We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Noriaki Mori ("NM").
INNOS TOKYO and Noriaki Mori design whether they are tangible or intangible. It extends to graphic design and service design. It also develops businesses that cover corporate management strategies and business consulting. He specializes in new market development, new business development, and new product development. Even if you are not a manufacturer, we will research and analyze the market of the product or service you want to develop, identify the competitive research, the untapped market category, and then provide the appropriate innovation and solution.
Noriaki Mori Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Noriaki Mori.
Noriaki Mori Design - Integration Disaster Prevention Pictogram
Designer Interview of Noriaki Mori:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
NM : I became a designer because I knew that it was a job that could visualise everything in the world.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
NM : My company is a consulting firm that supports design development such as industrial design, service design, and user experience design, as well as new businesses, new products, new services, and new market development.
DI: What is "design" for you?
NM : It can be said that it is a visualization / reification of the concept.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
NM : Cast Iron Bottomless Basket.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
NM : It was created as a by-product of an extension of consulting for new business development to foundry manufacturers.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
NM : Leather accessories such as pass cases, card cases and coin purses.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
NM : I like platforms that combine materials such as metal, plastic and wood with the latest digital technology and craftsmanship.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
NM : It was when we created things that never existed in the world.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
NM : To find the last line that is unlikely to be feasible today.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
NM : Feelings of being unhearted and focused.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
NM : The sense of accomplishment that has been achieved and the realization that difficulties can be overcome.
DI: What makes a design successful?
NM : Passion and the power to break through And you need to develop three abilities. 1. Finding power 2. Power to create 3. Power to convey
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
NM : First impression. And it is important to be able to express the concept at a glance.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
NM : To guide society to consumption that is the optimum solution.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
NM : It is expanding from tangible things to intangible things. In addition, tangible items are expanding to develop intangible new businesses.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
NM : November 2018, Tokyo. Next time, I would like to hold the event in 2021.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
NM : Inspiration varies depending on the nature, such as natural objects, geometric forms, and theories.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
NM : My design is a subtractive design. We pay attention to reducing the complexity as much as possible and revealing the essence. We are trying to visualize the essence of what the client's original strength is.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
NM : I live in Tokyo. I think that the Japaneseness that has permeated through many years of life is reflected in the design details. The advantage is that the design pays attention to every detail. The disadvantage is that it is hard to see if you can express "Japan in the world" if you are only in Japan.
DI: How do you work with companies?
NM : By talking with each other honestly, we are working to build a relationship of trust.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
NM : It is necessary to have a deep dialogue on a regular basis. In addition to the talent and ability of the designer, it has compatibility with companies, so it is a good idea to talk with as many designers as possible so that you can meet good designers.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
NM : Start by familiarizing yourself with your client company and its employees, and understanding the market. We focus on creating things that are not in the industry.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
NM : 1. Cast Iron Bottomless Basket 2. Frixion Ball Pen 3. BMW 4. Business Card Case 5. Bags
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
NM : In short, every day of discovery.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
NM : Make many mistakes. This allows you to experience what is important.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
NM : On the positive side, it's rich in creativity beyond the theory. negative side is that the persuasive power for the manager is often the most important factor.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
NM : It can be said to be the golden ratio. With experience, the golden ratio is unknowingly included in the beautiful ratio.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
NM : Ability to find problems, issues, discomfort, and doubts, that is, observation and discovery.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
NM : A pen, notepad, and sketchbook. Make "think by hand" a habit and visualize tangible and intangible things.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
NM : Based on the idea of "24-hours designer," there is always a problem awareness in one corner of the head until the deadline.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
NM : It is case by case. The prototype of the design may be invented in 15 minutes, and it may take a month or more after fully analysing the market.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
NM : What is the source of the idea? How do you generate many ideas?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
NM : Collaboration work based in Milan.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
NM : There are various casting companies, printing companies, governments, etc.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
NM : We value design that can be visualised and shaped. Because what is visible is persuasive.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
NM : I would like to expand the field of activities to consulting based on design in digital transformation.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
NM : It can be done on a case-by-case basis, either alone or as a team.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
NM : We are advancing design for a new society. This is an important project for people's safety and security.
DI: How can people contact you?
NM : Please contact us by e-mail.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
NM : I accept a wide range of consultations not only in a specific field but also in any field that can be solved from the designer's perspective. Please feel free to ask about anything.