Naoto Fukasawa

Naoto Fukasawa. (portrait)

form Dwell

深澤直人

 

• "Good design means not leaving traces of the designer,and not overworking the design,"

 

• He insists that his true strength is not in ideas, but rather in translating ideas into forms.

 

• Fukasawa's approach to designing electronic gadgets, based on over 25 years' experience, has been called "anti-technical" dispensing with unnecessary buttons, displays, and other high-tech signifiers. His Twelve watch for Issey Miyake, for example, radically removes the clutter that is supposed to signify "precision" in watches, instead relying on the shape of the face to provide the accuracy
  of reading.

 

• Could you tell us more about your "Without Thought" philosophy of design?
  People shouldn't really have to think about an object when they are using it. Not having to think about it makes the relationship between a person and an object run more smoothly. Finding ideas in people's spontaneous behavior and realizing these ideas in design is what Without thought is about.

 

• How did you develop this philosophy?
  Designers often want to make something special, something that really grabs people's attention. But I realized that when we actually use these products, whether or not they are special is not that important. So I decided it would be a good idea to look at people's subconscious behavior instead-or, as I call this principle, "design dissolving in behavior." I realized then that design has to achieve an object‘without thought."
  Design dissolves in behavior is about finding products beautiful not simply because of the way they look, but from the experience of interacting with them. With the Muji CD player, when the user pulls the string, the CD slowly starts spinning and then the music follows. If the switch was not this string but something else, the same feeling could not have been achieved. In other words, our behavior in using the object is dissolved within the design.

MUJI: 無印良品最早為日本西友公司的自有品牌，靈感來自日本Salson集團的堤清二和他的朋友設計師田中一光日常對話中提出的構想，是以對抗既有的「品牌」為主要概念。在當時同屬Salson集團的西武百貨和日本全家便利商店協助下，1983年在日本東京的青山開設了第一家店面。開幕之後市場反應良好，因此在1990年成為了獨立的公司「“株式会社良品計画‎”」。也在海外使用「MUJI」為品牌名稱設立據點。

截至2004年8月底，無印良品在日本共有132家分店，並有144處的經銷據點。海外部份在英國設立了15家分店、法國5家分店、愛爾蘭1家分店、香港5家分店、新加坡2家分店、韓國1家分店、台灣4家分店。

 

• I don't base my designs on any kind of formal research. I simply believe that through subconscious behavior we can integrate and live smoothly within our environment. However, there is one psychologist who has influenced me. James J. Gibson, who introduced the term "affordance" in the 1960s - affordance being the quality of an object that indicates to us how to interface with it. His philosophy comes quite close to my own way of thinking. I don't know how important research is to design in general, but for me designing is an intuitive process. But I am always interested in analyzing how I actually get these intuitive ideas for each design. Markets are different.

James J.Gibson:J.吉布森(1904-1979)，美国实验心理学家，创立了生态光学理论。他反对知觉的认知加工理论,认为知觉是一种直接经验，它的一切信息都由外界物体的光学特性所提供。

 

• Design is always about creating the relationship between people, objects, and the environment. In this respect, whether you are designing a piece of furniture, a TV, or a mobile phone, there should be no boundaries in your way of thinking about and designing them. In fact, it's much more unnatural if you try to design a piece of electrical equipment as a piece of electrical equipment.

 

• How do you find the time to work on the huge number of projects you're involved in?
  My office has eight assistants and myself. I don't intend to come up with ideas for each project from scratch-I find I naturally think about design all the time, so I store my ideas and use them at the right moment So, I don't really need to spend time on” generating ideas.

 

• You have said that good design depends on erasing the traces of the designer. How do you do this, and how does this fit with today's cult of the celebrity designer?
  You erase your traces as designer by not asserting your own ideas. When the product synchronizes with its users, they feel as if they've found the product they were looking for all along. At that moment, the name of the designer of the product becomes irrelevant. I am not a celebrity designer, and I would not want people to enjoy the "signature" of myself as designer before enjoying my actual products. If users enjoy the products, the question of who designed them is relatively unimportant. Naturally, they may be curious about who designed it.

