Interview with Hajime Tsuruta
Hajime Tsuruta is the founder of NRC Architecture and Design Firm. He has won over 10 design awards in Japan, Korea, and the USA.
Design Legend Interview
3 May 2020
I was born and raised in Japan. When I was a junior high school student, I lived in Thailand for a while, and I earned my Bachelor's degree in the United States. Being exposed to multicultural influences has influenced my designs to this day.
I became a designer in order to blend different cultural influences in innovative ways, and that remains my motivation to this day.
I neither chose, nor was I forced. I think that my path to design was a natural progression.
I mainly deal with commercial facilities, but in the future I hope to work on more public museums, schools, and libraries.
The most important advice I can give is to study abroad and establish connections to other cultures and peoples.
A good designer works with the individual's needs in mind, while a great designer thinks of their community and nation.
The quality of a design is found in its concept, rather than its immediate appearance.
Good design must be sustainable both in terms of environment and culture—in other words, the value of good design is its long-term contribution to the community. When we invest in sustainable design, we invest in our future.
I would like to design facilities to serve people and regions that have been affected by natural disasters, such as earthquakes or typhoons.
I would like to design a fully Integrated resort including a hotel, shopping facilities, restaurants, MICE, and so forth.
My "secret ingredient" is to slip in some functional element that the client only finds after they have begun using the space. This is particularly important to my philosophy of housing design: the home should be a continual space of delight.
I'm most inspired by Tadao Ando, a Japanese architect who emphasizes simplicity and Zen in his designs.
I would have to say that my favorite design is the OCULUS shopping mall in New York City, which was built in 2016 by architect Santiago Calatrava. The structure represents the region's triumph over the dark past of 9/11.
My team and I designed an amusement facility called TENGOKU built in the suburbs of Japan in 2016. The client company’s logo is wings, so we modified it to show those wings flying away.
It's important to make connections with people in other industries. If you are only surrounded by other designers, it becomes harder to innovate. Having relationships with people from different professions helps you think about their perspectives and gain new inspiration.
I sometimes imagine that I might have had a technology-related job, similar to Steve Jobs.
To me, design is a force that makes people change not only their life but their way of thinking.
Our valued clients have been our biggest supporters! I'm always learning new things frmo my clients.
I think the key factor in becoming a good designer was my international upbringing. I'm very grateful to my parents for the opportunities they gave me.
When I went to college in the United States to study architecture, I often found language comprehension a barrier. My English was not very good for the first year I lived there, so I sometimes struggled in class.
Modern designers should be able to use technology to express our ideas visually and help clients picture how their designs will turn out.
We are planning and designing a huge shopping mall in Tokyo, where we plan to install an innovative new technology interface.
I'd like to donate a design to the public.
The most important expectation placed on me, and the one I always keep in mind, is that I must respect and value the opinions of other designers—not just those who came before me, but the young designers who will carry on the profession after I have retired.
Design can be used to promote sustainable principles that promote a higher standard of living for the public. For instance, by renovating or converting empty buildings, we can conserve resources.
I am excited to renovate some old, empty buildings rather than building new ones. It's always challenging and exciting to think about and solve problems presented by the existing building.
A couple of years ago I had the privilege of designing a commercial facility, and since then the operating company has been able to expand considerably. I'm very satisfied by how my work was able to help them prosper.
I expect that due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the design industry will change in some unpredictable ways in the next few years. My priority now is to make myself as flexible as possible and keep an open mind so that I can respond to the new demands that will be placed on my work.
I believe that designers' dependence on IT and CAD software will only increase, so it's important for designers to stay abreast of new technology.
A small project takes about six months, while a large one may take up to three years.
We always start from a kick-off meeting with the clients to establish our understanding of their needs and desires.
Listen not only to the client's words, but to their heart.
I believe design sets the trends.
Due to recent innovations in IT, I often transfer my designs to digital imaging programs to help the clients better envision the completed project. Technology has also enabled faster communication with our clients.
I mainly use CAD software, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop.
It depends entirely on the design itself. When I design a natural atmosphere, I attempt to imitate the natural world, but when I'm working on a project with an inorganic atmosphere I will opt for muted colors and manmade materials.
I want them to ask me any question they have about my work! It's important to me to remain open to questions, especially from other designers or laypeople.
Seeing something great inspires me to create as well! I immediately start thinking about what I can design next.
I think co-design is an excellent way to work, if you have the right partner. I'm very lucky; my wife is also an architect and designer, and she is truly my ideal design partner! She always approaches our projects with enthusiasm.
When I was a college student in the United States, my studio mates were a tremendous influence on my design because we worked together every day.
I was strongly influenced by the biography of Frank Lloyd Wright. It not only gave me insight into his legacy, but also his process, and how he was perceived by his contemporaries.
I always try to learn from others. I can't declare myself a master and decide that I have nothing left to learn; the field is always changing.
I would like to meet some African designers and architects. I haven't had many opportunities to interact with African cultures, and I'm interested in learning about their philosophy and values.
I don't particularly think of myself as famous. When I receive publicity or awards, I tend to view it as a reflection of the project, rather than of myself.
I tend to fall into a routine so that I'm not distracted by my work. I tend to dress in monochromes, eat the same foods, and buy the same brands over and over.
I found it a little funny that in various competitions, the same team (including my firm) was selected three times in a row. We discovered that the concepts behind the projects selected were mostly the same, and we all knew the client involved!
I like to watch TED Talks on YouTube to hear about different perspectives. TED Talks are interesting to me because so many people from diverse professions share what motivates them.
I was such a shy child that my parents were worried about me. They gave me a paper and pen to encourage me to communicate. I don't know if it was obvious that I would become a designer, but I drew constantly, so I can see the logical progression. Then again, I also could have become a comic artist.
