A standard classic commands a steady demand regardless of passing trends. In this episode, we explore designs can speak to the changing times but also appeal over the long-term. Such items hold onto historic threads while also drawing on necessary technology, humor or versatility. Product designer Suzuki Keita explores a wide variety of everyday items and examines the products users will consider the new standards of the future.
Hello, welcome to DESIGN TALKS plus. I'm Andrea Pompilio.
Hi, I'm Shaula.
- We've got quite a collection of items here today.
- We do.
Look, we have cups, we have cutlery, we have a lot of everyday items.
We even have hanging straps that you find in trains.
But what's amazing is the guest today actually designed every single one of these items.
Today we have Suzuki Keita.
Hello, Keita-san!
- Hello.
- Welcome!
- It's been a while.
- It has.
So, today we're talking about the idea of new standards.
And we have some of your products here in the studio with us today.
I'd like to ask you, are these products supposed to represent these new standards?
Yes, I often say that my designs should last for a century.
The goal is for people to enjoy and use my designs over many years.
I see.
In order to create these long-lived products, Suzuki often begins by examining everyday standard items and updating them, to create 'new classics.'
Every Japanese home has a soy-sauce bottle.
Suzuki designed one that uses crystal glass for a clear view and hygienic experience.
Surface tension draws any excess liquid in the spout back down, preventing drippage.
Straps are a vital component of crowded commuter trains.
Suzuki changed the traditional triangular shape to an oval to make it easier to grip from any angle.
Other modern updates focus on size: he created station benches with a more spacious design.
It maintains an appropriate distance between strangers.
While allowing friends and family to share a seat.
Suzuki is also interested in developing totally new designs that will become future classics.
This layered vase is actually a speaker made of glass.
The shape softly amplifies sound from a smartphone, while also blending into any interior space.
Such future designs can come from unusual inspirations - such as insects.
Suzuki carefully studied the horn and movements of rhinoceros beetles...
and came up with this bottle opener.
The divided tip holds the cap in place, allowing for stable leverage.
These extra grippy sneakers were inspired by the hairs on ladybugs' legs.
Suzuki uses humor, beauty, and a universal aesthetic to ensure his designs last as long as possible.
His approach is always based on detailed research, and his own experiences.
To design a new knife, he tested the handle of each and every prototype in search of a novel shape.
Let's explore more of his products and new standards back in the studio.
All everyday items.
They really are.
This is what you make.
I designed all of these, yes.
I understand you do a lot of research for your new standards.
Yes, about two to five years for a single product.
- Five years?
- Wow...
May I ask about this knife?
It's pretty rare to see one that's all black, isn't it?
- I think so, yes.
- That's true.
One of the reasons I chose the color was because very little in a kitchen is black.
Oh yes.
I thought it might be safer if the knives' color stood out in some way.
More and more young people these days aren't actually using knives anymore.
Is that right?
They don't cook?
They do, but they'll use kitchen scissors.
Apparently, many of them are scared of using large blades.
Really?
It's not uncommon.
- Hence the size?
- That's right.
I hoped they might become new standards for a generation that's not used to big knives.
Interesting.
So I began my design by reexamining the size we need for a cooking knife, and then moved on to the shape.
I see - it's a good all-round size, and the shape would work for cutting fish or meat.
My personal favorite is the one you're holding - that size.
This one?
It's interesting because the blade is actually quite slim, isn't it?
With regular knives, this part is often much wider.
But you could peel fruit with this.
The size makes it easy to handle.
They're popular abroad too.
They are.
In MOMA in New York.
That's right.
Apparently, something about the size struck a chord with people there.
Japanese kitchens are often very small, and so are chopping boards.
That was part of the inspiration for this size, but it seems people in the US also found it easy to use.
They saw it as something of a new departure.
I see.
I'm rather drawn to this toothbrush on my table.
A travel toothbrush.
May I hold it?
Sure!
Oh, I see!
You put it together like this?
Yes - very portable.
And cute!
