One to one: Nendo
Are you designers or creators?
A designer.
What is the relationship between design and emotion? How do you convey an emotion through design?
For me, the role of design is about solving things about finding new solutions.
I come up with my ideas from everyday life. Small differences hidden within the normal routine. They all become small starting points for all my projects. The smaller the better, to let it sneak into people’s minds and emotions.
Do you feel that design has limits? Is it possible to give “durability” to it?
Regardless of what the object may be, the design process remains the same. Of course there will be a number of technical differences between designing a small piece of chocolate and a large interior space, but in both cases it will be living human beings that are coming into contact with the designs.
The goal of eliciting an emotional reaction within those people doesn’t change in the slightest.
The work of a designer can answer, provoke or be the mirror of the world which surrounds us. What do you want to transmit?
Creo que todo en este mundo tiene un lado bueno y uno malo, y una relación similar existe entre la luz y la sombra. Atraer la atención hacia la noción del «lado luminoso» de un objeto es una de las misiones de un diseñador. Ayuda a hacer del mundo un lugar mejor y más hermoso. Esa es la razón de que trate de incorporar algo de humor a mis diseños y hacerlos agradables.
Where do you keep your inspiration?
I’ve noticed that routine work in everyday life really helps me and works to my design. If you keep on repeating things every day you notice the small differences, and i feel those small differences become my design sources in a way.
When you create an object what do you expect of it when it reaches the public?
I’m always searching for the kinds of ideas that have the power to move people regardless of form.
Those are the ideas that can go beyond culture and transcend space and time to touch a greater number of people. Creating an object that lacks an idea at its core is not design. That is nothing but an empty shell.
Do you believe that there is a hidden communication between objects and the space which are near to each other?
I think of it more as conceptual space rather than physical space. We each have these preconceived notions in our minds and as we trace the outlines of these things we notice that a fuzzy, ambiguous space exists between them.
Preconceived notions are a fixed way of thinking, but the thought that exists in these spaces is infinitely flexible and fluid. I approach these areas with a playful intent, as if i were kneading and working clay(= nendo in english).
Do you believe that your latest design is your best design?
I’m working on 400 projects at the same time and i’m focusing on what i’m doing at the moment.
Do you prefer to design something you are familiar with or do you always design what you don’t know?
For me, the role of design is about solving things about finding new solutions. Also, it is about what kind of story you can find behind the object.
What about the relationship between art and functionality?
I call it the balance between the right brain and the left brain. It’s no good to only be moved by intuition and feelings, or to only find joy in the rational, like concepts and specs. It’s the point at which the two come together that i’m always interested in.
What is the importance of material and technical investigation in your work?
I almost never develop or shape pieces with my own hands. I respect the skills and investigate of technology of the workshops and those workers.
They are manufacturing professionals and i am a design professional, so i enjoy the process of working with them as equals, communicating with and bouncing ideas off of each other in order to create something.
What do you prefer, to design something that you know or to explore something new?
What i feel that i want to design may not be so interesting as a project. I think the dream project in the true sense would be to be asked to create an object that is way beyond my imagination.
