PLDC 2017 to be held in Paris
(France) - The sixth Professional Lighting Design Convention will be held in Paris from November 1 to 4, 2017.
PLDC 2017 follows in the footsteps of the successful series of PLDC events to date: PLDC 2007 in London/UK, PLDC 2009 in Berlin/D, PLDC 2011 in Madrid/E, PLDC 2013 in Copenhagen/DK and PLDC 2015 in Rome/I.
PLDC is the leading global conference dedicated to Architectural Lighting Design with the sole purpose of promoting the art, science and culture of professional lighting design. The convention will address topics of concern and interest to lighting designers and lighting professionals worldwide, inviting them to expand their knowledge, exchange ideas and network on a platform that goes beyond national boundaries and regional associations' work.
This Call for Papers addresses both experienced practising professional lighting designers as well as the new generation of lighting professionals, plus dedicated researchers and educators, industry representatives and professionals from related disciplines whose work affects and involves professional lighting designers. PLDC is an educational event which encourages lighting professionals to share their insight and know-how, and where even the most skilled masters of the art can learn from newcomers.
The convention comprises a three-day conference with Keynote Speakers, presented papers, self-running poster presentations, a manufacturers’ exhibition, social and cultural evening events, organised moderated discussions, Experience Rooms, excursions, Round IV of The Challenge, and a Gala Dinner at which outstanding achievements in lighting design will be recognized. Pre-convention meetings prior to the conference will be dedicated to the further pursuit of the recognition of the profession and include sessions for educators and researchers, as well as discussion and debate on professional issues. A new-format Cities’ Forum will also be held, addressing lighting designers, city representatives, city planners, researchers and industry representatives.
The convention will officially open with a reception on November 1 and close with the Gala Dinner on November 4, 2017.
The conference will comprise six Keynote Speakers, approximately 72 presented papers and around 20 electronic posters. All presentations will be held in English.
Prospective contributors are invited to submit papers dealing with recent findings, achievements or professional issues in the field of light and lighting design. The papers should be relevant to the following tracks:
a. Research (papers in fields such as Light and Health, Lighting Sustainability, Light and the Environment, Urban Development and Lighting, Light and Economic Issues, Light and Perception, Light and Psychology etc.). The papers will have a time frame of 20 minutes.
b. Lighting Application Case Studies (presentation of completed projects in interior and exterior lighting, demonstrating original approaches, uses of novel technologies, implementation of research findings, etc.). The papers will have a time frame of 45 minutes, including Q&A time.
c. Professional Practice Issues (status quo of the Architectural Lighting Design profession, Professional Deontology, Scope of Work, Best Practice examples, Cultural Context, Lighting Design Company and Human Resources Management, Lighting Education, Marketing, Risk Management, Business Administration, New Regulations and Guidelines, etc.). The papers will have a time frame of 45 minutes, including Q&A time.
d. Urban Life 4.0 (papers on light and light art in the urban realm, Lighting Festivals, Masterplans, spaces and sites, use of new technologies and Media Façades, interaction design, development of inner city spaces, working and living in different cities, project examples, social responsibility, security, etc.). The papers will have a time frame of 45 minutes, including Q&A time.
e. Research & Development (a dedicated track for the industry, the opportunity to present findings and research projects from the Industry’s point of view). The papers will have a time frame of 20 minutes.
Previously published/presented papers will not be accepted.
All papers are expected to be at a professional level and target a professional audience.
As an addition to the conference papers, the organisers will again offer Experience Rooms / Spaces. These rooms will invite and encourage attendees to actively experience light (and darkness) through different topics of interest to gain first-hand information, benefit educationally, and add to their personal and professional values and preferences when it comes to light and space. Proposed Experience Rooms will also need to go through the Call for Papers and be evaluated by the independent jury.
f. Experience Rooms (topic of the room, educational content / benefit, concept; level of interactivity, preliminary layout of the space, etc.). The Experience Rooms / Spaces will be opened on the three main conference days, from 8.30 to 18.30 on conference days.
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All contributions are to be submitted in electronic format. Please complete the form on the PLDC website – www.pld-c.com – and follow instructions for uploading the requested material.
Abstracts should be submitted in English: 350 words minimum and 700 words maximum.
Prospective contributors should state their preference for the paper to be presented as a lecture or shown as a self-running poster presentation. The submissions will be blind-reviewed by the independent Paper Reviewing Committee who will evaluate the submissions and advise on the acceptance of a paper and whether a submitted paper should be presented orally or as a poster presentation. Decisions on the programme are not subject to legal appeal.