It's about the dimensions of a pack of gum.
A familiar shape and size.
I noticed the way it was displayed just now - like this.
Can you talk us through the design?
The idea was to use the case...
as a way to allow the brush to dry out after you've used it, regardless of where you are.
I see.
Traveling with a wet toothbrush is...
Yuck.
Yeah, it's a little gross.
People want to dry it out nicely, then pop it into a clean storage case.
More hygienic.
What inspired you to make a travel set?
Most hotels in Japan and around the world provide you with a disposable toothbrush.
That's a major waste.
True.
Stocked in the bathroom.
Yes, all those single-use items.
Everyone understands how wasteful that is, and that we should really be bringing our own toiletries.
I think disposable toothbrushes will no longer be a standard provision within the next few years.
They'll disappear.
So I designed a travel toothbrush that's easy to use, specifically in places where you might find you need one.
I see.
I feel this toothbrush shows how our values are changing.
It's partly the zeitgeist, isn't it?
There's a strong trend toward more sustainable, eco-conscious products.
There are still so many disposable products out there in the world today.
And I feel like their designs really speak to their disposable nature, do you know what I mean?
There's no love to be felt there.
That's one reason why I started this new project in 2020.
Oh, lovely!
Suzuki created these takeout container designs during the pandemic.
They're designed to be made from waste paper pulp.
Disposable doesn't have to mean dull.
Many of the graphics draw on traditional craft designs.
I was thinking about what kind of containers people might want to keep, and maybe reuse at home.
I really think it would only take just a little extra time and work to make containers like these.
That's true.
But people are unlikely to want to keep containers like this unless the design speaks to them.
That's why I'm interested in exploring this particular genre.
That's great.
Suzuki is also interested in examining new design classics in the realm of education - namely, elementary and junior high school lunches.
Carefully balanced to provide students with nutrition and variety - Japanese school lunches have drawn attention from around the world.
Suzuki designed new tableware in five vibrant colors.
It's a design that allows students to choose the colors they like, bringing a little personality to their lunch.
Tableware for school lunch is a fun project.
It was.
What inspired you in this direction?
Was it a request from the school?
Yes. It came from the city of Kobe in western Japan.
Interesting.
They wanted to update the dishes being used by all public junior high schools.
So I thought about the kinds of tableware they'd need, but my first thought was color.
You started with color?
Yes. I actually visited a junior high school and talked to the students there.
My first question was what color they'd like the most for their tableware.
And, of course, they all had completely different answers!
I'm sure they did!
They all have favorites.
Exactly.
But color is actually a bit of a thorny issue when designing for the government.
Oh, I see.
Japan has used color to suggest context for a very long time.
Male restrooms are blue, female restrooms are red, for example.
I thought I might need to design within similar constraints for this project too.
But talking to the students showed me just how diverse their preferences were.
So why not give them a wide choice of color?
I thought that this might be something they'd enjoy.
So you redesigned the whole system.
That's right.
Instead of pushing our ideas onto them, we asked the students to offer suggestions.
They said that a choice of five colors would let them pick what appealed to them on the day.
If they were going to an after-school club, then red would give them energy.
Different every day.
Exactly.
I wonder if it'll help develop their sense of aesthetics as well.
If lunch that day is curry, maybe they'll choose a particular color to match it.
What a great idea!
Having that choice could train their artistic eye.
It probably does.
Really interesting.
'You chose green today?' You know.
That would be so fun.
On the topic of standards, I think school lunches form such strong visual memories, don't they?
We're always swapping stories about what lunch was like in school back in our day.
In this context, I feel like your design is sure to play a big part in a lot of people's minds.
- I hope so.
- I'm sure.
Now let's explore new classics from a unique design unit.
A house in Japan's former capital of Kamakura is the base for some unusual creators.
Design unit AATISMO.
Its three members are architects and designers, and their work is known for its peculiar beauty.
These peculiar masks are one example.
A camera embedded in the mask allows the wearer to see the world from a giraffe's perspective.