 

• What do you think are the traditional design strengths of Japan?
  Harmony. Japanese people have a talent for harmonizing and for finding the appropriate answer through considering all the factors involved in a question. Call it minimalism. It doesn't necessarily involve using certain shapes, but it is about being appropriate

 

• Your work has been described as "things that don't exist, that should exist." How do you explain the visionary quality of your work?
  It's simply about designing with an image in mind that everyone has in common.

 

• What is the biggest mistake that designers make?
  Designing using only the subjective mind.

 

• What is your ambition as a designer?
  To always produce good design and to continue designing.

 

• What inspires you?
  Normal, everyday life
  
  

最近发生了一些事的想法

• idea：

开始关注idea中心主义，一切的一切都是为这个服务。自打看了《V》（似乎译作“V字仇杀队”）之后，开始同意idea的力量。

 

• 联系：

msnspace blogger faceben yoolin jiaoyou一个个玩了命的希望用户在它们身上爽，还让你免费爽。动机真好假好说白了都在使用人对“联系”中的存在感的渴求为自家的那点小欲望做事（虽然我一上去基本上都是一副德性：不知所措，但是还是看见一群群的人们发生着他们希望的故事）。建筑面临一个很大的问题就是如何非精英化，这中间也许发生故事。

现在是个人都在搞“联系”，年岁到了，周围干的人也多了起来。收集收集信息出本书吧，做个提供专项服务的网站拉，拉众艺术家扎个堆做点实事拉，策划个会议展览拉，说白了就是这事太好搞了，大家都在往好玩省事的方向上靠，一大堆个色不同、质量在差的商品怎么样也能混个琳琅满目吧。但这并不是没有意义，不是1+1>2么，我们不也利用gsd的中国人组织在为自己服务么。应该好好利用一下“联系”的价值。打算怂恿众大师开学搞一个拉洋片介绍房子见闻什么的总不算过分吧。

 

 

• 世俗化：

什么时候老百姓像理解一部电影、一个音乐、一个ipod一样理解这些疯狂的无聊的建筑师的建筑将是一件幸事。

实在厌烦了把自己躲在建筑的复杂性背后伪艺术家自居的建筑师。这方面美国面对客户的职业性给我印象深刻。Herzog de Meuron的89年左右的建筑视觉化、展览化行为是个好的提示。中国一建筑师将建筑的使用状况拍成dv是个有趣的行为，但是依然限制在艺术家化行为的小范围内，对建筑思考交给形式化的艺术感也略微肤浅，有搭顺路车之嫌。（美国人有句话，大意是：带头，追随，或是离开。）

 

 

• 搭车：

这年头搭顺路车实在是不容易。想想这做房子就跟这几天总吵的xx作家抄袭整本，xx乐队11首歌曲直接拿来一样，其实就拿么点破事了，idea就这么一点，每年几万几十万的建筑师大军涌进来，要想杀出个饭碗、自尊容易么。莎士比亚是要读的，领会精神境界就好了，想的事还是得专注并深入自己的思考才是正途。

 

• 自毁：

我总觉得我的创造能力不行，但这想象力还能凑活着使使。但转瞬一想，这想象力从哪来，还不是从你看见的世界来，完了，这辈子的目标瞬间都被自己端掉了。幸亏有那么一句么，建筑只是一种思考的方式。说的也是，是个人都能做这个人的房子。

 

• 自立：

说白了，做一个能用自己的大脑思考会思考的人是重要的。拼眼睛、鼠标、经验都是饮鸩止渴的。。。

 

• 犹豫：

回国干自己的还是在美国继续学习依然举棋不定，张宏大哥还是老的辣，用了一种妥协的方式：你给自己两年时间在美国好好想想这事吧。我觉得这个主意不错。

 

• 二分：

NANA的电影版动画版漫画版都看完了或快看完了，这个世界本就是二分的或是多分的，形象化了的这两个部分不就是我们每天的自己么，一部分居心险恶的思考着盘算着怨恨着，一部分心底善良的劝说着不要不要不要。。。

