Design Talks - Season 4 / Year 2015

Kyoto is the birthplace of countless design styles that have evolved over centuries. Now, Kenmei Nagaoka, a designer known for a concept he calls "long life design", is leading a new project there. In November 2014, Nagaoka set up a select store at a temple in the heart of Kyoto, which he manages with a team of students from the university where he teaches. As we look at this inspiring new project, we'll take a journey through the fascinating world of Kyoto design.

In traditional Japanese belief, every object in the world contains a divine spirit. A constant awareness of these invisible presences is deeply embedded in the Japanese consciousness. Recently, more artists have been creating designs that focus on this collective memory. Joined in the studio by photographer Everett Brown, we'll discuss designs which shed light on Japan's memories of itself - in doing so, we'll visit an ancient world, and explore the question of whether there is a universal sense of beauty.

From production to processing, Japan has developed a unique culture around metal. The sharpness and beauty of Japanese swords are forged by pushing the material to its limits. Metal is also essential to cookware, including pots, pans and kettles. Our guest this time is Nobuho Miya, a caster who is designing a new kind of traditional Nambu ironware. Together, we'll discover the many facets of metal, and explore the metal designs which figure in everyday life in Japan.

Textile design, including brightly patterned silks and dyeing techniques such as yuzen-zome, is an important part of Japan's kimono culture. Japanese textiles also feature in a wide range of other craft items - furoshiki cloths, noren curtains - many of which are still very popular today. We'll explore both the history and future potential of textiles in Japan with our guest, textile designer Reiko Sudo.

In Japan, there's a bento - a box packed with delicious seasonal foods - for almost every occasion. Maku-no-uchi bento are enjoyed at events like kabuki theatrical shows and sumo matches, whereas eki-ben are sold at train stations to hungry travelers. These days, people are even arranging the food in bento boxes into cute character designs. Art director Mitsuhiro Tomita is our guest this week as we take a look at Japan's long tradition of bento.

In Japanese, "sake" can refer to any alcoholic beverage, and this time, we're focusing on a variety of sake-related designs. Japanese bars and pubs are a treasure trove of fantastic design: red lanterns, noren curtains, casual counters and tables. The Japanese have also honed the design of sake glasses and cups that enhance the flavor of your drink. We'll explore the world of sake design with Kazuhiko Ota, a designer who's visited Japanese-style bars all across the country.

Japan is a mountainous country with a rugged coastline. This terrain is an important factor in the country's wide range of seasonal winds, which have had a strong impact on Japanese designers. Carp streamers, wind chimes and the architecture of traditional homes all make use of the flowing wind. On this episode of DESIGN TALKS, we look at the presence of wind in Japanese design with guest Susumu Shingu, who is famous for his "wind sculptures".

The power of design is changing prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs and other mobility aids. Today the goals are functionality and beauty in new devices that are designed to be seen. Meet special guest and designer Shunji Yamanaka, and see the creations of designers working to change our view of disability. Discover a new world of design.

DESIGN TALKS has featured a fascinating variety of designs from Japan and explored the artistic qualities that make them uniquely Japanese. Today we bring you highlights from all the episodes since October 2014. What discoveries did our hosts Andy and Shaula make during these first episodes? Join us as we take a second, deeper look at a wide range of Japanese designs.