It's an artwork inspired by animal masks worn in traditional rituals.
They're also designing new standards for stationery.
At first glance, this metallic object seems purely decorative.
But it's actually a box cutter.
It's inspired by the hand axes considered humanity's first stone-age tool.
The organic beauty exuded by these ancient objects encouraged the group to create a cutter that's also an artwork.
Going back to an item's roots
frees us from preconceptions.
It often inspires a very simple
approach to its true nature.
The trio researches the roots of various items and reflects them in their new designs.
It isn't the only stationery item they've designed that's sure to become a future standard.
Pencils, erasers, and rulers.
All turned into long sticks that you might see at a hardware store.
They can all be cut to your preferred length, allowing for total customizability.
I researched the very origin of stationery.
It began as plant stems
that were cut and inked.
Then there were quill pens.
People would use
what was available to them.
They would cut it to the length and
thickness that they needed.
Those roots were what inspired us.
We leave blank spaces in our products.
It helps users build their
own relationships with them.
They fall in love with them
and end up using them for a long time.
A design that leaves space for the user.
The product can even be used in entirely new designs.
We need to feel closer
to our possessions.
Be more than consumers.
This is one way
to encourage that shift.
People aren't only choosing on looks
but on how it was made.
The concept behind an item.
They want a story.
Not just everyone's standard,
but a personal favorite.
I think that's where we're heading.
I don't think I've ever seen a pencil this long before.
I love the idea of cutting it to your preferred size.
Could that be something we might see more of?
Potentially.
This is sort of the opposite approach to designing something for a specific purpose.
They're choosing not to do anything - to leave blanks for the user.
It's a wonderful place to start looking for new standards.
I feel like kids would find very creative ways to play with this idea.
Oh, for sure.
- That must play a role.
- Yes.
I'm sure you did this too, Keita-san.
But I remember playing with my stationery as a child.
Gathering them together and making toys out of them.
That would be fun to do with these.
For sure!
Soon, you wouldn't even remember what the standard length for a pencil is.
I wonder who came up with the design we use today.
And what did you think of this?
The box cutter?
It's bigger than I was expecting, after seeing it in the video.
- Yes! It is!
- You're right.
You expected something smaller?
I did, but I really like this - it's a good size.
Fits in the hand.
Yes. Just like those ancient hand axes.
They were also essentially palm-sized.
And the modern computer mouse is the same size.
Designers often say that a tool held in the hand should be palm-sized.
Oh, interesting!
Holding it makes a real difference.
They were talking about the idea of digging into an item's roots to find its history and original conception.
I was thinking that you might find that approach quite resonant with your own work.
I do - I also really like hand axes.
What appeals to me is the extraordinary beauty of their shape.
They are incredibly complicated to make, and each would have taken a very long time to complete.
The result is that almost all of the designs have a very beautiful symmetry.
I think it's some of the earliest evidence of the human thirst for beauty.
Our topic this time is standard classics and from that perspective, hand axes have been captivating museum and gallery visitors for centuries.
It's testament to the beauty of their design.
And to the love their creators felt for what they were making.
I think that emotion is necessary to design.
Hasn't changed over millennia.
Definitely not.
Next, a staple of the Japanese table: chopsticks.
What could a new standard of chopsticks look like?
Handmade chopsticks, crafted with love.
They're the work of second-generation head of a chopstick workshop and 23-year veteran craftsman Marukawa Tokuhito.
The store attached to the workshop has over 200 chopstick varieties, and visitors can hold samples before making their choice.
While making countless chopsticks to suit different dishes, one standard type emerged.
These seven-sided chopsticks are an ideal all-rounder and easy to hold.
Chopsticks were either square or round.
Because they were originally lacquerware.
They had to be easy to coat and last,
and therefore round or square.
The previous director said, they're tools.
Why not make them easier to hold?
That's how we arrived at seven sides.
Normally, one chopstick is held in three fingers, like a pen.
The second slots into the gap below while the upper fingers move the first.