I think that a thousand years from now, everything will be commodified, even buildings and housing. Changes in available materials will affect the ways in which we use buildings as status symbols.
I often try to use natural materials; however, nature materials are often cost-prohibitive due to both upfront expenses and maintenance costs. Therefore, I sometimes use elaborate imitation techniques inspired by Japan's long history of mortar and lacquer craft.
Designer Interview
3 May 2020
When I was in junior high school, I lived in Thailand for a while, and I went to college in the United States. Because I had the privilege of experiencing these diverse cultures, I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a designer. It felt like a very natural progression to me: Being exposed to different cultures has informed my sense of aesthetics, and now I try to combine these cultures with my own Japanese culture to inspire my designs.
We want the company to inspire and be embraced by clients from all over the world through its unique architecture and design. We are looking for partnerships with both companies and individuals with which we can share creative and innovative ideas—small or large, residential or commercial projects, and everything in between.
To me, "design" is combining influences from different cultures to create a sense of intrigue or delight in the viewer.
We mainly deal with commercial amusement facilities, where we can try to maximize entertainment for people using the facility.
My favorite designs are those which express Asian cultures and atmospheres. For instance, traditional Japanese temples or shrines use particular wooden patterns, while in China similar patterns are utilized for entirely different purposes.
My first design was a residence for an executive.
I like to use wood for both structural purposes and for finishes. I feel it's one of the most versatile materials, and different colors and patterns have a huge impact on the atmosphere of the finished space.
The first time I visit the site is always the most inspirational to me. By the time I leave I'm full of ideas.
I tend to focus on doing Initial research about the proposed site. It's important to me to fully understand the context of the project.
When I'm working on a good design, I'm in a place of "Zen." I feel very calm, and the outside world seems to fall away while I focus.
Because I work on a tight time schedule, I often have to move on to the next project without taking time to fully process the satisfaction of a finished design! But when I can stop to think about it, I feel very privileged to be able to engage in work I enjoy so much.
It has to be simple and effective.
The first thing I consider is whether I can easily recognize the underlying concept of the design. The best designs are those that only need a single look to understand what the designer had in mind.
I think a designer's responsibility to society is to reinforce bonds and connections between people. Environmentally, I think it's important for designers to prioritize sustainability: how are they using existing resources, and how will their work age?
The field of design changes constantly according to the state of the world. Currently, I predict that building designs in the near future will change to accommodate our anxieties regarding COVID-19.
Last year our firm presented several projects in China. After the danger of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, we would like to hold further exhibitions focused on sustainable development.
I feed my creativity by exposing myself to as many different cultures as possible, but I take particular inspiration from Asian cultures. Every year I take several business trips, and I always try to meet and speak to strangers when I travel to learn about their cultures.
My design style emphasizes the local culture and natural environment that the project site is rooted in. I want my designs to feel organic within their locations, so I emphasize clean lines and natural materials wherever possible; I think that's the signature of my style.
I live in Tokyo, Japan. As you probably know, Tokyo is a huge, modern metropolis where I can draw inspiration from many different cultures. It's very beneficial to my work to live in such a diverse environment. However, when I want to get in touch with traditional Japanese design, I have to travel into more rural regions of the country to find it.
Due to recent innovations in the IT field, we often use applications to keep an open line of communication with the companies we partner with. Modern technology has sped up the process of iterative design so that we can propose and implement changes to our designs more quickly.
I think the most important thing is to respect each other’s experience. Rather than prioritizing things like graduating from prestigious colleges, I value the quality of someone's training, mentoring, and project history.
We research the project site to learn about its particular history and context, and try to connect with people in the neighborhood. This allows us to develop a strong concept for the design.
The five items most important to my process are paper, pen, eraser—for obvious reasons—and after that, YouTube and my cat. I like to listen to music in the background while I work, and when I'm stuck, sometimes I describe what I'm struggling with to my cat. He's a great listener.
After the morning scrum meeting with my team, I usually go out to the construction site to work. I find that I'm more creative when I'm onsite. I tend to check my emails throughout the day to make sure I'm accessible to the rest of my team.
Rather than prioritizing fame, I want young designers to remember that if they work on a high-profile project for someone who doesn't respect them, they won't feel truly fulfilled. It's more important to work with a client who respects your opinion and design than a client who can make you famous quickly.
I would say that the positive is that there is always a demand for architectural design. However, there are those who devalue thoughtful design in favor of what is quick or cheap, and from my position I consider this a negative.
Never imitate others, but strive for originality.
I think the most important skills are to be able to think in 3D and transfer those ideas to paper.
In addition to traditional paper and pen design, I use 3D CAD software as well as various Adobe applications.
Meetings tend to be the most time-consuming part of my job, so I always go into meetings with an agenda. Arriving with a list of points to address helps me clarify what I need to do next.
It depends entirely on how inspired I am! If I already have an idea, it feels like the process flies by. But if I'm struggling to come up with the concept, it feels like it takes forever.
"How you can make money as a designer?"
My first official project was designing a residence, and I think I learned more from that job than any other.
I frequently work with large companies in the amusement and hospitality industry.
I enjoy designing for the hospitality field most, because I like to imagine the end users of my designs. Who are the people who will come to this hotel or resort? What can I do to make their experience more pleasant?
We are planning to expand our firm with satellite offices in other countries in Asia.
I work as a member of a team.
We are currently planning a hotel facility in East Timor, a nation whose independence was only recognized in 2000.
I'm easiest to reach by email.
https://www.nrcgroup.co.jp/profile/
https://www.nrcgroup.co.jp/profile/
We would like to introduce some of our works which feature Japanese Zen-style design.