The deadline for all submissions is November 18, 2016, 23.00 / 11 pm GMT.
Authors/speakers will be informed on the decision by VIA Events by February 13, 2017.
For the preparation of the proceedings for the event, and to support the preparation of the technical backup (computer network) selected authors/speakers will be required to forward their complete presentations in written format by June 30, 2017 and in PowerPoint format by July 31, 2017.
Information indicating required formats will be supplied in a Speaker’s / Poster Presenter’s Agreement. Authors of selected papers in all tracks will receive a free entry ticket to the convention (value € 675). This ticket does not include the gala dinner.
Further compensation will be handled as follows:
- authors of selected presented papers in the Lighting Application Case Studies, Professional Practice Issues and Urban Life 4.0 tracks will also receive an honorarium of € 500 per paper, one night in the convention hotel, and a contribution towards travel expenses as follows: Europe outside Paris up to € 200; overseas up to € 600. All above benefits are per presented paper (45 minutes), regardless of the number of speakers. Authors should prepare their papers taking into consideration the following time requirements: presented papers will last 45 minutes including Q&A time (approximately five minutes). The Paper Reviewing Committee may recommend that a submission is suitable for a longer (interactive) session. These sessions would comprise a double lecture slot of 90 minutes.
- authors of selected papers in the Research track will receive a honorarium of
€ 250 per paper, one night in the convention hotel, and a contribution towards travel expenses as follows: Europe outside Paris up to € 200; overseas up to € 600. All above benefits are per presented paper (20 minutes), regardless of the number of speakers. Authors should prepare their papers taking into consideration the following time requirements: presented papers will last 20 minutes plus Q&A time (approximately five minutes). The Paper Reviewing Committee may recommend that a submission is suitable for a longer session. These sessions would comprise a double lecture slot of 45 minutes.
Authors of self-running PowerPoint presentations, selected for presentation at the event will receive a free entrance ticket to the event (value € 675). This ticket does not include the gala dinner. Electronic posters will be designed to run in a closed loop of up to ten minutes maximum per presentation. The free ticket is offered per presentation, regardless of the number of authors.
Images, projects, research and case studies as well as any other used body of thought submitted for presentation need to be named and listed with correct credits. Should any difficulties or claims resolve from insufficient indications on the author’s behalf, all related costs will be forwarded to the author.
All presentations may be video-recorded and a comprehensive DVD made of the convention, which may be published and sold subsequent to the convention. All prospective contributors will be required to sign a release agreement to that effect as an integral part of their submission.
Factorylux Glass Coolicon
Factorylux's vintage inspired collection is available in both clear and opal glass. Pair it with a filament bulb to create a wow-factor suited to any room.
Users can design their own bespoke glass lamp shade online with Factorylux Made For You. From the colour of the cord to the shape of the shade and style of bulb, each user can find the right combination that will be tested and delivered within 24 hours.
www.urbancottageindustries.com
Factorylux releases new shades
(UK) - Create an oasis of calm and cool with the British lighting manufacturer's new glass pendant release.
Factorylux's vintage inspired collection is available in both clear and opal glass. Pair it with a beautiful filament bulb to create a wow-factor suited to any room.
Users can design their own bespoke glass lamp shade online with Factorylux Made For You. From the colour of the cord to the shape of the shade and style of bulb, each user can find the right combination that will be tested and delivered within 24 hours.
www.urbancottageindustries.com
Designheure penetrates US market
(US) - Designheure engages in US certification to set up positions on the US contract market.
Designheure is now able to provide the ETL certificates required by the US and Canadian administrations for projects located in public spaces.
This deployment is based on the opening of a Designheure office in Miami that will manage an agent network in each major state and especially in a first step in areas of Los Angeles, San Francisco & Sacramento, Miami, Atlanta, New York, Toronto. During August, the managing team has visited all these states to make presentations, train and meet the teams.
The couture signature and French editorial line of Designheure collections represents a strong asset in America, where the brand image of France is a great value.
Designheure already generates 50% of its turnover abroad and has already completed major projects in 80 countries for over ten years. Its characteristic is to have had a very important export share (up 60%) early on and a very large number of countries, which could smooth the impact of various local crises, and helped the company to continue its growth over the years.
Axo Light Fairy
A sparkling and romantic fairy dust of light enriches the Fairy collection, comprising charming indoor lamps. The diffuser in glass is distinguished by a multitude of facets which create enchanting games of light, even when the lamp is turned off and it multiplies in creative linear or circular suspensions, featuring different heights and widths, and several lights.
