Winner of the BLT 2022 Interior Design of the Year, KAMA-ASA Shop is an architectural project designed by KAMITOPEN Co., Ltd. in Japan. We talked to the lead designer Masahiro Yoshida who shared with us his inspiration behind the award-winning project.
Could you tell us a little about your professional journey?
I was born in 1977 in Osaka, Japan. In 2001, I graduated from the department of architecture, Kyoto Institute of Technology “Waro Kishi laboratory”, and I joined TAKARA SPACE DESIGN the same year. I established KAMITOPEN architects in 2008, an Architecture Office firm centered around Interior Design.
How/when did you discover that you wanted to work in design?
I chose my career path when I was in high school.
What was your inspiration to create KAMA-ASA Shop?
I was inspired by the craftsmen who make kitchen knives. As KAMA-ASA Shop’s policy is set on the belief that good tools are made for good reason, it delivers to the customers the excellent skills of craftsmen creating kitchen utensils. Therefore, the most appropriate for the shop’s space was to show the architectural skills of craftsmen. The rebar, a stick-shaped rolled steel that is usually hidden in the wall became the main feature of the design.
What was most important for you when planning this project?
Since the renovation 10 years ago led to this new construction project, the 10-year commitment of the client and staff was most important.
Can you please share with us what winning the “Interior Design of the Year” prize means to you?
We are pleased to have been recognized for the work we have done over the past 10 years with our clients. It encourages us to continue to work with the same stance for the next 10 years.
What are you working on at the moment, and do you have any upcoming project or upgrade that you’re able to tell us about?
I am currently designing a solo sauna facility. It is a space where you can feel the outside environment while being indoors, using the latest technology. I am interested in eliminating the boundary between indoors and outdoors.
We talked to Karl Yin, winner of the BLT 2022 Construction Product of the Year for YiBrick. It is a permeable brick that contains over 90% recycled ceramic, locally invented and made in China, where 18 million tons of non-degradable ceramic waste are produced every year.
Could you tell us a little about your professional journey?
In 2010 I was a ceramic student in Jingdezhen, China’s ceramic arts and manufacturing center. Everywhere I went in town, the waste materials from clay manufacture could be seen in huge piles along with the domestic garbage. As a designer myself working with clay I also produced a lot of waste. I began searching for ways to help solve this problem. As a graduate student a few years later at Central St Martins in England, I made this issue the topic of my research and explored methods of converting recycled ceramics into new strong and sustainable materials. After returning to China, Caroline Cheng and I started Yi Design and quickly established a design lab and small run factory. We reached out to many people to gather materials to design process and offer to the building industry.
YiBrick contains over 90% recycled ceramic, can you explain us the challenges faced by the ceramic industry in China?
China produces 18 million tons of ceramic waste annually and most of it is usually illegally dumped or buried. Our main challenge and goal have been collecting the waste and recycling it at the same rate as they are produced. At present, making building products such as bricks and tiles with this material is a big part of the solution.
What was the initial idea of YiBrick? Can you please share more on the production process of YiBrick?
500 sponge cities are planned for China, and part of the concept of sponge cities is using a permeable brick to absorb the rainwater and utilize it, rather than allowing it all to flow into sewage. We created a porous brick (YiBrick) using ceramic waste materials. The process has great promise of significantly improving the environment through recycling ceramic waste. We crush and remanufacture these particles as raw materials. The binder we invented makes the remanufacture possible without the need for cement, glue and other non-environmentally friendly substances. Currently, YiBrick permeable bricks have reached a high recycling rate of 97+%. And this adhesive allows our products to be recycled again, making it a circular product.
From the beginning we apply the SDGs to the setting up of our lab and factory, we hope to set the standard for this industry in the future.
How are you distributing? Is YiBrick available worldwide?
We are completely open to market needs outside China, and there are already many overseas clients who are paying attention to or want to use our products. Top architectural firms such as MVRDV and OMA are interested in our materials. Interested parties can directly contact us through email. We are working on creating a sales and marketing team to distribute the product worldwide.
