Osaka Brand Center

(Morita) When I design, I do not use a pen until I come up with a solid plan. I would go to a place like a cafe on a busy street, rather than a quiet room, and build a mental image of the space I am designing and then explore it thoroughly in my mind. I examine every possible way of designing the space by putting up imaginary concrete walls, placing counter tables, or taking down other walls that are unnecessary. My first goal of this process is to identify all the demerits of the target space. My next step is to change those demerits into something positive that I can add to the plan. I look for what I can do with those demerits, or more precisely, what cannot be realized without those demerits. Inevitably, I come to see what is necessary and what is not through this process. For example, it may not be effective to put up a sign for a shop on a hidden backstreet, but it could still attract people by adding some luminous elements to its exterior. As I clear this stage and find a way to change disadvantages to advantages, I start seeing how I can make both the business owner and his/her customers happy. However, I have to come up with an original solution and not a copy of the rivals. People from Kansai do not like to imitate someone else’s ideas, you know. You cannot beat the competition without the originality that has never been seen before. With those problem-solving ideas and project budget in mind, I begin to put materials together to establish a concrete plan in my head. As the last step, I add a twist to the design plan as a surprise to make people happy. The twist has to be small and humorous, though. If I add a surprise that is obvious and would make everyone point and laugh, people will soon get bored of that design. My goal is always to create a design plan that can be cherished for a long time.