Tsukiji Sushiiwa Tsukijiten Sushi Resutaurant by Hiroaki Iwasa

---

DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?

HI : The principle of my work is to honestly face the situation the project is facing. It is essential for making appropriate judgments about the situation, such as what is necessary for the client's situation, what is necessary for the environment, and what should be done now within the time axis.

DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?

HI : What I paid particular attention to was the methods and materials that maximized the effect with minimal processing. This is the same method used to serve sushi in the restaurant, and is meant to make the sushi and chef stand out.

DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?

HI : I think we should continue to spread the word as a base for sushi culture.

DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?

HI : It took about half a year to design.

DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?

HI : I discovered inspiration, or challenges, by observing the old store and talking with the staff. Issues include the pure positional relationship between ingredients, chefs and customers, and the dignity of the restaurant.

DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?

HI : The architecture and interiors are not mass-produced products, but are unique and original.

DI: What made you design this particular type of work?

HI : This is because there is no sushi restaurant like this in the current sushi culture and in Tokyo.

DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?

HI : There is no specific design or designer approach. By honestly facing the situation, I came up with the necessary design.

DI: Who is the target customer for his design?

HI : This sushi restaurant's customers are people from all over the world who love sushi

DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?

HI : There are many sushi restaurants that cater to a small number of customers, and the management of ingredients and service are simple. However, there are very few sushi restaurants of this size that offer sophisticated food management and service with this kind of design.

DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?

HI : This is the name that has been used since its establishment in 1920. Part of the founder's name is used.

DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?

HI : During the design process, we went back and forth between CAD and full-size mockups.

DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?

HI : I don't think it's anything special, but I think what's distinctive is that we honestly face the situation of each project and proceed with it carefully.

DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?

HI : The interior design was done by me alone, but other design direction was provided by Yoko Kitsuda of Citrus, and graphic design was provided by Maki Awatsuji of Awatsuji Design.

DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?

HI : The design technology is orthodox; I used CAD to improve efficiency and carefully considered mock-ups.

DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?

HI : Research is not about getting answers with quantitative data, but refinement through dialogue with chefs and mock-ups of improvements through sensory design.

DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?

HI : The challenge in realizing the project was the scale and placement of the backyard and counter in order to minimize food waste.

DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?

HI : I was curious and confident about how my design would be evaluated internationally, so I applied for the pride of the people involved.

DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?

HI : Through this project, I found important hints in dialogue with clients and observation of the situation, and I learned once again the importance of improving and refining while honestly facing the issues I found.