Having said that, we hope to work with local ceramic industries around the world so that transportation carbon footprint can be lowered and we can also help take care of the ceramic waste in their area.
What is your annual production and what support do you need to expand?
Our production is in the first phase of expansion, reaching 450,000-500,000 square meters per year in 2023. We will consume more than 80,000-100,000 tons of ceramic waste per year on average. We currently need capital to increase production capacity and lower our price point.
Can you please share with us what winning the “Construction Product Design of the Year” prize means to you?
The BLT Built Award has raised awareness of the importance of sustainable practices in building and construction. Our material made from 97+% recycled ceramics is a strong, beautiful, and sustainable product. By receiving BLT Built Award, we at Yi Design are proud to raise awareness of ceramics recycling and its critical role in the planning and design of modern architectural projects.
What are you working on at the moment, and do you have any upcoming project or upgrade that you’re able to tell us about?
Currently, we are completing the first manufacturing model for a ceramic production area in Jingdezhen. The model will expand to the rest of the country, and we hope the world, where there are ceramic production areas to help the ceramic industry form a closed loop, zero pollution and waste, and 100% recycled and circular products.
We are improving our products as well as researching into including other waste. We hope to design beautiful building materials and be able to reach out to all those who care about the environment. We also want more variety of products that could be used in other industries such as art and product design.
Lastly, what can we wish you for the future?
The realization of our dream through recycling ceramic waste, impact our environment and help to establish sustainability in the field of building design.
Emerging Interior Designer of 2022 and Savannah College of Art and Design student, Yue Che, shared with us the success story of her award-winning project, “Ally – A center for Children Psychological Trauma Recovery.”
Could you tell us a little about yourself?
Hi! I am from China and am currently an interior design graduate student about to finish my degree at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I am passionate about art and travel, and I always keep an observant and creative eye on life, which I consider my source of inspiration. Outside of school, I also work as a freelance architectural illustrator, helping people portray what their homes look like.
How did you discover your passion for interior design and decide to join the Savannah College of Art and Design?
I began studying drawing and art as a child, which laid the foundation for my aesthetic pursuits. Through my four years of undergraduate studies in environmental design, I became concerned with integrating and utilizing people and their surroundings. To explore the perceptual experience and emotional changes of human beings in space, as well as the balance of aesthetics and function in space, I decided to further my interior design skills and attempt to create meaningful spaces through the professional knowledge and advanced resources provided by SCAD.
What was your design inspiration behind “Ally- A center for Children Psychological Trauma Recovery”?
Children’s mental health has been neglected. I initially researched designs to address children’s trauma out of curiosity and found that there was a lack of relevant designs on the market. So, my original intention was to create a new design paradigm and awaken the public’s attention to children’s mental health. After case studies and interviews with experts, I found that communication therapy and horticultural therapy were the most effective solutions that could be easily accepted and understood by children. Those were the inspirations that informed the entire design solution, which is dedicated to providing them with an equal, connected, and relaxing environment.
What do you see as the strengths of your winning project, and what does this award mean to you personally?
The project is meaningful in that it seeks an innovative approach based on theory and research to solve current social issues through interior design and urges the audience to be more aware of the mental health and real requirements of vulnerable people, including children and the elderly. I am honored that this design is recognized, and this award will inspire me to continue to improve my skills in this field moving forward!
How do you think your own culture and environment have shaped your personal and professional creative vision?
Creativity is deeply rooted in culture. Growing up in an environment of collectivist culture has shaped me to be inclusive and open-minded, and to always maintain empathy for others. In addition, blending diverse cultural experiences with a more holistic perspective and integrated approach helps me to listen to more different voices and enhances my personal creative and critical thinking.
What are you working on now? When will you finish your studies?
I will graduate in December 2022, and it has been a rewarding and impressive time at SCAD. I’m currently learning the skills to convey interior design effects better and looking for a great opportunity to put all my knowledge and skills into practice.
Last, what can we wish you for the future?
The courage to make mistakes, the determination to pioneer, and many more amazing and meaningful designs!
