Work that enriches people's lives. Philosophy of a designer aiming to create a space that eliminates preconceived notions

Keita Aono is the head of the creative team "no.10". He has directed almost all of no.10 's projects, pursuing spatial concept design that is not bound by conventional ideas. In recent years, Aono has also been working on projects that are social good and create and research the future of space. He talks about his journey so far and his beliefs.

As the chief designer at no.10, I am responsible for directing almost all projects.

Aono, who founded the creative team "no.10" in 2020 and serves as its leader, has worked on numerous projects both domestically and internationally, primarily focusing on interior design.

Aono: "no.10 is a creative team that focuses on spatial concept design. Our team consists of approximately 25 members, mostly in their 30s, including international members. We handle all aspects of space design, primarily for commercial properties. As of March 2023, our ongoing projects are roughly half domestic and half international, making our global activities a distinctive feature of our team."

Our strength lies in our ability to create spaces from architecture. In recent years, we've seen an increase in cases where concept design concept design only the building itself, but also its interior and the events held within it."

While fulfilling his role as general manager, Aono handles almost all of the team's projects as chief designer.

Aono: "For example, in the '% Arabica' coffee brand project, which is also expanding overseas, we always have about 20 projects running simultaneously. Each designer is in charge of their own project, but my role as chief designer and director is to manage the quality by participating in strategy meetings to check the concept design direction and progress."

NOMURA Co.,Ltd. is promoting "social good" initiatives throughout its entire group, aiming to create a positive impact on society and contribute to solving social issues. Aono says that he wants no.10 itself to embody this philosophy.

Aono “What our team values is ``thinking about things from the beginning to the end, and exploring where the center of gravity is.'' I think it's important.

For example, if a ship tilts to the right, it must move to the left to maintain balance. Our basic guiding principle is to take such actions first through concept design. At first glance, it may seem like simply maintaining balance, but in reality, it's about taking a different action first. At its core is the idea of looking ahead to the future balance of society. We believe that translating this into concept design will also lead to social contribution."

Among the projects in no.10, one that can be particularly positioned as a "social good" initiative is the interior and exterior concept design of the tuna fishing vessel "Daiichi Shofuku Maru" (2020).

Aono: "I was in charge of concept design the fishing boat based on the idea that improving the environment on board would lead to food safety. The mental and physical stress on the crew of tuna fishing boats, who are forced to live at sea for about 10 months a year and engage in heavy labor, is immense, and it is said that the turnover rate for young people exceeds 50%. In order to make them as comfortable as possible, I incorporated many straight lines into interiors that would remind them of life on land, such as smartphones and television screens."

Furthermore, he was in charge of the limited-time installation displays" LifeWear SPRING" (2021) at UNIQLO TOKYO, the flagship store of the casual fashion brand UNIQLO. By using recycled cork made from wine corks as a material, he incorporated the brand's philosophy of coexisting with nature and minimizing the burden on the planet into the creation of the space.

Aiming to create spaces through architecture, I joined NOMURA Co.,Ltd. My work with "onndo" was a turning point.

▲ The tuna fishing boat "Daiichi Shofuku Maru", which was designed for the interior and exterior.

Aono, who majored in architecture at an art university, felt a sense of unease with the conventional wisdom of the architectural world. Seeking an environment that would challenge established concepts, he joined NOMURA Co.,Ltd.

Aono: "During my student days, I believed that a good space could only be created when architecture and interiors were in sync. However, at the time, architecture and interiors were clearly separated, with architects creating the box and interior specialists handling interiors. So, with the desire to change things from the interior side, I was looking for an environment where I could work on creating spaces from architecture with the interior as the main focus, and that's how I came across NOMURA Co.,Ltd. Ltd."

Since joining the company in 1999, Aono has been in charge of various projects centering on commercial facilities, leading them to success. In 2013, in his 15th year, he launched his own team, “Aono Room,” at an unparalleled speed at the time.

The following year, he began collaborating with Oki Sato of "nendo" on individual projects. In 2016, the spatial concept design office "onndo" was established through a business partnership between nendo and NOMURA Co.,Ltd. He reflects that his work at onndo was a major turning point.