Must-sees at Decorex International
(UK) – With new collections from more than 400 brands, Decorex International remains a key destination of London Design Festival for trade professionals.
Visitors can see new products, experience inspiring feature installations and attend a host of talks from esteemed industry professionals.
This year, 120 new companies exhibit for the first time at Decorex. These include a number of lighting brands, such as Hand & Eye Studio, established in 2011 by Tom Housden, who will be launching its A-Beam terracotta light, a striking piece suspended from two bespoke suspension cables. While a former winner of the Lighting Design Association’s Lighting Design Award Tom Raffield will showcase a new collection of steam bent furniture and lighting, including the Archer table light, the Spinnaker ceiling light and the Wheal floor light.
Returning exhibitors include Curiousa & Curiousa, which will unveil its Winter collection including the Caravaggio and the Clock & Dagger ranges. Embracing autumnal colours, the hand-blown glass pendants from Caravaggio are adorned with shimmering Swarovski crystal beaded tassels, while the Clock & Dagger designs showcase sleek, bullet-like glass pendants, with a metallic and leather aesthetic. Tigermoth Lighting will present its new Lattice wall light, featuring a silk douppion shade encased in a delicate metal lattice.
The Seminar Programme continues to provide visitors with an array of insightful and informative talks on topics relevant to the industry. On Monday, renowned furniture designer Tim Gosling with speak in conversation with Design Director at John Cullen Lighting, Sally Story; Joanna Wood, Owner of Joanna Wood Trading, and Campbell Thompson of And So To Bed to discuss the future of British interior design and the luxury market. On Sunday, a panel discussion with Rebecca Weir, Creative Director of Light IQ, Charlotte Rowe, Owner of Charlotte Rowe Garden Design and Tom Pike, Architect at Giles Pike Architects, will discuss how the interior designer, architect and garden designer all collaborate to create a garden the client desires.
A feature not to be missed is Future Heritage – a celebration of the names to collect in British contemporary craft – curated by applied arts and design critic, Corinne Julius. Fourteen makers will be producing new works exclusively for this year’s show, including Vezzini & Chen’s Dive In, a bespoke lighting installation where glass ‘bubbles’ run across the wall as if rising to the surface from the deep, and Tangent’s Inaho, an interior lighting inspired by golden ears of rice swaying in the wind. Light from LEDs is cast in dots, reminiscent of paddy rice, through perforated tubes attached to narrow stems.
A new feature this year is Crafthouse - a series of interactive roomsets exploring the notion of daily rituals (Eating, Bathing, Sleeping and Working), presented by The New Craftsmen. Within the Bathing roomset, glass artist Jochen Holz will explore the possibilities of laboratory glass, showing a new lighting feature with neon gas and water pouring vessels.
Other features to look out for include the main entrance, this year curated by Tim Gosling, who has worked with the archives of the V&A and the Frederick Parker Collection, to present an impressive exhibition called ‘The Heritage of Chair Making’, working with the likes of Anya Hindmarch, Jo Malone and Sir Paul Smith. Design studio, 1508 London, will create a classically inspired champagne bar, while the Food Market and Syon Estate restaurant, will provide visitors with a choice of the finest cuisine and scenic views across Syon Park’s ‘Capability Brown’ designed landscape.
Slamp at Rio 2016 Olympics
(Italy) - Slamp adorn Casa Italia during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.
Chosen amongst the best of Italian brands, Slamp lit up the exclusive Casa Italia, the temporary home to Italian athletes in Rio di Janeiro during the 2016 Olympics. Chantal, La Lollo, and Mille Bolle, designed by (respectively) Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas, Lorenza Bozzoli and Adriano Rachele, are the collections that are on display.
Each exhibits a fusion of architectural and sartorial expertise as well as the latest artistic trends, realised in Slamp’s patented materials. These examples of ‘Handmade in Italy' have illuminated the home in Brazil from August 3.
Ricardo Menescal, an architect whose ‘Horizontal’ project included iconic objects and architecture that represent Italian artisan culture in Brazil was responsible for Casa Italia’s futuristic design. The structure is located on a bluff, overlooking the ocean. Beatrice Bertini and Benedetta Acciari (Galleria Ex Elettrofonica) along with Claudia Pignatale (Galleria Secondome), are continuing this legacy, narrating Italian design and art through select companies, including Slamp, to create an empathetic, visionary and open approach that demonstrates the union between Italy and Brazil.
