 100% recycled polyester fibres by a team led by Issey Miyake (b. 1938) and a group of young textile engineers.
The Reality Lab Project Team consisting of Issey Miyake and his staff travelled around Japan, seeking out places where things were made, and it was during this study tour that they encountered Teijin Fibres and its revolutionary technology. This is the technology that can take clothing polyester and recycle it back to its original chemical state 100%. It is the only chemical recycling technology of its kind in the world.
Mr. Miyake and his team then worked on turning this material into a better thread and fabric over a two year period. By working with other companies in Japan that he had met and collaborated in the past, the effort was made to create a better twine to make a better fabric. The process of going back to the very materials is actually a hallmark of Japanese crafts in making things. Once they developed a fabric with nice tensile strength, they capitalised on its strength to create a piece of fabric that dramatically unfolds and changes into a piece of clothing.
Issey Miyake is famous for his previous projects where he reversed the process of pleating and sewing with his series ‘PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE’ (1988- Present) as well as his ‘A-POC’ (1998-present) (also part of the collection of ‘JAPANESE DESIGN 100’) project where he made once piece of fabric from one length of thread, and then made one-piece clothing, his career-long concern has been with ‘a piece of clothing’. This project represents his attempt to come to terms with the finiteness of resources.
Photo 24
Photo 25:
Gold flake is applied after the folding. Fabrics of 2 different sizes are folded together to make a Bolero. ‘132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE’ Clothing by Reality Lab, MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO 2010.
(Photo by Hiroshi Iwasaki 2010)
The same team has also worked on developing recycled PET material for light fittings, once again using folds in shaping as they did with the clothing.
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Photos 26, 27 & 28:
From a different fold. Even with the same folding pattern, depending on the size of the fabric and cut, they open up as shirts, skirts and trousers.
‘132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE’ Clothing by Reality Lab, MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO 2010.
(Photo by Hiroshi Iwasaki 2010)
Photos 29-1, 29-2, 29-3:
‘IN-EI ISSEY MIYAKE’ in development. Design by Reality Lab, MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO 2010.
(Photo by Hiroshi Iwasaki 2010)
Miyake Design Studio http://mds.isseymiyake.com/mds/en/top/
I’ve raised a few examples here that show flexible thinking and detailed application of skills. Design is an activity where we look carefully at society while giving shape to unseen or un-thought ideas, turning them into shapes. At a time when human wisdom, passion for making things, technique and technology and how to pass these things on to the next generation are actively discussed, there are also serious attempts to engage with issues such as resources and the environment. It is against this context that companies, designers and engineers will endeavour to find a way to continue developing fine, high quality products.