Aono: "When we were collaborating with Mr. Sato as Aono Room, we wondered if we could work together more closely, so we established a new concept design office. We are in charge of all aspects of spatial concept design. Working with Mr. Sato allowed us to concept design not just as individual points, but as lines and surfaces, encompassing everything from interiors to graphics, products, and architecture. Working on projects on equal footing with Mr. Sato, a world-renowned creator, has had a significant impact on us since then."

The activities of onndo also helped me to eliminate the boundary between domestic and overseas as a work area. I think that it has broadened my horizons as I have reaffirmed that if I have the power to be creative, I can work regardless of national borders.”

Aono says that every project has its own drama, and that they are all impressive. Among them, the one that is most memorable is the creation of a lounge, restaurant and chapel in the huge atrium of the foreign-affiliated hotel "Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk" in Fukuoka.

Aono: "The architecture was handled by the renowned architect César Pelli. I was in charge of the massive atrium space within it, which includes a dining area and a chapel. It's like creating a building within a building, a project that truly blurs the boundaries between architecture and interiors, something I'd been conceptualizing since my student days. It was also significant because it gave me the opportunity to work on projects with people from overseas."

Aono says that there is someone he is currently aiming for.

Aono: "I hope to become a creator like Thomas Heatherwick, a designer based in London. I want no.10 to become a team that can handle all kinds of 3D concept design."

Participating in projects beyond concept design. Aiming for the sustainable growth and social contribution of NOMURA Co.,Ltd.

In addition to his activities as no.10, Aono participates in various other projects. One of these is the Future Creation Institute, which began in 2022.

Aono: "This initiative aims to build and strengthen NOMURA Co.,Ltd. 's spatial research function for creating corporate value and achieving sustainable growth. Our activities are focused on creating and researching glimpses of the future in space. Currently, six members are participating."

Furthermore, Aono also serves as the team leader for a project that scientifically verifies the relationship between space, behavior, and psychology, as part of NOMURA Co.,Ltd. 's social good initiatives.

Aono: "For the past 130 years, NOMURA Co.,Ltd. has been providing 'Delight and Passion,' which is one of our core management principles. Until now, we haven't really been able to talk about Delight and Passion in ways other than our achievements. So, for example, we're conducting various studies, such as acquiring brainwave data from completion photos of past projects and extracting elements of inspiration. We aim to use this, under the name of 'the study of Delight and Passion,' to scientifically verify it, unravel the psychological background and explain it to society, and thereby provide new Delight and Passion."

Aono says he hopes this initiative will continue for as long as NOMURA Co.,Ltd. 's history, that is, for more than 130 years to come. He then goes on to explain his reasons.

Aono: "In order to analyze and explain Delight and Passion, continuous empirical research is essential. It is said that vision accounts for nearly 90% of human perception through the five senses, but we aim to clarify the process by which various senses combine to evoke joy and emotion, such as how sound in a space affects a person's psychology."

Aiming for unconstrained concept design and the creation of spaces that resonate with people's emotions.

In 2022, Aono will celebrate his 24th year with the company. As a designer, there are things I value.

Aono: "What I've consistently focused on is not being bound by anything. For example, there are many conceptual lines in the world created by humans, such as domestic/international, architecture/ interiors, etc. I think I've always cherished the desire to create concept design that are liberated from such preconceived notions."

Aono explains that, in addition to his work as no.10, his goal through the Future Creation Institute and his social good activities is to "enrich people's lives through the power of space." He continues as follows:

Aono: Listening to music makes me smile, shed tears, and a variety of other emotions. Space also has the same great power. I would like to convey joy and excitement to many people through the space.

For example, let's say you have a terminally ill cancer patient. What kind of space would provide peace of mind for those who have been sentenced to a life expectancy and spend their last moments? Thinking about such things is our job as designers. I would like to realize the creation of a space that is close to people's emotions."

▶Creative Team no.10 Official Website:
https://www.no-10.jp/

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https://www.instagram.com/ no.10_official/