Interview with Noriaki Mori

I've been creating new things since I was a child. Creativity was fostered by developing several types of self-made games that can be played with just a pencil, explaining the rules to classmates, and playing.
When I was a high school student, I learned that I had a profession as an industrial designer, and I longed to create something better and something that wasn't there yet.
This is the trigger.

The most important thing is the observation of the world. Understanding the current situation is very important.
By looking closely at the world, we can find out what is the problem and what kind of things that are not in the world should be developed.
As the word "think by hand" is used, thumbnails and idea sketches are at least used.
Furthermore, digital data and three-dimensional objects may be rendered or mocked up.

It's most exciting when you discover a big problem or something that isn't in the world but you need it.
After that, we will proceed by combining the designing process and approach, so the completed image has already been created.

I think it's the curiosity of why, and the realm of liberal arts.

I would like to continue to create many designs that save many people.

It is very important to always be aware of what social issues are and to continue pursuing what is the design that leads to well-being.
Just designing something beautiful may be complacent.
On the other hand, designers should always consider monetization in terms of economy.
Designers are not artists.
The Italian I once used taught me the importance of liberal arts as a philosopher.
A Japanese design professor explained that the concept is everything.
He also explained that the Japanese boss is all about ideas.

The power required for a designer is as follows.
1. Power to find
2. Power to create
3. Power to convey
Always cultivate these three powers.

First, look at the general news.
Design news isn't the most important thing for me right now. World affairs, environmental issues, social issues, economic conditions, these movements are the most important factors.
By constantly feeling various issues, small discoveries lead to the realization of big problem-solving designs.

I don't really pursue fashion and trends.
I'm rather a quest for universal design.
Design trends are just about collecting information as a trend in the world.
However, in expressing spirituality and national character, we sometimes pursue emotional modeling and patterns.
We will try to design appropriately according to the item or service.

The criterion is how simple and easy-to-understand the design is, by eliminating unnecessary decorations.
This is not the case for things and spaces with a luxurious world view.

If it's converged to the point where you don't need to add or subtract any more, it's probably a scrutinized design.

It is a bottomless cast iron basket that has become a runner-up.
This can only be made with books today.
It is made of the world's thinnest iron casting with a sand mold, and it has taken a lot of time and trial and error to realize it.
Although it is not highly evaluated at the award, this is also a design that could be realized only in Japan.

It's Marcello Gandini.
I was shocked by the number of supercars he designed in his childhood. He wants to meet somehow.

My favorite and exciting cities are Tokyo and Milan.
Milan is the second city where I studied and worked in design.
On the other hand, Tokyo is one of the most creative cities.
However, Japan, including Tokyo, is a land next to natural disasters.
I think that one of the ways for Japan to survive is to constantly think about ways to deal with the dangers of natural disasters and to export that know-how to the world.

I currently run my own company by myself.
However, I am also in the design department of a global Japanese company. Here, you can add powerful technology to large organizational projects and proceed with designing.
To be a good designer in the future, you need to have multiple careers and go back and forth between abstraction and reification to develop a multifaceted eye.

There are famous architects and their members in Japan who support the disaster area.
It can be said that this design was submitted to this award because of the same aspirations as them.
For young designers and students who want to become designers, I think we can contribute in the form of lectures, workshops, and sometimes university lectures if necessary.

Participating in well-known and prestigious awards and competitions such as the A'Design Award and being awarded a prestigious award has the following merits.
1. It has the power to appeal to people all over the world.
2. It can be said to be one of the shortest distances to receive a job.
3. You can keep your motivation and inspiration high.
Even if it is anonymous, it is an important opportunity to find excellent designers.

I wanted to make people's lives a little better and became a designer. And that is what drives motivation.

Yes, I did.

From tangible things to intangible services and community design, we will provide creative optimal solutions based on design thinking in various ways.

You should step on the number of places in all things. Sometimes experience in a completely different industry is always useful, as in other style games. For example, you may be enrolled in a company that makes many business proposals into projects, from community design to product product design.

Good designers will put together the requirements you need.
Great designers are even more proactive in putting together the thoughts and actions of others.

I don't think there is a goal in the world of design. Like the world of Buddhism and Zen, it is a job that always needs to aim for higher heights.
So you should always try to update today than yesterday and tomorrow than today.
A good design eliminates unnecessary decoration, and the essence is found in the place where the flesh is thoroughly stripped off.

The value of good design is to enrich people's lives.
It is worth the investment because it brings a good life.

I would like to design a design that will energize the industries of rural areas and small and medium-sized enterprises.
If the regions become healthy, the industry of the whole country will be raised more.

Seeing the design and outcomes of the entire community in a region.

It is to interact with people from different industries and absorb various knowledge and know-how so that they can play other style games.

When I was young, I was inspired by Philippe Starck.
Nowadays, I often get inspiration from nature.

It's Bertone's Lancia Stratos.
The design has been sharpened just to win the rally.

Is it Antonio Gaudi's Sagrada Familia?
It is still unfinished and people all over the world are involved in the construction.

It is to interact with people from different industries and absorb various knowledge and know-how so that they can play other style games.

You would have been a strategy consultant.

