Ken Okuyama: Carbon Fibre Beauty

4 Jun 2007 Category: Events & Exhibitions, Features, Products, Worldwide

It was Japanese Ken Okuyama that designed these über-stylish carbon fibre bodies for Italian automobile company and coachbuilder Pininfarina: He gave the Ferrari Enzo its elegant looks (including those amazing doors that swing up and forward like on a spaceship), worked on Porsche’s 911 and the Maserati Quattroporte. Besides that he also shaped robots, teakettles, ovens, folding chairs, and carpets - until he came up with something to complete his already pretty wide range: a massage chair. PingMag went once more to report from Milan’s Tokyo Design Premio where he presented his new super sleek design weapon in Ferrari red, the Ken-MS.

Written by Jacqueline Felber

Please, tell us a bit more about your background first…

To begin with, I was a crazy young boy always drawing objects all over the house walls. Watching Japanese cartoon animation on TV, I used to make sketches and a clay sculpture during the 30 minutes of each show. It was rather natural that I got into the design industry. Later, I studied graphic design in Japan and industrial design at Art Center College in the USA. Before I finally started my own studio last year, I was Design Director at Pininfarina. Apart from automobile design, I also work on industrial design, architecture, robots and much more…

That is a wide range! What are your biggest creative influences?

I learned at Pininfarina that human beings naturally prefer beautiful objects - and beautiful products sell well. Italians also taught me that, in order for any products to endure well, they should be simple, modern, and evergreen. I also listen to what people have to say and like to watch nature. I learn everything from them.

What has the Tokyo Design Premio represented for you?

Milano Salone is not only the furniture show, but it has become a creative source for people inside and outside of many design industries. In our case we decided to use the Tokyo Design Premio as a sneak preview of the Ken-MS massage chair prototype and the “Tatami” folding chair. The former will go into production later this year; the latter is sold now in Japan and will come to Europe soon.

How do you start typically with your design process - either cars or anything else?

I put everything in my brain down on paper, stick all of it on the wall and judge objectively the best possible solution for the problem. Then I start the research after. Not before. Once you know, you cannot go back to “your ignorant yourself.” But the ignorant yourself is the best creative partner you have. You also need the courage to adjust your original idea once it’s proven to fail.

The Ken-MS chair is a product which prioritises function over form. Does this conceptual thinking stem from your work as a car designer?

Customers naturally can’t be aware of the functions they haven’t seen yet. Therefore, designers need to create an innovative function that goes beyond the customers’ expectations. So, it’s the form that can sometimes lead you to a new function and vice versa - you don’t separate the two. The best part of our job is the fact that we are always dealing with the future. Future is something nobody knows for sure, and that’s why it’s fun creating it. Differently put, just like the chef in a good restaurant, you always want to surprise your customers positively. So, you don’t ask your customers what they want to eat as soon as they walk in the door. They have certain expectations from the reputation of your restaurant. You present the menu. They choose some, but you go beyond that. And - how much you go beyond is the best part of the game.

What is innovation to you - design, technology or the creative processes itself?

Value comes first. A function that doesn’t have any value for the users is useless. The abundant research of technology used to give us a lot of innovative functions. However nowadays, no one has the luxury to finance a huge research centre so often anymore. Therefore, we need to create new value first and then functionality for it and after that technology to support it - in that order. This is much harder than it used to be.

Having designed not only cars, but also furniture, robots, or theme parks, do you see your work as a catalyser between industries? How important is it for you to cross these borders?

Having worked in many different fields, sometimes it makes you laugh how the common sense in each industry differs from one another. It is fun for me to point that out to people who know only their little world and can’t look past the end of their own noses. I think it is vital for designers that their work traverses multiple fields.

On a global scale, Japanese culture has a growing influence, be it for its technological innovations or its wealth of architects and designers, amongst others. How do you feel about it?

Unlike from the outside perception, Japan is going through a phase of identity crisis with being chased by China and other nations. Sometimes you can see the situation better from a distant view, and I feel it is my job to tell people in Japan what their cultural origin is.

