33 Q2 2020 BUILD don’t just design architectural shapes. From examining conditions to designing architectural shapes, everything is done as a series.” Regarding the future, Kotoaki has plans for expansion, as he concludes: “Going forward, I am trying to create spatial artworks not only in Japan but also in Europe and Asia. Ultimately, I strive to have the opportunities to actively create spatial artworks that can be touched by many people.” Contact: Kotoaki Asano Web Address: kotoaki-asano.com Jan20285 OTOAKI ASANO Architect & Associates is an awardwinning architect and artist, specifically focussing on small-scale buildings. He tells us more about his business, how he works and what inspires him in his work. “I mainly plan and design architecture such as houses. But in addition to architectural designs, I do the research and the programme creation prior to the design stage. Not only that, I also plan and design spatial products and spatial artworks, as well as working on urban issues. “My office is like a private writer’s studio or like an artists’ atelier. I wanted to have my office/studio for architectural works and spatial artworks, just like painters and sculptors have studios. In addition, my office aims to create various styles of architecture according to each condition. But I intended that, within my office will be the organisation that combines freedom and flexibility. I want to take a scientific and flexible approach to the problems without limiting the answer to one. “Human activity takes place on the very thin surface of a large sphere called the Earth. It is like the earth’s skin. I am working on the concept of designing the skin of the Earth.” Kotoaki goes on to discuss the relationship he has with his clients and what it is that makes him so successful. “Architectural design is more than just designing forms. The flexible relationships between forms and programmes are needed. Therefore, I maintain close communication with our clients, and work continuously from formulating the programmes to deciding the shapes. “Needless to say, for architectural design, the client is not an architectural expert. In that case, it is not easy to find a way to communicate well with them. In other words, if there is both a client and an architect, who will make the final decision? What does the architect decide? Designing the decision process is always more difficult than designing the architectural shapes themselves. I have to enjoy communicating with clients as if I were playing a game, which is why I have two approaches. One is to propose the ideal spatial form. The other is to reach an answer that clients have never seen before through close contact with the clients. “There are always given conditions in the design and I try to scrutinise them and to assemble design elements more simply and clearly. I Based in Tokyo, KOTOAKI ASANO Architect & Associates is a growing brand with big ideas. We speak to the company’s namesake, Kotoaki himself. K Small Business Delivering First-Class Concepts Photographer, Yukio Yoshimura
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