The collections that Slamp chose for Casa Italia's interior are those that represent the perfect synthesis between Italian handmade tradition and what 'Made in Italy' abroad represents. La Lollo illuminate the athlete’s bar, conjuring images of the divas and thinkers of another era thanks to their form and finishes. Mille Bolle will bring playful reflections and refractions to the lounge, and the hall will host the Chantal Blue, which evokes the same movement of transparent waves pulling back from the shore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssooFAiKMdg
Downtown Design returns
(UAE) – Downtown Design returns for its fourth edition during Dubai Design Week from October 25-28.
Bringing together over 100 brands from 25 countries, the event has become an important fixture in the design calendar for both international brands and buyers from the MENASA region and will once again be held at the Dubai Design District (d3), the creative heart of the city.
Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Design District commented: “As a platform for the design industry in the region, d3 is proud to support Downtown Design. Design is at the centre of the new vision of Dubai and, as a catalyst event, Downtown Design is part of that journey towards achieving global recognition as a leading creative hub, whilst also supporting d3’s goal of becoming the home for design brands both regionally and internationally.”
Downtown Design reviews every exhibitor application to provide visitors with high quality and innovative contemporary design from established and emerging brands. Featuring furniture, lighting, bathrooms, kitchens, textiles and accessories, the fair presents an opportunity to discover new launches and talent across all categories. First time exhibitor Los Angeles’ furniture and lighting brand Bend Goods will present a new collection of playful pieces; Sancal, from Spain, makes its first foray in the Middle East with a standout collection of eclectic furniture and upholstery; and award-winning Dubai-based interior designer Pallavi Dean debuts as a product designer during Downtown Design with her first furniture and accessories collection.
Taking a wider scope, the fair also hosts Design Weeks from around the world; each of which bring a co-curated presentation of three emerging design brands that offer visitors the chance to discover products they would not ordinarily encounter at the big shows. The popular initiative, entitled ‘Destinations’, this year brings Addis Ababa, Barcelona, Beirut, Reykjavik and Taiwan Design Weeks to Dubai.
“Downtown Design brings together the regional design community, to discover international brands, rekindle existing relationships and build new ones, as well as providing a platform to share ideas and gain insight on how the market is developing, and the opportunities that presents. Building on the success of last year’s edition and an unprecedented interest in Downtown Design 2016, for exhibitors interested in this year’s show we are now oversubscribed, and are already accepting applications for 2017. Together with us, all our exhibitors are fully invested in presenting a fresh concept for Downtown, including products which will make their world debut here in Dubai,” says Downtown Design’s fair director Rue Kothari who joined in 2015, overseeing the fair’s exponential growth.
For 2016, local architect Tarik Al Zaharna of T.Zed Architects has been commissioned to reimagine the visitor experience around the theme of nature; incorporating natural materials in the design of the common areas. Each day of the fair will feature a series of industry talks and panel discussions, showcasing the young and flourishing design industry of Dubai and its surrounding region. Combined with a developing Buyers Programme that now activates the wider region, Downtown Design further expands its reach to become the place for the design industry to come together and do business in October.
Get involved in darc’s Sept / Oct issue
(International) – Get involved in darc’s September / October issue #17 focussed on task lighting and office design.
Bringing together the very best in the world of task lighting products and applications, darc puts forward task lighting highlights and case studies to show how creative designers and manufacturers like Anglepoise, Luctra and Innermost have been producing the most essential light of all. Featuring case studies from the likes of Davide Groppi, Louis Poulsen and many more, this issue is not one to miss.
Sticking with the theme of lighting for work, darc #17 will feature the world’s most design-savvy offices from the workplace of game developers King who brought CandyCrush to the world, to leading medical researcher AstraZeneca’s Macclefield campus. Taking a look at how work spaces use lighting to enhance productive environments, make sure to get in touch if you’ve got something to share.
Further to this, in the run-up to London Design Festival, darc #17 will include a complete overview of everything to come in designjunction’s lightjunction, for which darc is head media partner, TENT/Superbrands, Decorex and 100% Design, as well as international coverage of northmodern, ICFF Miami, Downtown Dubai and Interieurs.
