Toshiyuki Kita

Toshiyuki Kita

Designer

Profile

He has designed furniture, home appliances, robots, and household items in Italy, Germany, Japan, and other countries, and has produced many hit products. Many of his works are in the permanent collections of museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He has served as a government advisor for design revitalization in Singapore, Thailand, and China. He has held important positions in the design industry in Japan and abroad, including chairman of the jury for the Japan Good Design Award. He is also involved in the revitalization of Japan’s traditional crafts and local industries, and is active in many other fields. In 2011, he was awarded the “Golden Compass Award (International Merit Award)” in Italy, and in 2016 he served on the international jury for the same award. In 2017, he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy, Commendatore. In 2018, he received the “Intellectual Property Merit Award” from the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office.
Professor at Osaka University of Arts.
Books: “The Power of Design”, “Local Industry + Design”, “Explorations in Design”, etc.

Thoughts on Design

Design is a word that is located at the intersection of various elements such as functionality, safety, economy, and ecology. The designer has the role of choosing which of these elements to use at that intersection. Design is about harmony and balance. Nowadays, the role of design is once again considered to be very important for the coexistence of nature and mankind, and for our daily lives. Design is about to play a greater role in people's lives and in the development of industry and economy. Europe and other Asian countries have positioned design as a new resource for the future, and are beginning to achieve rapid results. And more and more, the key words will be “highly original manufacturing” and “sophisticated sensibility” to support the future industrial economy and lifestyle.

Representative work

  • 2003 | HANA | ARITA nanakura

  • 1991 | Two Points Watch | MIZ

  • 1986 | Ceremony Space | OHMUKAI-KOSYUDO

  • 2005 | TOK | STOKKE

  • 2001 | AQUOS C1 | SHARP

  • 2006 | RIZO | ZOJIRUSHI

  • 1971 | TAKO | stile LIFE

  • 2007 | Saruyama Isrand | MOROSO

  • 1980 | WINK | Cassina

  • 2005 | XELA | Nihon Yoshokki K.K.

Interview (Japanese)

From the exhibition “Secret Source of Inspiration: Designers’ Hidden Sketches and Mockups