We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative taichi hirata ("TH").
Studio tata is an architecture and design firm based in Kyoto. Gradually established since 2015, the studio has developed its practice through close collaborations with architects, artists, and craftsmen, working on projects ranging from residential designs and apartment renovations to offices, restaurants, mobile retail solutions, and furniture. While deepening our contemplation of space, form, and materials, we have responded precisely to the diverse needs required of us, and have also carefully addressed the unspoken needs and often hidden desires that lie beneath the surface, ensuring nothing is overlooked. Our aspiration is to create spaces that harmonize functionality with an aesthetic that resonates deeply, enriching living environments in harmony with their surroundings. By integrating elements like space, form, streetscapes, functionality, and human sensibilities, we design places that are rich in character and depth, offering both harmony and inspiration.
taichi hirata Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by taichi hirata.
taichi hirata Design - Wagon Remodeling Food Van
Designer Interview of taichi hirata:
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 graduated from Kindai University with a degree in architecture, and after completing my studies, I traveled throughout Europe to explore architecture firsthand. These journeys deeply influenced my perspective, allowing me to experience a wide range of spatial cultures and urban environments. After returning to Japan, I worked for approximately six years at ALPHAVILLE Architects, a Kyoto-based architecture office known for its concept-driven and experimental designs. This experience was invaluable in shaping my design thinking and professional approach. Following that period, I established my own design studio, studio tata, where I continue to explore architecture and design through various scales and mediums.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
TH : studio tata is a Kyoto-based design studio that works across architecture, spatial design, and sometimes product or art projects. While our work often deals with physical space, we are equally interested in the invisible layers behind it—such as habits, memories, or the quiet needs people don’t always express. Rather than imposing a fixed style, we try to respond sensitively to each context, allowing the design to grow from observation, dialogue, and careful reinterpretation of what’s already there.
DI: What is "design" for you?
TH : For me, design is a method of inquiry and a means of problem-solving. It begins not with answers, but with questions—some spoken, others left unspoken. At the heart of every project lies a certain tension, a challenge that may not always be immediately visible. I believe one of the designer’s most important roles is to uncover these latent problems, both explicit and implicit, and to respond to them through thoughtful, intentional output. In this way, design is not simply about creating something new—it’s about finding clarity within complexity, and crafting solutions that resonate with human needs, whether articulated or not. That act of uncovering, of truly seeing what needs to be addressed, is where design begins for me.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
TH : I enjoy projects that leave a certain openness—where the design doesn’t arrive fully formed, but takes shape through ongoing dialogue with the client, collaborators, and context. What I value most is not the scale or budget of a project, but whether there is space for the design to evolve organically through shared thinking. Often, the process involves navigating conflicting needs—client expectations, budget constraints, legal regulations—and in such moments, I find myself taking on the role of a mediator. I believe that part of a designer’s responsibility is to hold space for these tensions, and to transform them into something coherent and meaningful. When a project allows for that kind of deep engagement, it becomes more than problem-solving—it becomes a quiet negotiation between people, ideas, and reality. That’s the kind of work I find most rewarding.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
TH : One of my favorite projects is Wagon Remodeling Food Van（food wagon remodeling ）, which recently received the A' Design Award. It’s a mobile food wagon, but also a small piece of architecture that reflects how we live, move, and gather in contemporary society. What I love about this project is that it challenged the boundary between architecture and mobility. It wasn’t just about designing a functional vehicle—it was about reimagining how public space can be temporarily created, and how food and design together can shape social experience. The project also involved many constraints—legal regulations, limited space, mobility issues—but it was precisely within those limitations that the most interesting ideas emerged. It was a collaborative and adaptive process, full of dialogue, improvisation, and creative tension. That made it especially rewarding.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
TH : The first thing I designed for a company was a bar for a friend. At the time, I was still very inexperienced, and the budget was extremely limited. There were many things I couldn’t do—both technically and financially—but that made the process all the more meaningful. With the help of friends, senior colleagues, and peers, I was able to define what truly needed to be done and plan the project so that every cost would have the greatest possible effect. It wasn’t about doing more, but about making each choice count. That experience taught me that design isn’t just about resources—it’s about clarity, collaboration, and the will to make something real despite limitations.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
TH : I don’t have a strong preference for any one material—it always depends on the context. But I do find myself drawn to primary, honest materials like wood or steel. These materials can be difficult to work with, but their raw, unfiltered qualities often bring a sense of presence and authenticity that’s hard to replicate. On the other hand, I tend to avoid imitation materials—those that try to mimic something they’re not. For me, there’s a kind of quiet power in letting a material be what it is, even if that comes with imperfections or limitations. The texture, weight, and even the way a material ages—all of these things carry meaning. In the end, I believe materials aren’t just about appearance or function—they shape the atmosphere, and sometimes even the behavior, of those who interact with them.