Kenya Hara is a graphic designer and curator living and working in Tokyo, Japan. In this interview at AGI Open London 2013 he explains what he believes the role of a designer should be and gives insight into his House Vision exhibition that took place earlier this year.
The role of the designer is changing. Not only in producing fantastical forms... but also visualising the possibility of new industries, says Hara.
Hara explains that after World War II Japanese people started living in a particular housing style due to the changing economy and the rise of inflation. As a result of this he believes that the house has become a kind of financial product.
I think the house has become a very important crossing point in today’s industry, he adds.
His House Vision exhibition concieves of houses that epitomise mobility and energy. This housing project stirred up a fascination with Japanese architecture for Hara. He explains that each project he embarks on sees collaborations between architects and CEOs in order to combine disciplines and talent.
Referencing two projects by Hiroshi Sugimoto and Riken Yamamoto, Hara reveals how the environment and people can work together to create housing structures that are environmentally friendly and which are able to create small economies that see up to 500 people living together.
For Hara the role of design is a kind of education of desire.
The ability of a designer is editing information together so that together we can create a more active field of designing, concludes Hara.