BLT Built Design Awards is a global reference in the construction industry, representing the best of Architecture, Interior Design, Construction Product Design and Project Management.
The 2022 BLT Built Design Awards is accepting entries into its four major categories, from architectural design, interior design, construction products design and project management. It welcomes submissions from professional, emerging designers and students until the 9th of October 2022, the program promises to attract entries from some of the most forward-thinking firms from all around the world!
We sit with BLT awards Jury member, Li Yuejiu to talk about his experience in Architectural Research, planning, and interior design. He studied in many star firms and participated in commercial real estate projects and ancient architecture design research for many years.
Can you tell us a bit about your professional journey? Where are you based?
My professional journey has always been guided by my interests. My undergraduate major was in urban planning, but during my studies, I became more interested in architecture and acquired a lot of architectural knowledge through reading a lot of books and traveling. My love for visual design and installation art prompted me to try to open a studio in 798 after graduation. I spent two years studying and researching ancient architecture in Chengdu, where I founded a9a Architects in 2015, which gave me more freedom to expand my career path as I saw fit. My interests are affecting my career prospects and the way I solve problems.
My current place of residence is Chengdu. Chengdu is a city with a good work-life balance. It has a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere, which is often referred to as “anyi” by Chengdu people. Compared with super first-tier cities, Chengdu is less stressful to live in and allows more freedom to choose work and life. From my point of view, I think it’s easier for designers to produce good designs in a relaxed state, and they can also set aside time to polish their works, rather than being consumed by daily traffic, which is an advantage of Chengdu.
Can you tell us more about your role and responsibilities at a9a Architects?
My role at a9a Architects is that of founding partner and design director. My main job is to strictly control the overall direction of a9a’s design projects. In addition to the design tasks, my responsibility is to coordinate the connection and cooperation of all parties involved and to lead a9a out of the traditional architectural design mode, broaden the development ideas, and experiment with new design areas. That’s also what I’m interested in.
What are your guiding design principles?
I like diversified design thinking, which can combine more disciplines and fields. Many approaches can be used; text, materials, graphic design, and so on, can become the starting point of the design. The principles of the design plan must also take into account the relevance of various factors, such as the environment, time, and place where the project is located. We are also doing some material exploration and innovation, hoping to make some materials that we often use ourselves.
What is your approach toward making your projects more energy efficient and sustainable?
The first important thing is to adjust the relationship between the architecture and the site. Choosing more suitable materials according to the location of the project is also a way to control the cost. For different projects, we develop unique strategies based on climate, location, environment, and culture. The locality is essential, but it is more important to complete the design intention of the project itself for the savings to be significant. For example, China and Japan are also Asian countries, but the understanding of space, usage, and experience are completely different. It is meaningless to talk about savings without the site.
As President of the Jiuzhu Branch of Architectural Planning and Design Research Institute of Chongqing University, do you mind disclosing some of your research topics?
Chongqing University has made great achievements in the fields of urban planning and mountain architecture research, with a strong academic environment, and made friendships with like-minded peers, which has given me a new understanding and idea of urban mountain architecture. Being exposed to a large design team, who works very differently from a9a, has also broadened my access to resources and ways of thinking about my work.
What do you think are the biggest challenges and opportunities in your industry now?
Beyond economics, the biggest challenge is the meaning of architecture. As the time cycle stretches, architecture will become extinct. I have often mentioned the death of architecture, which will gradually become rigid and mechanical with the expansion of society and become the machine of living, which is an irreversible change. The idea of a living environment in science fiction may become a reality. Opportunities, on the other hand, need to take advantage of the trend, to frequently respond to the cycle of people’s psychological changes, meet the needs of the current social environment, and lead the way in the meantime.
What are you working on at the moment, and do you have any upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re able to tell us about?
At present, our project advances mainly in the areas of community business and community cultural architecture. The reason why we are positioned in the community is that we found that the place built ten years ago was relatively devoid of ideas about the creation of community culture and business. We chose to actively fill in this weakness and make more attempts. For example, the former urban micro-renovation project includes some urban renewal exhibitions.
