Creating spaces that move people's hearts. The challenge of designers aiming to become a world-class concept design team.

Minehito Yoshimura, who joined the company in 2007, currently serves as Room Chief at the First concept design Center of the Creative Division. He handles a wide range concept design, from commercial spaces to private residences, and is committed to creating spaces that move people's hearts with his unique philosophy of "concept design the entire atmosphere." He talks about his passion for his work and his new challenges as a designer.
 

"concept design the entire atmosphere." The story behind a project that creates new value.

Yoshimura belongs to concept design Department 5 of the First concept design Center, Creative Headquarters, NOMURA Co.,Ltd. As Room Chief, he works on a wide range of concept design, from commercial spaces to residences, sometimes in collaboration with the planning team.

Yoshimura: "Specifically, I've concept design over 10 houses, including private residences, as well as a variety of other projects such as a casual Italian restaurant, a high-end watch shop in Ginza, and a members-only salon for the wealthy. I'm involved in a wide range of projects, from large spaces to small spaces related to lifestyle."

Yoshimura's work goes beyond simply creating spaces. It's driven by a consistent desire to concept design not only the emotions and atmosphere of the people involved, but also the overall feeling and energy of the environment.

Yoshimura: "I often tell my clients, 'I concept design the entire atmosphere,' but I'm not just trying to make the space look cool in a novel way. I focus on how the time spent there will be enveloped in a wonderful atmosphere, and I carefully consider the floor plan with that in mind. This applies not only to houses but also to restaurants and hotels."

One of the features of Yoshimura's work is his collaboration with the planning team, which is particularly effective in projects that aim to create new value.

Yoshimura: "For example, take 'Anniversaire Omotesando.' In the large-scale renovation project for its 25th anniversary, we received requests from customers who wanted to be more open to the community and to challenge themselves with new ways of using the venue beyond just a wedding hall."

Having the planning team involved allowed us to conduct in-depth analysis of relevant data from perspectives other than concept design, such as the characteristics of people who come to Omotesando, trends in the wedding market, and the worldview desired for corporate parties. Their skillful articulation of concept design also added depth to concept design of each floor, making it easier for customers to understand. I think the environment where teams can collaborate across boundaries is what makes NOMURA Co.,Ltd. so interesting, and I personally learn a lot from it."

Yoshimura's attitude towards work is filled with a spirit of challenge, always trying to create something new.

Yoshimura: "Almost all of our clients want to create new ways of using our products and new scenarios that have never existed before, and they expect us to propose new worldviews and ways of thinking. Sometimes they require a global perspective, not just a Japanese one. When working on such challenging projects, what I always keep in mind is to enjoy concept design."

When you try to create something new, you'll run into all sorts of obstacles. But I think it's important to enjoy even that process. When people start saying, "I'm really looking forward to seeing it finished," that's a sign that you're heading towards a good concept design. Ultimately, the important indicators are whether it's a space you'd want to bring someone important to you, and whether you're excited about it."

"Spaces that blend seamlessly into people's lives." A passion for concept design that connects people and spaces.

Yoshimura says that an experience he had in high school was what led him to pursue a career in spatial concept design.

Yoshimura: When I was in high school, I often went to a local coffee chain to study. I noticed that a cup of coffee costing just 140 yen was part of the daily lives of many different people. There was a regular old man who came at the same time every week, someone who teaches English conversation, and a couple who always sat at the same table and chatted.

I realized that spaces where people can spend time for just 140 yen are enriching their lives. The moment I understood that, I wanted to concept design spaces like that. So I consulted with my art teacher, and the very next day after he told me about art universities, I started attending an art preparatory school."

Driven by a strong passion for spatial concept design, she enrolled in an art university. While there, she had the opportunity to take a class taught by Shigechiyo Suzuki, the current Executive Creative Director of NOMURA Co.,Ltd., and through interactions after class, she began to develop an interest in the company.

Yoshimura: "Every time, he would talk about his work with a big smile on his face and seem to enjoy it. Suzuki was in his mid-50s at the time. Seeing someone in a position of authority with many subordinates talking about his work with such enthusiasm, I thought, 'This company has designers who are full of life and energy.' So I started researching NOMURA Co.,Ltd., interviewed, and decided to join the company."

After joining the company, Yoshimura began his career as concept design in the Commercial Environment Company. Then, in 2010, he became a member of the concept design team called "AND".

Yoshimura: "AND is a group of designers led by Ryu Kosaka (Senior Executive Officer and Chief concept design Officer NOMURA Co.,Ltd. Ltd.), specializing in creating high-quality spaces. I spent about 10 years there, thoroughly learning the essence of concept design from Kosaka."

Among them, I will never forget the first time I was entrusted with the project of a restaurant called"GENIE'S TOKYO". I learned the difficulty of creating a restaurant while considering various factors such as the profitability and facilities of the restaurant, and the flow of staff and customers. As a designer, I did not just draw pictures, but also worked with people from various industries to create a restaurant."

Through this experience, Yoshimura realized the dynamism of how a single line he drew can move many people and money, as well as the weight of responsibility that comes with it.