ナナ

 

• 废话壹：

真理总是填补了废话中的大量空白，我这人又十分喜爱废话，所以没几个朋友。但我还是坚持一点，人其实一辈子就是坚持了不多的那么几句废话，有的人坚持的少了点，也就成了器。无疑这又是一句废话。

 

• 废话贰：

人这一辈子里年纪轻轻的基本上都是在linger中度过，痛苦了快乐了无非就是寻找自己的那几句废话。我能想象年纪差不多了终于找到了这人也就废了。就像我的老板，家父有钱，教育又好，就是活着没劲，整天逗逗孩子骂骂甲方过过猪栏般的生活。我这等猪栏般的出身估计这辈子是享受不到同等待遇了——一般来说上辈和下辈的命运是相反的。我很羡慕有信仰的人们，他们年纪轻轻就找到了整本整本的废话并且早已经进入到快乐的实施更本质更永恒的内容这个阶段了。

 

• 自恋年岁：

每个人心中都有那么个神秘化的admiration，这东西的高尚与否、品味高下可是至关重要。比方说我老板就是觉得steven holl似的错动的窗户或是composition类的伪艺术特好，我呢，也没觉得有啥意思，觉的坂茂的copy paste挺向能盖出来的样儿，其实都挺无聊的，就是互相看不上谁，我没事就故意把他的设计作丑一点，同时谦虚的低调的送上我的视觉，这事真是好玩极了。跑题了。话说回来了，怎么才能保持你心中的这个神秘地永远是好的呢，一招是永远年轻永远open，就像毕加索，herzog；一招是抓住一个死理走一辈子，没人比你深入，就像gehry hadid judd。其实两件事是一件事。

问题来了，关键是你心中的那个神秘的崇拜的物体有一天被你看穿了demisted了怎么办，这滋味可真是不好受，我有两次都差点想死。都是突然觉得能做好建筑就是那么回事的时候。很无聊吧。所以阿，一方面，要加速觉悟化过程，趁早改造成自我崇拜主义（自恋？），另一方面，丁峻峰同学的态度我还是要及时吸取过来，“小日子过得滋滋润润的就行了”。人哪，就那么点破事，怎么让自己爽到就行了。

 

• 总结与创造：

长到二十五六岁觉得人世间的那点事都差不多见到了，觉得很没意思，这种思想恶劣的弥漫在我的朋友圈子中，同时发生的是他们也不知道到底该干什么。也许这是游手好闲之人的通病，这时代的典型特征就是养得起多如牛毛的游手好闲之人。其实理解力和学习能力每个人都因信息的发达有了大幅的提高，互联网+google这个第二大脑是主要帮凶，但是理解力是一种被动的消极性的行为，明白有个p用，创造与行动才是价道，这中间又有很多乐趣等着我们那。理解完了只是第零步，赶紧迈出第一步吧。

 

• 语言化思维：

越来越感到再一次遇到思维方法的瓶颈。语言能力是一个人的思考能力的基础，举例来说，看看中国式思维与中国语言中匮乏的".....ity ( 如 personality )"（这种匮乏只能用"xx性"来填补，老祖宗说着一个字顶十个意思的汉语创造中国文化的时候应该没有那么多“性”吧）就知道了。只是为了阅读的乐趣的读书是个好方法，对语言产生敏感度和感情是很有意义的事情，就像把吃饭当碳水化合物摄入与当美食品尝就是两种完全不同的效果一样。

FOA research starts off

 

(Alejandro Zaera-Polo & Farshid Moussavi)

• Yokohama International Port Terminal ( Eager Album, Section)

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•  The artificifal landscape 地景與表面 (from NCTU Architecture Forum)

this is interesting statement, talking about some sortf the evolution of "landscapize" architecture.

the author mentioned Neil Denari @ SCI-Arc, (Vertical Smooth House), who comprehends the world as this:"Denari所提的"世界性表皮層" (World Sheet)是討論各地與全球有著關聯性的外觀和價值觀。每一件事物都有可能轉換成一個表徵的意念，如飛機不只是科技的代名詞，也因為它不是一般群眾所能消費的東西，如此飛機也具備和象徵另一層的社會意義，世界上的事物都存在著一些確切的表徵。"

This is really interesting.