It would be a visualization of the concept.
1. Visualize intangible things
2. Show tangible things in kind
It is a skill that can embody these things.

I was an alumnus of a managing executive officer of a company.
He also introduced me to our overseas network.

Seniors in design and people from many different industries.

It was all about tangible design.

Media exposure should be increased outside of competitions.

It is an intangible new business development.

It is to create a state where various services and hardware are further designed while developing a new business.

It's something that people think in a good way if they can solve anything.

It is easy for anyone to use and helps to enrich your life.

It's new business development.

It's the Cast Iron Bottomless Baslet.
This is because we were able to embody products that are not in the world with enthusiasm.
It involved a lot of people and made it a reality.

I want the society to be a mixture of vertically divided design fields.

I think we will move toward management design that utilizes design thinking.

It depends on the project.

Start by observing the current situation.

It means being curious about everything.

I think there are both cases.

It's another wheel.

Mac, PC, MS Office, Adobe CC, etc.

It's both functional and aesthetic.

anything.

I wondered if there was that.

It is a manager who understands design.
If you meet such a person, the transformation will accelerate.

A mentor who was the owner of a company.

It is difficult to pick up one book.
Inspired by various books.

I learned a lot other than design.
Business management, spending time with a manager, engaging in consulting work, learning at a graduate school for working adults.

Leonardo da Vinci

We should always aim for new goals, not in the glory of the past.

My favorite color is navy. My favorite place is Milan.
My favorite food is Kitakata ramen.
My favorite season is spring. I don't have a favorite brand.

When I later measured the height, depth, and angle that I set to be optimal for the appearance, it was a golden ratio.
I realized that as I gained experience, I could remember the golden ratio with my body.

I'm constantly searching for clues to solve problems by touching on more information.

I never imagined that.

It seems that the world has developed measures for allergies, drug discovery, and preventive medicine that have not been elucidated, and it is now possible to get the job you want to get.

Even if you only design, you will never get a good design.

My company is a consulting firm that supports design development such as industrial design, service design, and user experience design, as well as new businesses, new products, new services, and new market development.

It can be said that it is a visualization / reification of the concept.

Cast Iron Bottomless Basket.

It was created as a by-product of an extension of consulting for new business development to foundry manufacturers.

Leather accessories such as pass cases, card cases and coin purses.

I like platforms that combine materials such as metal, plastic and wood with the latest digital technology and craftsmanship.

It was when we created things that never existed in the world.

To find the last line that is unlikely to be feasible today.

Feelings of being unhearted and focused.

The sense of accomplishment that has been achieved and the realization that difficulties can be overcome.

Passion and the power to break through
And you need to develop three abilities.
1. Finding power
2. Power to create
3. Power to convey

First impression.
And it is important to be able to express the concept at a glance.

To guide society to consumption that is the optimum solution.

It is expanding from tangible things to intangible things.
In addition, tangible items are expanding to develop intangible new businesses.

November 2018, Tokyo.
Next time, I would like to hold the event in 2021.

Inspiration varies depending on the nature, such as natural objects, geometric forms, and theories.

My design is a subtractive design.
We pay attention to reducing the complexity as much as possible and revealing the essence.
We are trying to visualize the essence of what the client's original strength is.

I live in Tokyo.
I think that the Japaneseness that has permeated through many years of life is reflected in the design details.
The advantage is that the design pays attention to every detail.
The disadvantage is that it is hard to see if you can express "Japan in the world" if you are only in Japan.

By talking with each other honestly, we are working to build a relationship of trust.

It is necessary to have a deep dialogue on a regular basis.
In addition to the talent and ability of the designer, it has compatibility with companies, so it is a good idea to talk with as many designers as possible so that you can meet good designers.

Start by familiarizing yourself with your client company and its employees, and understanding the market.
We focus on creating things that are not in the industry.

1. Cast Iron Bottomless Basket
2. Frixion Ball Pen
3. BMW
4. Business Card Case
5. Bags

In short, every day of discovery.

Make many mistakes.
This allows you to experience what is important.

On the positive side, it's rich in creativity beyond the theory.
negative side is that the persuasive power for the manager is often the most important factor.

It can be said to be the golden ratio.
With experience, the golden ratio is unknowingly included in the beautiful ratio.

Ability to find problems, issues, discomfort, and doubts, that is, observation and discovery.

A pen, notepad, and sketchbook.
Make "think by hand" a habit and visualize tangible and intangible things.

Based on the idea of ​​"24-hours designer," there is always a problem awareness in one corner of the head until the deadline.

It is case by case.
The prototype of the design may be invented in 15 minutes, and it may take a month or more after fully analysing the market.

What is the source of the idea?
How do you generate many ideas?

Collaboration work based in Milan.

There are various casting companies, printing companies, governments, etc.

We value design that can be visualised and shaped.
Because what is visible is persuasive.

I would like to expand the field of activities to consulting based on design in digital transformation.

It can be done on a case-by-case basis, either alone or as a team.

We are advancing design for a new society.
This is an important project for people's safety and security.

Please contact us by e-mail.

I accept a wide range of consultations not only in a specific field but also in any field that can be solved from the designer's perspective.
Please feel free to ask about anything.