Yoshimura: "There was a time when I had them make something based on the pictures and blueprints I had drawn, and they made a mistake... I had to apologise and ask them to fix it, and that was a project where I really felt the weight of failure.

At the same time, I learned a great deal about the importance of human connections. I was fortunate enough to become friends with the people on site, and they helped me out when I encountered difficulties in my work later on. I deeply felt the importance of relationships not only with concept design themselves, but also with the people on site."

A groundbreaking concept design approach paints a picture of the future of comfortable living.

In 2021, Yoshimura returned to NOMURA Co.,Ltd., established his own team, and took on the role of room chief. He then went on to work on two particularly memorable projects.

Yoshimura: "The first is'Dear Homes Mita'(a renovation project for a luxury apartment building). It came about because of work I did at AND. A client I worked with contacted me saying, 'I heard that you've returned to NOMURA Co.,Ltd.. We'd really like to ask you to do some work for us again.' I was honestly surprised. It wasn't a request for work as a member of the AND team with Kosaka, but for me personally. I was very happy that they appreciated the meticulousness of my work and my approach to concept design back then."

Yoshimura says that this project was one he tackled with great enthusiasm in order to meet the client's expectations. He challenged himself to residential concept design from a new perspective.

Yoshimura: "In the housing market for the wealthy, the mainstream has been calm tones and colors that seek tranquility. But, based on my experience in the food and beverage and commercial facilities industries, I thought it would be good to incorporate more upbeat and uplifting colors and concept design into homes."

For example, we proposed using color in the main areas that would normally be white, and flipping over a shelf so that it changes from wood to colored leather, making it easy to rearrange the home just like changing your clothes."

This innovative approach will lead to our next big project.

Yoshimura: "When I spoke with art director Shun Kawakami for a dialogue project on nomlog*, he became very interested in the design process of this house and the way we express the richness of the home, and he said, 'I would really like to work with you,' which led to me working on the new bathroom concept concept design for LIXIL."

This project gave Yoshimura the opportunity to completely rethink his concept of bathroom space.

Yoshimura: "I realized that while we carefully consider the layout of living rooms and bedrooms—the placement of walls, how storage is visible, eye movement, colors, and so on—we hadn't given much thought to the spatial composition of the bathroom. I wanted to propose ways for users to enjoy bathing in various ways, so I concept design it using the time axis as a starting point. By simply adding a small curved wall in the bathroom, I proposed a way to shift one's mood between the time spent washing one's body and the time spent soaking in the water."

Furthermore, I emphasized the importance of broadening the range of choices. A house is one of the most expensive purchases in a person's life, yet the style options feel limited. I believe that reflecting the same wide range of choices in bathroom concept design as in choosing a cell phone or clothes will enrich the home experience, so we increased the options for colors and concept design."

Through these projects, Yoshimura has deeply considered the richness of housing and proposed new values, thereby creating a change in the hearts of the people who spend time in those spaces.


*nomlog: https://www.nomlog.nomurakougei.co.jp/
This is a media platform from NOMURA Co.,Ltd. Group, which pursues the possibilities of "space" and "experience." Professionals in space creation share behind-the-scenes stories of projects, daily activities, and unique insights.

"Aiming to be the designer team of choice" - Yoshimura Room's challenge to connect with people and create spaces

Yoshimura says that what makes his job rewarding is the connections he makes with people.

Yoshimura: "I strongly feel that creating a space cannot be done by one person alone. No matter how talented a designer is, it won't come to fruition without the craftsmen who can bring it to life. And of course, it can't begin without customers. That's why I continue doing this job, because I love the sense of accomplishment that comes from creating something together.

When a long-term project is completed, we sometimes create a photo album as a gift for the client. It includes concept design sketches that we haven't shown them before, photos of the factory inspections, and pictures we've taken over time. I really love those moments when we can share the fact that we all created something great together."

Yoshimura, who has always placed great importance on building connections with people, had this to say about his vision for the future:

Yoshimura: "I want to take on the challenge and see how well my work will be accepted on the world stage in a few years' time. Even if I'm in charge of a facility in Japan, the people using it are customers who have seen wonderful places all over the world. I have to create something that many different people will find wonderful. With that in mind, I'm feeling a strong desire to see for myself whether my aesthetic sense and sensibility are really acceptable overseas."

The Yoshimura Room also has clear goals.

Yoshimura: "For the past four years, our goal has been to become a design team that people choose. This is a pretty big goal, and it's not something that can be easily achieved. But we will continue to set big goals, and ultimately we want to become designers that people request by name from overseas."

Finally, Yoshimura will talk about the appeal of NOMURA Co.,Ltd..

Yoshimura: "The appeal of NOMURA Co.,Ltd. is that there are many people who help you, and there are seniors you can respect and juniors who inspire you. It's rare to be able to immediately think of seniors you respect and juniors you think are outstanding in your own company."

I feel very fortunate to be in an environment where I can improve myself by discussing concept design on a daily basis. That's one of the good things about our company, which is why I've stayed here."

In a stimulating and growth-oriented environment, with a global perspective, Yoshimura will continue to forge the future of spatial concept design, carefully engaging with each and every space.
 

*The information provided is current as of September 2024.