design magazine

Article by Tania Droggitou
Posted on November 05th, 2012
in Design & Nao Tamura

Nao Tamura studied communication design at Parsons School of Design in New York; she founded her studio in Tokyo and currently based in New York City. As a product of Tokyo and New York City creative communities, her solutions are equally at ease in the world of 2-D and 3-D with an uncanny ability to find that emotional connection with the audience. Nao defies the kind of categorization that the industry status -quo often insists upon. Her unique solutions are more than simply design and possess a rare balance of innovation and beauty.

Nao Tamura has also received a number of prestigious awards including: Industrial Design Excellence Awards  (Gold) The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design (Good Design Award) Milano Salone Satellite Award (1st prize) and so on.

Interview

What does design mean for you? What is design in your life?

Design is a tool for communication between people. Design is an important part of my life, passion and hobby.

Please describe the changes in design over the last 20 years.

I’m not sure what are the changes in the design world, but the earth's climate has changed throughout history. And the responsibility for even individual designers to be aware of the destruction of the environment changed enormously.

Which designers/architects have influenced your work the most?

Issey Miyake and Ingo Maurer.

What item have you envied because of its design?

There are so many items/design that I love, but somehow I’ve never envied.

Do you believe that design assists in the creation of a “better” world?

I believe so. Maybe not a huge step at once, but little by little.

What led you to become involved in design?

Becoming a designer was in my DNA.  Having grown up in a family of designers, for me, it was the most natural process.

If you were not a designer, what other profession would you have chosen?

If I have the brain for it, I would like to become a psychologist. I always enjoy finding the emotional connection between the object and people.