Marukawa trialed a variety of shapes with this grip.
Five-sided chopsticks proved stable because they have fewer sides.
But the sharper angles can become uncomfortable.
Eight-sided chopsticks are almost round, making them smoother to hold.
But they weren't as stable as five-, or six-sided pairs.
Stable in the hand and comfortable to grip, these seven-sided chopsticks took three years to come to fruition.
Seven-sided chopsticks are actually one of the most difficult shapes to make.
Marukawa's workshop employs a completely unique method to craft them.
First, the corners of a four-sided chopstick are trimmed to make eight sides.
These eight sides are gradually shaved into seven.
Because seven is indivisible, the artisan must feel for the perfect 51.4-degree angle and recreate it by hand.
Each seven-sided chopstick has its own width and grip - and the seven sides continue down to the tip.
They are all made by hand, and the workshop also handles repairs.
Marukawa himself uses chopsticks with seven sides.
Yet he continues to make many different shapes, in pursuit of a clear goal.
Some people prefer five sides.
They click together nicely.
If they liked five sides
they'll buy five again.
It's a lifelong choice.
I want people to come and
choose what suits them.
Whatever suits their hand.
Chopsticks they love.
Using something you love for years;
that's the mark of a classic.
There's so much to know about chopsticks!
It's a bit of a surprise, isn't it?
We have three pairs from Daikokuya today - five, seven, and eight-sided pairs.
And the seven-sided pair took three years of development.
Even though he feels that they're the best, he also said that it really comes down to personal preference - whatever suits you the best.
So perhaps we should all try them out?
- Five first.
- Okay.
I've seen a lot of chopsticks.
But these are perfectly balanced.
Balance, I see.
He said that five is a little thicker with sharper edges, but I don't notice them.
They really do feel... very stable.
- Eight.
- Eight.
Okay. I see, yes. Much rounder.
They feel like a better fit.
They're very comfortable.
Oh yes - I like the eight-sided pair.
You like the eight.
Seven.
What do you think?
Which pair would you choose to use at home?
Seven...
It has the fit of the eight-sided pair, with the faint suggestion of the corners.
It's quite an incredible combination. Just amazing!
I'm actually really impressed.
Seven for me too. I'm not sure I can explain why!
Isn't it extraordinary?
It's the feel.
Seven for me.
- You too?
- Yes.
Isn't that interesting?
As he said in the video, chopsticks are tools, so why not make them easy to hold?
Yet we saw how difficult it is to make a seven-sided pair - you can't just start at that number.
They went through a process.
First five sides, then six sides, then eight sides, and then finally they found seven to be the most appealing.
It's admirable they went through all that!
There's a lot of history here.
Definitely.
And today we're seeing chopsticks specifically for sushi, or udon noodles.
But when it comes to the ultimate standard - the pair you rely on day in and day out - the best is the pair that fits the user.
What a great approach.
- The true standard.
- Exactly.
Our presenters have brought in their own personal 'standard' items.
I had the opportunity to visit the Ibusuki Chotaro pottery in Kagoshima Prefecture with the show.
I fell in love with this mug, and ended up buying it.
And when I took it home, it felt very different in that setting.
It was the first time I loved something so much that I didn't want to use anything else.
That's amazing.
Actually meeting the artisans makes a difference.
It adds to the story.
So yes, this is my standard.
I have something I've used for many years - like Shaula, I went to Shimane Prefecture with the show and found a mug at the Shussai pottery.
It's so ordinary and yet that's what I love about it.
I think it takes time for something to become your own personal standard.
I think the designs which have the potential to become new standards are those which adapt themselves to the user.
The 20th century was all about mass production.
Now we're talking about tools and designs that focus on the user.
I think that going into the future, we'll actually see a shift towards this kind of product with standard classics.
I feel like I've learned a lot today - thank you for this opportunity!
I hope you'll come visit us again soon!
- I hope so too.
- Thank you for joining us.
Thank you.
Thank you very much!