Do you regard globalisation a threat or an opportunity for designers?

Globalisation from the manufacturers’ point of view is nothing but a threat to people and designers. I would fight for that. Local culture is a beautiful thing that makes total sense to the people who live there. But at the same time, if the people want certain standardisation for a better living, there is no reason to go against it.

Lastly, how do you envision design 30 years from now?

We will still be still struggling to make a better living 30 years from now, or even in 100 years. More important is that we enjoy this struggle - and there will be a world in 30 years. Many things that we do now for the current generation won’t leave any room for the future. We are all responsible for what’ll happen.

Thank you so much, Ken Okuyama, for giving us one of your rare interviews! Damn, I want one of those hyper designed massage chairs!

20 Comments

1. His eye for design and sense of style is stunning. So crisp, clean, minimal and beautiful!

   Posted by: Stewy on June 4th, 2007 at 8:12 pm

2. thank you for this interview! i learnt a lot about design. i hope i will be as good as him one day

   Posted by: heri on June 5th, 2007 at 3:14 am

3. Que bonito carro. Creo que debe de diseñar una bicicleta tambien.

   Posted by: mexist on June 5th, 2007 at 5:36 am

4. Wow… very cool article! I love how his designs are so clean!

   Posted by: May on June 5th, 2007 at 7:44 am

5. Haha.

   He and his Enzo’s door have my respect.

   Posted by: Ben on June 5th, 2007 at 10:13 am

6. [...] out this wonderful interview by pingmag on Ken Okuyama the former Design Director of Pininfarina. I learned at Pininfarina that human [...]

   Posted by: IDasia.org | Networking the Best Multi-Disciplinary Industrial Designers in Asia » Blog Archive » The Japanese man behind Pininfarina on June 5th, 2007 at 12:00 pm

7. The sharing of his Design philosophy is priceless. Thanks.

   Posted by: DT on June 5th, 2007 at 12:05 pm

8. I adore that coffee table! It’s like…a table and a lot of little shelves! Brilliance! Sheer brilliance!

   Posted by: Johnny on June 5th, 2007 at 1:14 pm

9. I like his statement on “value” in design and function- it’s more of what we need.

   Posted by: Yakuza_Tear on June 5th, 2007 at 1:15 pm

10. [...] text/images via pingmag [...]

    Posted by: Ken Okuyama: Carbon Fibre Beauty at dérive on June 5th, 2007 at 2:19 pm

11. This is absolutely great!

    Posted by: dutch house musician on June 5th, 2007 at 10:17 pm

12. he is insane and wicked

    Posted by: Totoro on June 6th, 2007 at 2:18 am

13. It’s interesting to note that the idea that “…that human beings naturally prefer beautiful objects - and beautiful products sell well…” is also cherished by Apple.

    Posted by: GK on June 6th, 2007 at 4:48 am

14. I was impressed by his car designed after reading this article !! sugoi !! he is a true hero to Ferrari company!!!!!!

    Posted by: evon on June 6th, 2007 at 7:42 am

15. Great! hehe :)

    Posted by: O.Z. on June 6th, 2007 at 8:21 am

16. Ken is a man of wonderful vision and incredible talent. I had the pleasure of being one of his car design students at ArtCenter. Thanks Ken!

    Posted by: Jun on June 6th, 2007 at 4:52 pm

17. That car is wicked
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    wow!

    Posted by: HDR Photography on June 6th, 2007 at 5:45 pm

18. [...] Since I’m into design (I’m a Design Consultant after all), I was pretty interested in PingMag’s interview with Ken Okuyama. While he’s mostly into product design (he’s behind the lovely design of the Enzo [...]

    Posted by: Which Comes First: Design or Research? « μεταcole on June 8th, 2007 at 7:04 pm

19. God I will never own a car like that!

    Posted by: Japan News in English on November 24th, 2007 at 6:28 am

20. Thank goodness he has left Ferrari…no wonder they have been in design wildnerness!!

    Posted by: Car Lover on February 11th, 2009 at 8:16 am

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