Inspirations — Yusuke Seki

We have been following the very talented Japanese designer Yusuke Seki for a couple of years in which he is constantly taking his work to the next level, whether it was for the Interior Design Office in Tokyo, corporate clients such as AU or Sony, and his independent projects on design products and architectural space design, of which many have been exhibited at the Milan Salone, Designer’s block, the Tokyo Style Exhibition, Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair. After establishing his own studio in 2008, Seki has designed for a variety of spaces, from shops like his incredible design for the Kyoto-based kimono store Otsuka-Dofukuten and his work at Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten-gai, to candy stores and salons like his work for Kolmio+LIM and most recently the utterly incredible Maruhiro Flagship Store. With Seki being such an everlasting source of inspiration, we asked him what he finds inspirational in life.

Please introduce yourself.
When I was a High School student, the Great Hanshin earthquake destroyed everything around where I was living at the time.
During the process of reconstruction, I – for the first time – realized how many people are involved in the process of creation. This inspired me deeply and made me decide to become a designer who can create.

Who is the most inspiring person in history and why?
Charles M. Schulz
I learnt philosophy from Snoopy and Peanuts.

Who is the most inspiring person in your life and why?
My teacher of Art class during High School.
He taught me so many things and encouraged my interest in art tremendously, which made me who I am today.

Who is the most inspiring photographer?
Andreas Gursky
I feel that he explores the possibilities of photography by dramatically combining architectural composition and microdetails like a painting.

And the picture that will always stay in your mind?
When I see a beautiful landscape or something that catches my eye, it always makes me wonder how that same location will look like from a different point of view.

Who is the most inspiring artist?
Christo
When I was a Junior High student, I first noticed him and was super inspired by the scale of his artworks. At the same time I realized that ‘art’ can be of sincere interest.

And what is the most inspiring music?
70’s PUNK music

The thing you never go without?
Pen and Paper
(always using my Muji hexagon gel ball pen)

Your favorite city?
Berlin

Your favorite hideout?
Kyoto, I’m planning to design a new office there right now.

The website you often check?
None

The books on your coffee table?
Peanuts

The books on your bedside table?
STUDIO VOICE (Japanese cultural magazine) vol.271

What is your dream?
My ambition is to leave my creations – as my personal traces – in as many cities in the world. Share and explore the new attitudes and values of various people from around the globe. I would like to challenge and explore the possibilities of design and architecture. Exploring this field in the best way possible, step by step.

What would you do if you could start all over again?
I would  like to be born as a woman.

The portrait of Yusuke Seki was shot by Yosuke Owashi. The other images are some of the incredible works from recent years by Seki and his office.

For more information and projects by Yusuke Seki see here.