We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative NORIKO HASHIDA ("NH").
Noriko Hashida worked on a design for many years in TOTO. TOTO is a maker of a bath and the kitchen. Therefore, her design gives comfort and healing to us. In addition, she has a lot of ideas to make one of life fun.
NORIKO HASHIDA Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by NORIKO HASHIDA.
Designer Interview of NORIKO HASHIDA:
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?
NH : Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Industrial Design. After graduation, engaged in the design of water-related equipment at TOTO Ltd. After leaving the company in 2008, he became a professor at the Shibaura Institute of Technology, where he currently works. 2013: PhD (Engineering). He has been involved in design activities for housing equipment, furniture and household goods. Winner of numerous Good Design Awards and the 2016 RED DOT AWARD. I have always wanted to be a designer who designs products in a wide range of fields. While practising industrial design, I also developed an interest in household goods and furniture. Now I want to practise sustainable design in the world of SDGS.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
NH : NORIKO HASHIDA DESIGN has carried out the commercial design of many products. The ENOTS Minimal Chair won the Red Dot Award in 2016 and is still selling well. For the ENOTS series, we have also designed a portable storage product called the Interior Bag, which has also been a hit. Since many people live sitting on the floor, we also sold a product called the Floor Chair. These are sold by Iwatani Material Co. These products were designed to make people's lives more comfortable as a result of our observations of people's lifestyles. PAGES won the Adesign Award. PAGES II, DRAPE Chair and Gather Chair were produced on the theme of how to combine fabric with the chair structure.
DI: What is "design" for you?
NH : For me, design is a method to make people comfortable and happy. By carefully observing people's behaviour, I can come up with new ideas that I have never had before. Just by looking at a comfortable product, people can feel comfort from their experience. This is emotional design, which is the subject of my research at university. In recent years, we need to think not only about comfort, but also about saving energy and reusing materials to sustain the global environment. Emotional Design & Sustainable Design. I consider it my mission to put these into practice.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
NH : I think I enjoy it most when I create products and furniture that make people comfortable and happy. This is emotional design & sustainable design. I think these are the designs that make people comfortable and happy.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
NH : The PAGES Chair is my favourite design of mine - it won the A'Design Award. I first thought of it in 2005, but I have developed variations.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
NH : I worked in design at TOTO Ltd. At the very beginning I designed the Neorest tankless toilet bowl. This was the world's first toilet with a washing system. It won the Good Design Award and the Energy Saving Award. In my private office, I designed bathroom chairs for Iwatani Material Co. This product created the rank of luxury product with regard to bathroom chairs.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
NH : There are many materials that I like to use. Resin, silicone, ceramics, metal, wood, fabric. I can use Kansei engineering methods in emotional design. Statistics can be used to derive what people like.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
NH : When I feel most creative in the act of design is when I integrate various events and bring them together into one beautiful form.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
NH : The most important aspect of my design is the beauty of the final form. That is something only a designer can do.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
NH : I am excited when I design. I am never domineering and act with humility.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
NH : I am very happy when my designs are realised. I would like to promote the quality of that design.
DI: What makes a design successful?
NH : Communicate closely with the person responsible for that project to gain their trust. Convince them that the design is good.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
NH : Beautiful, lean design. Must be comfortable to use.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
NH : It should be designed to guide people to the correct use of the product. Should be designed with the global environment in mind and without waste.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
NH : This is an era in which not only companies and designers but also the general public participate in manufacturing. In the future, ordinary people will design things around them and live comfortably. Also, I think there will be more designs for ways of doing things, such as community revitalisation and applications, rather than material things.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
NH : Exhibited at the Tokyo Big Sight furniture trade fair in March 2024; would like to implement this from October to next April.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
NH : Observing different objects and people can be inspirational. The other way is to look at natural objects.
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?
NH : My design style is about shapes, colours and materials that people find comfortable.
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?
NH : I live in Tokyo, Japan. Japanese culture influences my designs and the PAGES Chair is inspired by the Japanese kimono. Japan has a very good culture, but from the world's point of view it is unique and there are many products that cannot be sold abroad. For example, bathroom chairs. Japanese bathrooms are special in the world. They have washing areas and need low chairs.
DI: How do you work with companies?
NH : The project will be carried out in meetings, which will take place about once a month.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
NH : Much experience. Need to look at achievements.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
NH : Research theme, research relevant markets, develop concept, sketch ideas, 3D modelling, create realistic models, approve
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
NH : Bertoia Collection Diamond , chaise longue (Corbusier), Chair Karimoku dining table, Lemnos KIFUKU (wall clock), natuzzi sofa
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
NH : Breakfast, go to university, meeting with students, lunch, meeting with companies, return home, dinner with husband
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
NH : Listening to old designers, not just new ones.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
NH : The good thing about being a designer is that you can identify good things. The guarantees paid to designers are not emphasised by companies.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
NH : do in good faith
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
NH : Ability to discriminate between beauty of formations.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
NH : 3Dcad (Solidworks),. Illustrator, Photoshop PowerPoint
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
NH : Do it all at once at a time when you can concentrate.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
NH : Six months if meetings with companies are included.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
NH : What kinds of things have you designed?
DI: Who are some of your clients?
NH : Many manufacturers of household goods.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
NH : Furniture and household goods. Because I can use them.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
NH : I want to make original furniture. The furniture must be produced and sold by the manufacturer.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
NH : Often I do the design work on my own.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
NH : Sustainable furniture. Designs that are modified by the owner.
DI: How can people contact you?
NH : Please email: hashida@shibaura-it.ac.jp
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
NH : We would be happy to accept furniture design commissions.