We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Taku Hibino ("TH").
We are the proffesional of designing children's facility. We have been engaged in more than 520 kindergarten, nursery or any other facilities for children not only in Japan but also in other countries. We hope children's environment is truly designed for them and then children grow up with good health and knowledge in such a good environment.
Taku Hibino Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Taku Hibino.
Designer Interview of Taku Hibino:
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?
TH : I have a dream of making human’s life with einvironment.My father was also an architect, so I was always close to architecture and environment.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
TH : We are an architecture design office, specializing only in children’s facility and welfare facility, established in 1972.Now we have 520 works as children’s facility such as kindergarten and nursery, and 50 works as welfare facility for elderly or disabled people.Recently, we established an affiliated company which design and produce furniture so that we can try to realize environment with high quality by designing totally.
DI: What is "design" for you?
TH : It’s what makes human’s better life .
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
TH : I like simple design, which makes users attracted attention.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
TH : Geoffrey Bawa and Peter Zumthor who design connecting inside and outside.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
TH : Kindergarten.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
TH : Natural materials such as wood, stone, iron and so on.And to use them in natural as much as possible.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
TH : When I can archive a good result with low cost.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
TH : Considering whether people become comfortable or not.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
TH : I feel happy because I imagine how people will become happy.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
TH : It’s not until that people use the environment we designed and become happy.
DI: What makes a design successful?
TH : It’s love for people to use.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
TH : Considering whether people can use it comfortably.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
TH : Design should make human environment and their life comfortable. It should not cause to their uncomfortableness.We have responsibilities of designing in always considering earth environment and human life.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
TH : Our field, architecture and environment tend to use high technology, but the development of human is not changed so much for a long time. In this sense, it’s important to combine high and low technology well.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
TH : TAIPEI DESIGN AND CITY EXHIBITIONWhenever asked, I want.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
TH : A lot of inspirations are come from beautiful 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?
TH : It’s my design style that it makes people in mind and nature become much richer by making use of its environment and connecting inside and outside.These designs are come from my loving and respecting nature always.
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?
TH : In Japan, people have confronted nature and made use of it well for a long time. We have these senses and ideas inside the bottom of our body and mind, which gives us a good influence for designing.
DI: How do you work with companies?
TH : We always think about collaboration when there are outstanding companies or persons in some particular field.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
TH : It’s the way to understand the designer’s philosophy or belief and their works, and then believe him or her.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
TH : We hear the request from clients, research the circumstances around the site and then give an answer as design.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
TH : Window, bathroom, toilet, light, kitchen
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
TH : Waking up, breakfast, taking care of my dog, go to office, work, back to home, exercise at sports jim, bath time, going to bed
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
TH : Architecture and creating environment are different from art.You should not be selfish, you should design considering the circumstances.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
TH : Positive one is to make people become happy.Negative point is to be possible to make them sad.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
TH : Love human
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
TH : To love people
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
TH : CAD, BIM, Illustrator, Photoshop
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
TH : Using time fully by deciding fast.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
TH : Depends on the project. But it may take almost 3 months at minimum to 2 years at max in the case of architecture or environment.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
TH : Why do you know children’s feeling?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
TH : Played a lot in the childhood.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
TH : Around the world.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
TH : Design which makes children, elderly and disabled people happy.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
TH : To develop our furniture company, and make the architecture quality gained.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
TH : As a team.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
TH : School in Shenzhen, ChinaKindergarten in Chengdu, ChinaTM Kindergarten in Hokkaido, Japan
DI: How can people contact you?
TH : From website, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.