Get in touch with Editor Helen Fletcher at h.fletcher@mondiale.co.uk if you produce innovative task lights, have a unique office design to share or are involved in something special for London Design Festival.
darc headlines lightjunction
(UK) – darc headlines lightjunction – a dedicated area to decorative lighting at this year’s designjunction during London Design Festival 2016.
darc readers get FREE advanced tickets to designjunction here: http://tinyurl.com/hjm38mo. £15 on the door.
designjunction #djKX, as part of the annual London Design Festival, returns this September (22 – 25) with a line-up of international brands and 100s of new product launches. Relocating to an exciting new long-term home in King’s Cross, designjunction - now in its sixth year - will take over four main sites delivering a curated programme of design exhibitions, installations, retail experience, events and workshops based upon the leading theme, #ImmersedinDesign. The four key sites include: Cubitt House (trade), The Canopy (retail), Granary Square (immersive experiences) and The Crossing (installations). Discover the four areas of #djKX here: http://thedesignjunction.co.uk/london/
This year esteemed lighting names in the industry will take over the lightjunction – which again returns to designjunction – in the trade destination, Cubitt House. darc are proud headline sponsors of lightjunction, and are looking forward to the latest collections from brands including Northern Lighting, ANGO, RUBN, LUUM and Brokis to name a few.
Some highlights include Vita Copenhagen, who will showcase new lighting collections, as well as presenting a mobile showroom, the VITA Van, on Granary Square. The van will offer visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Danish design, and discover some of the brands iconic styles such as the EOS.
Nocturne Workshop, which specialises in handcrafted lighting, made by founder Simon Day in the London workshop, will be presenting new designs including the Gil lamp, whilst British lighting manufacturer Copper & Silk will be focusing its Kew chandelier and Kew wall light, both inspired by the botanical gardens.
Cutting-edge lighting can also be found at The Crossing – which runs through Central Saint Martins – a space which will house specially commissioned projects, including a one-off immersive installation from new lighting brand, Tala to mark the launch of its new range of sculptural bulbs. The installation is inspired by a rainforest canopy and is set to be a must-see at the show.
Register now at http://tinyurl.com/hjm38mo for #djKX – the London Design Festivals most exciting destination for design and culture.
New façade created for designjunction
(UK) - designjunction commissions Satellite Architects to create a scaffold-like façade in King’s Cross.
The London-based practice has designed a 70m long by 7m high façade entrance to Cubitt House, the trade destination at designjunction during this year’s London Design Festival.
Designed by leading architectural firm Satellite Architects alongside Danish design curators, Icons of Denmark, the team will use the modular and versatile GRID system by Danish designer Peter J. Lassen.
Cubitt House, located on Lewis Cubitt Square within the King’s Cross redevelopment, sits on the boarder of the latest phase of construction. Spanning over 2,500 sqm, this two-storey temporary structure will house more than 100 leading international furniture and lighting brands.
Satellite Architects were inspired to use a scaffold-like grid system to wrap around an existing screen of trees and bushes. To achieve the sharp, elegant and well-defined structure, the architects are using GRId – a multifunctional modular interior system that allows creators to build with maximum freedom and simplicity. Introduced to the UK by Icons of Denmark, GRID can be assembled in various way in height, width and length and the cubic frame is produced with mounting holes making the system versatile.
The façade created by Satellite Architects at designjunction will comprise over 4,000 lightweight, versatile modules with 12mm nylon frames, transitioning from black at the base to white at the top against the sky to create a pixelated effect. The GRID system also holds an array of panels, orientated to reflect or provide glimpses of the foliage beyond.
Founding Director of Satellite Architects Stewart Dodd said: “The façade is intended to reflect the temporary nature of designjunction as an exhibition, and the developing surroundings, combining the natural and artificial elements. The arrangement of the pixels directs visitors to the entrances where reflective elements multiply the structural presence of the façade.”
Jesper Jensen, owner of Icons of Denmark added, “We are proud to be working alongside designjunction once again and collaborating closely with Satellite Architects. Assembling over 4,000 black and white GRID cubic frames, this will be the largest installation of GRID in the world.”
Visitors to Cubitt House at designjunction will be fully immersed in design as they enter the building under a stepped down gridded canopy between mirrored panels. Having passed though the exhibition, visitors can also enjoy a secret garden space with a pop-up café at the back.
designjunction, now in its sixth year, returns this September as part of the London Design Festival. Relocating to a new long-term home in King’s Cross, designjunction will take over the majority of the site delivering a specially curated programme of design exhibitions, installations, retail experience, events and workshops based upon the leading theme, Immersed in Design.
