We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Akira Nakagomi about their original and creative Lighting design work. Akira Nakagomi is an award-winning industrial designer, that makes our world a better place with their original lighting works.
Akira Nakagomi ("AN") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Honey Drop Lighting. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
AN : "Design" is not only about enriching life but also sometimes serving as a spice that inspires and becomes a memorable treasure.
AN : This product is designed as a product intended for emergency situations, but we've also put emphasis on it becoming a product that enhances everyday life, not just for use during emergencies.
AN : I have plans to turn it into a product.
AN : About 4 months.
AN : A group of fellow designers and I were seeking inspiration for an exhibition to see if we could use the power of design to solve the problems that the COVID-19 pandemic had caused in our living environment.
AN : I am considering various possibilities.
AN : The challenge the design seeks to address is the limited usability of traditional disaster preparedness products. While Japan experiences frequent natural disasters, most existing emergency supplies are designed solely for emergency use and are often stored away and forgotten during everyday life. To tackle this challenge, our design introduces a product that serves a dual purpose. The innovation lies in utilizing honey, a natural and long-lasting food item with high nutritional value and sterilizing properties, as an integral part of the design. The honey is stored in a glass container shaped like honey dripping, which adds a visually appealing element to the product. This glass container is placed on a wooden base equipped with a rechargeable LED light. During normal times, the product functions as a decorative lighting piece, creating a warm and gentle ambiance with the honey-inspired illumination. However, in times of emergency, both the honey and the wooden base serve essential functions. The honey can be consumed as emergency food, providing sustenance and nutrition. The wooden base, with its built-in LED light, can be used as a flashlight, providing illumination when needed. It also features a flashing mode that can be used as an SOS signal. By combining everyday usability with disaster preparedness, our design presents a fresh and innovative approach to address the problem. It encourages individuals to incorporate emergency preparedness into their daily lives, ensuring that essential supplies are readily available in times of disaster. Rather than being stored away exclusively for emergencies, this product can be actively used and enjoyed as a decorative item, enhancing both the aesthetics of everyday life and preparedness in emergencies.
AN : Tokujin Yoshioka/ Thomas Heatherwick/Olafur Eliasson/Yvea Brunier
AN : Furniture / Museum / Hotel
AN : I am turning honey, a food product, into a lighting.
AN : It is named after the glass container with a shape resembling dripping honey.
AN : Rhinoceros/Grasshopper/Maxwellrender
AN : This involves glass containers with a form that resembles honey dripping and using honey as illumination.
AN : This product was created at a glass factory in Saga Prefecture, known for its advanced glassblowing techniques, with a history of 170 years.
AN : Verification of design/materials/forms and creation of data for production.
AN : I conducted research on emergency food options, studying how those foods could be conceptualized as a product, including their form.
AN : It took time to determine the most conceptually communicative form when using honey as illumination.
AN : When I showed my work at the exhibition, it was very well received, so I decided to try the international competition.
AN : That by taking a problem seriously and exploring ways to solve it without giving up, a way will open up. And that what we pursue in this way will be accepted by people.
AN : No, there is not.
