We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Yoshitaka Uchino ("YU").
Yoshitaka Uchino,founder,recerived his Master of Architecture from The University of Tokyo,and Bachelor of Architecture from The University of Tokyo. He joined 'Tokyo Canal Project',collaborated on urban research,proposal on urban design,holding joint exhibition with several architects. His career as an architect started when he has become registered Architect in Japan in 2004,. While studying on 'Spaces of agoras and paths' in post-graduate cource of The University of Tokyo,he has designed houses,restaurants in Tokyo and Ibaraki. When he established Yoshitaka Uchino & YDS Architects, the practice opened the office in Chiyoda(Central Tokyo). Since then,the practice has designed several houses,residential buildings,kindergartens,offices,renovations in Tokyo,Chiba,Kumamoto and so on. In 2016,he has been awarded'Design Top10 Award for Emergent Architect in the world' as the only Japanese from BUILD,UK. In the same year,he has been awarded Excellence and Nominated for 'SIA-GETZ Architecture Prize for Emergent Architecture in Asia' from Singapore Institute of Architects as the only Japanese. Now their projects are in overseas as well as in Japan.
Yoshitaka Uchino Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Yoshitaka Uchino.
Designer Interview of Yoshitaka Uchino:
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?
YU : Realizing innovative, inspiring, beautiful architectures is the purposes of my life.Since I was a student of the Department of Architecture at Univ. of Tokyo, works and life of Le Corbusier,Tadao Ando, Louis Kahn has been inspiring me.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
YU : YDS Architects design mainly on houses and residential buildings. Our main theme is designing affluent spaces where lights and winds are boutiful. We pursue innovative and beautiful architectures corresponds to the client's needs and other conditions.
DI: What is "design" for you?
YU : Design for me is realizing innovative, beautiful, and stimulating spaces with clear and inspiring visions.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
YU : Houses and residential buildings. I would like to design mainly architectures which realize people's dreams.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
YU : Houses with spaces where people interact with nature.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
YU : My favorite material is natural wood and stone,for example,natural oak and natural slate stone.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
YU : When I come up with unprecedented designs with clear visions.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
YU : The transition of light.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
YU : I enjoy when I design architectures and make sketches.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
YU : I feel happy and relieved.
DI: What makes a design successful?
YU : I think the relation with nature while satisfying the functions.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
YU : I mostly value the natural elements,like light,wind,air,rain.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
YU : To achieve the most beautiful and valuable design while taking care of costs,laws,demands.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
YU : I think the traditional architecture would remain in the future.For other parts of design like product design,handmade would be more focused.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
YU : Our works has been exhibited at several places including A' design award exhibition, LEAF AWARDS FORUM, German design awards exhibition at Frankfurt am main.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
YU : Sources of inspirations comes from the experiences of my travels especially abroad. Also works by Tadao Ando, Le Corbusier, and Louis Kahn has been inspiring me. The most influential inspirations are those of the behavior of nature.
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?
YU : My design style is Mimalism with nature. Using simple geometry like square, circle as a methodology, I would like to integrate future and present, East and West.
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?
YU : I live in Tokyo. Cultural heritage of Japan like Katsura imperial Villa in Kyoto really influences me such as transition of light.
DI: How do you work with companies?
YU : Being the president and principal architect of YDS Architects, I design all the basic and most important concept and supervise all projects.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
YU : Good designer should have tough mind, sincerity, love for cultures and arts.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
YU : First, I decide the main concept while dealing with the laws and costs. After that, I draw preliminary sketches and develop them. We always embrace inspiring and innovative visions and concepts.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
YU : Drawing pens, color pencils, 4B pencils, sketch books, and inspiring books on architectures, villages, and designs.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
YU : I am always thinking about design even though when I am off.For example,when I go out to a park with my family,I always see several architectures, and get inspirations from nature.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
YU : They should travel to see the architectures,cities,people living there for themselves.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
YU : Positives are realizing the images.Negatives are the conflicts with costs,demands of clients.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
YU : Taking care and respecting nature.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
YU : Sincerity as designer for realizing architectures,parts of environments.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
YU : Drawing pens and sketch books.Also books of works of inspiring architects.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
YU : I manage my time by talking,listening to music.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
YU : For A house,my design term usually half a year.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
YU : 'What is your thinking on architectures? How much does it costs?'
DI: What was your most important job experience?
YU : Design and totally supervise a house.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
YU : Individuals, educational corporations, real state companies including Mitsubishi Jisho and Mitsui Fudosan.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
YU : I enjoy the most designing houses.The reason is that it could be a small universe for the family.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
YU : I am going to design beautiful and inspiring houses and housings.Also I am focusing on renovations.I would design museums,kindergartens,commercial buildings.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
YU : I want to create basic concepts and visions by myself,and develop them as a team.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
YU : Misora new building, K Social welfare facilities, House A, House T and so on.
DI: How can people contact you?
YU : Anyone can contact me by e-mail.The addresses are either uchino@ydsaa.net,yoshitaka_u@me.com.