---

• btw, about the foreign architects to Chinese: another eye to see china architecture: 中國建築的非常50年大躍進(from NCTU Architecture Forum)

the list as below is really sadish, which is still increasing aggressively.

Maybe,we are at the very period of paying money for better architecture, we need better quality and reputation, and we just pick them up. Nobody care about where you are from.

Maybe, we shouldn't be sorry that much, we should't care about it that much, just contribute to our every individual, which might be more practical for now.

Maybe, why don't we just commit we suck.just spent decades to make it up.

Another issue is really about education fee. No money, no quality. We have to pay for the "cultural communication fee", which has been prohibited for too long. Chinese architectural students are the poorest students in the world. Ma Yan-Song  is one of the earliest students go to Yeal with his personal foundings.Plus, he runs his office for two years without income... what is that? just money stuffs.

"
北京地區
北京奧林匹克公園規劃  美國SASAKI設計公司
奧運會主場館  瑞士建築師Herzog & de Meuron
CCTV新台址設計  荷蘭OMA大都會事務所
北京電視中心 日本株式會社日建設計
北京財富中心 德國GMP建築師事務所
中國國家大劇院 法國巴黎機場公司
中國電影博物館 美國RTKL事務所
北京世界金融中心 加拿大B+W國際工程集團公司、美國RTKL公司
首都博物館新館 法國AREP建築設計與規劃公司
中國工商銀行總行 美國SOM事務所
中關村國際科技廣場 美國KPF事務所
五棵鬆文化體育中心規劃 瑞士Burckhardt+Partnert、AG公司
中關村國際學校 美國JFP建築事務所

上海地區
上海環球金融中心 美國KPF事務所
上海大劇院 法國夏邦傑建築事務所
上海商城 美國波特曼事務所
恆隆廣場 美國KPF事務所
久事大廈 英國福斯特事務所
金茂大廈 美國SOM事務所
上海信息中心 日本株式會社日建設計
中銀大廈 日本株式會社日建設計
新上海國際大廈 加拿大B+H建築師事務所
上海新世界大廈 加拿大B+H建築師事務所
花園飯店 日本株式會社日建設計

其他地區
廣州港灣廣場 加拿大B+H建築師事務所
廣州國際會展中心 日本株式會社佐藤綜合計畫
廣州新白雲機場航站樓 美國PARSONS , URSGreiner公司
深圳國際會展中心 德國GMP建築師事務所
深圳市中心區規劃 日本黑川紀章建築都市設計事務所
深圳新世界中心 美國SOM事務所
杭州湖濱地區規劃 美國捷得國際建築設計事務所、美國SWA集團
杭州蕭山機場 加拿大B+H建築師事務所
南京奧林匹克體育中心規劃 澳大利亞HOK體育建築設計公司
天津博物館 日本川口衛設計事務所
大連和平廣場 京澳凱芬斯設計有限公司(中澳合資)

"

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FOA's understanding about contemporary architecture

4 photographers/artists

  Balthasar Burkhard: 

Since 1997 Balthasar Burkhard (Switzerland, b. 1944) has been making aerial photographs. He photographs megacities such as Tokyo, Mexico City and Chicago - the proverbial "molochs" of modern civilisation. In addition he makes photographs of deserts: regions which, on the contrary, are not shaped by human activity. In this manner Burkhard sets cultural and natural structures over against each other, without seeking polarisation ( 两极化on purpose ) . Through their heavy, deep tones his photographs take on a comparable, massive stature ( 厚重的身材 ) . Yet in these almost sculptural bird's-eye views, details continue to command attention, right to the horizon. (from : photographor website and  photograph gallery)  works as below: 

• From here, I just feel myself is shallow, it is shallow to just record vision. But i will take the silly camera for a while, 'cauz basiclly i think the photographors are simple and silly too----weiss

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  Thomas Ruff:               

The guy treats photograph as art behavior more. Details see below:

