AXIS vol.146 / August 2010
10.07.01
Covert interview: Sou Fujimoto
When Sou Fujimoto talks about his own architectural work he often mentions the metaphor of the “Nest and Cave.” A nest is something that’s made with functionality and comfortability in mind. A cave, on the other hand, exists previously regardless of such external factors, and gives the impression there is just a space existing inside. The rock-exposed space, however, can be transformed into any kind of space through human interpretation and ingenuity. While his much-talked-about projects are being completed one after another, what is currently in the mind of the architect who says he wants to create spaces like caves?
Feature: Medicine and Design The future of Medical Treatment
The involvement of design in various medical venues has become quite prominent in the last several years. The power of design is now being asked to actively solve a variety of problems in areas where even the word “design” had never been encountered before, such as in hospital buildings and other medical spaces, administration systems, precision equipment and apparatuses for testing and surgery, and in products for the human body itself. We explore the latest examples of how design will change medicine for the better in times to come.
Opinion: Shigeru Takeo, President of Takeo
“What’s important is discerning the fine line between design and art, and product and work.”
Since the 1950s, Takeo has produced a variety of fine paper and explored its potential through new concepts. The Takeo Paper Show, which saw its 45th anniversary this year, drew considerable attention as it reexamined the true role and possibilities of paper in our age of advancing digitization. We talked to company president Shigeru Takeo about Takeo’s future direction laid out as “from fine paper to fine products,” and the future of paper.
Topics: The design of digital magazine UI─towards creating new identities
The advent of Kindle and the iPad has put the spotlight on electronic publications. While some people are amazed merely by the fact pages can be turned on screen just like a book, forward-looking elements of the media have chosen to establish new ways to navigate information far removed from the metaphor of paper.
Topics: Discussions and dialogs concerning the Earth by scientists and designers
─Science x Design Meeting “Earth: Materials for Design”
People have long stressed the need for design not only of things but events and places. We explore the possibilities of dialogs on making things in the coming age as seen in the “Earth: Materials for Design” meeting where scientists and designers gather to discuss the possibilities of design.
Topic: Two design ideas transform the wind─GreenFan by Balmuda Design and Bellsion Wind Turbine by Global Energy
An electric fan recreates indoors the breezes of the natural world. A wind turbine overturns conventional theories of wind power generation. Rotating within them are propellers with shapes that have never seen before, created through insight rather than conventional wisdom and actual performance rather than theory. Here’s a look at some leading-edge technologies created by small Japanese companies to harvest and generate wind.
Other topics;
The Posters for Matthew Carter
Troika─Reinterpreting the Meaning of Digital
Series;
The Prototype Denso “Petite Neta Box”
New series Blinking Memory “Water strider shower”
James Dyson on “Energy efficient engineering”
Gentle Cultivation of Life “Terra Madre” etc.