Oki Sato
nendo’s founder Oki Sato expresses his ceative diversity through dedication to present awareness and diligence, leading the way to the design practice’s collaborations with a multitude of esteemed names in the world of decorative lighting.
Moving to Tokyo, Japan, at the age of eleven, nendo’s Chief Designer and Founder Oki Sato was hit with a culture shock coming from Toronto, Canada, which he remembers as much more rural in comparison; everything was fresh and interesting.
It was in Tokyo where the budding designer developed his style and approach to design, finally settling in Tokyo where he attended the Waseda University. He went on to graduate with an M.A. Architecture in 2002, and later that year, established nendo design studio with some of his classmates. The studio has since proved an international success, simultaneously working on over 400 projects, including collaborations with Louis Poulsen, Foscarini, and Wonderglass from the world of decorative lighting, to name just a few.
When Sato attended Salone Del Mobile, Milan, in 2002 for the first time, he was taken with the creativity of designers with varied backgrounds, all playfully exhibiting products and installations in a display of pure imagination. Sato reflects on this in comparison to the restraint he felt in Tokyo, telling darc: “In Japan, people who have studied architecture, like me, usually only design architecture, interior designers design interiors and product designers design products. But I wanted to design more flexibly, to transcend genres. So my classmate and I set up a studio and named it nendo, meaning clay in Japanese.”
The design team of six wanted to create something flexible and free, the idea being that people can form anything with nendo.
From the very beginning, Sato somehow believed there wasn’t such a great difference between architecture and design.
He continues: “Of course, details and results are different, and I have responsibilities as someone who has studied architecture. But I think the philosophy of architecture can apply to whatever I design, be it products or graphics.”
It is a philosophy of finding solutions to existing problems, a concept extended across both fields. Sato designs in various fields meaning he can develop one idea in various ways to achieve different results. Sometimes in order to display a product, he designs its space and graphics based on the same concept, creating a sense of continuity that bridges these areas of design together.
Sato’s approach to design takes on a disciplined approach akin to values found in Japanese culture, which grounds itself in everyday life with an acute awareness of the present. The idea is that when actions are repeated, small differences are noticed. It is these differences that inspire Sato in design. “I continually attempt to push my own limits, and I also demand the same of other nendo designers, external collaborators, and even clients,” he says. Sato never takes the easy route and believes he must make up what he lacks in exceptional talent with hard work.
This hard work has led to the development of nendo’s signature design style as something that works to avoid a surplus of retouching and input from too many people in its developmental stages. Sato aims to serve ideas that come naturally from himself, keeping them as fresh as possible, “like sashimi or fresh vegetables.” This comparison from the designer between nendo’s work and the rich, clean and textured aesthetic culture of sashimi is one of accuracy in likeness to the studio’s bold and purposeful designs.
Despite the abundance of collaborative projects that nendo simultaneously maintains, Sato uses this clean and uncomplicated approach in design and work ethic to keep things simple. His hands are full with current projects, so he doesn’t spend much time thinking about the past. “I have faith that if I give my all to what I’m doing now it will naturally lead to good things in the future. This has proven true so far.” With this outlook, Sato’s mind is free to focus on the concept behind nendo’s work, which aims to give people a small “!” moment when they encounter nendo’s designs.
However this autonomy in design is not to say that Sato doesn’t inform his own creativity with his surroundings. In recent years, Sato has found interest in the growth of interactive design. This is where an incomplete design is made complete through users’ interaction with it – something that offers a wide range of variation, or allows users to customise by selecting and combining various options and parts, allowing the user to feel closer to the object. “I think the recent increase in this kind of design has a lot to do with the standardisation of online sales, as well as the fact that personal tastes are becoming much more varied and disparate, and less inclined to flock to the mass production and mass consumption of a single trend,” says Sato. “I think it’s a sign that ordinary users are becoming more in tune with the creative arts and getting more creative themselves.” These kinds of incomplete designs share a quality similar to the Japanese concepts of ‘yohaku’, which alludes to blank space, and ‘ma’, a concept of timing, both of which have been key to aesthetic values in Japan for centuries.
As a result of focusing his full attention on the present to create calm amidst a busy professional life, Sato makes a point of not thinking about what might be next for him. “The most dangerous or daring project for me would probably be something I can’t even imagine anyway,” he says. Sato continuously searches for the kinds of ideas that have the power to move people regardless of form. His designs connect with people on fundamental levels of tactility and intrigue, engrossing the user so deeply that they think of nothing other than using the product, just as Sato thought of nothing other than designing it.