• From him, i am thinking the fight between human and machine----the more we rely on machine, the weaker that ourself will be. Someday when our confidence merely bases on the accuracy and rationality, what a pity!----weiss
• What is photographor? the mass behavior of visualization seems nothing for me, 'cauz that does not mean we are more creative than 50 years ago. just playing with machine and  being played by machine, but nothing. Machine does provide us more possibility of new world, but people, plz don't forget the derivation of your means -  it is just for serving YOU----weiss

 

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 Andreas Gursky (thanks kenchikuka)

              

• bio
• collection 1 . @Broad Art
• collection 2 . 3 . @MOMA
• short interview . @postmedia
• Michel Wolf . Architecture of Density
• his teacher, Bechers . German Photography - from the Bauhaus to the Bechers
• Thomas Struth

Adopting a scientific approach to his art, Andreas Gursky - a student of the Bechers - examines humankind as a species that like any other can be known through a study of its habitats. Instead of focusing his attention on individuals and their personal space, Gursky creates colossal photographs of public spaces that reflect the collective culture.

The enormous volumetric area of a San Francisco hotel atrium seen through Gursky's lens reveals itself as an essentially meaningless grid of windows, dazzling lights, and the requisite "corporate" sculpture. Looking down onto the vast interior affords a bird's-eye view of a pretentious and ultimately mundane space.

Unlike in a medieval cathedral, where scale was a means of attaining a feeling of transcendence and a hint of the glory of God, here hugeness does not produce grandeur but merely grandiosity.

(from: http://www.mam.org/collections/photography_detail_gursky.htm)

  

  "Both Gursky's father and grandfather were successful commercial photographers and Gursky often uses the bright colors and visual language of advertising, but he moved first in a different direction, studying at Düsseldorf's Kunstakademie under Bernd and Hilla Becher, minimalist photographers more interested in photography as impersonal, objective documentation than as a more expressive art form. Before long, though, Gursky turned to color (the Bechers work only in black and white) and expanded the range of his subject matter.
    ....Gursky is interested in crowds of people and he's photographed them in such diverse situations as stock exchanges, rock concerts, and ski slopes. In crowds, people lose their individuality and it is the pattern of the agglomerated whole that becomes the focus, both figuratively and metaphorically. The scale of Gursky's work enables him to capture that totality while retaining the images of the individuals of which it is made up.

    The artist, then, has moved some substantial distance from his minimalist black-and-white documentarian teachers. Other pictures, too, are digitally altered and the viewer cannot ever be sure which prints were and which were not. Gursky's freedom to play with photographic imagery should not, at this stage of the game, be an issue. He is, after all, an artist, not a journalist.
    One imagines that the Bechers might disapprove of such technique. The Montparnasse apartment block was simply too large for one photo to capture; it is two exposures, digitally seamed into one--actually the first time that Gursky used digital intervention. He seems fascinated by the architecture that humans create and the subsequent place of humans within that architecture. The Bauhaus ideal of modern architecture has here resulted in a high density of residents; a beehive(蜂箱) analogy springs to mind. Again, from a distance, Gursky finds the stunning patterning of the buildings which has a beauty all its own; get close up and there are individual people and furniture and and lamps and plants clearly visible inside those windows. The same principle applies to Shanghai, a grand hotel interior, assembled from four negatives, with just a few people observed on the balconies.
    Gursky also does landscape, with seemingly ironic reference to German Romanticism (Caspar David Friedrich) in Angler, which, nonetheless, continues the theme of the isolated individual, here within a lush landscape. Rhein II, a photograph of the river has no figures at all, but is a study in textures (footpath,  grass banks, water, cloudy gray sky) in near perfect horizontal striations. In actuality, a factory on the far bank has been digitally removed. "

(full version see: http://www.culturevulture.net/ArtandArch2/Gursky.htm)

 

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Annie Leibovitz

• Interview 1 @Tapeta
• Interview 2 @Powells
• Gallery Women  @the N.Y. TImes (w/ Susan Sontag)
• Gellery 2
• Articles @photography.about.com(there are more links on the bottom)