DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
: This is an attempt and research to use the common graphical and visual language of a manga/comic as representation and communication tool for architectural designs.
DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
: Looking for a different way to promote and present architectural content and projects besides known rendering and visualization techniques, on a more common, non professional level, open for everyone and create at the same time an awareness for urban developments, cityscapes and activities that can take place there.
DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
: To keep on working on these drawings and creating still new ones, maybe even be able to develop a small story/storyline next to it.
DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
: The concept didn't take that long to develop and come up with, maybe a couple of days, if I remember correctly but the execution and production of these drawings was the most time consuming part to be honest.
DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
: This design wasn't commissioned, it was just an idea or thought I had once after returning from an exchange in Japan and wanted to bring to paper afterwards.
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?
: As far as I know it's not used by any other company :)
But I'm offering and selling prints (digital and a rare silk screen edition on one image) to whom who ever is interested in.
DI: What made you design this particular type of work?
: Definitely my research exchange, done at the University of Arts in Tokyo. Before I had already a weak spot for comics and manga but being there you're realize how deeply rooted in the daily life of millions of japanese people these manga are.
DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
: This could not particularly be broken down to one or two designers, I was influenced and inspired by the art and style of manga in general. How emotions, atmospheres and complex environments are being presented.
DI: Who is the target customer for his design?
: To be honest who ever is interested in, that's the nice thing about comics/manga they are actually for everyone, so hopefully these drawings are acting in a similar way.
DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
: A tough question. I would say in general I was not driven to create something outstanding or unique but more something peculiar, something curious, something fun to look at, like the german translation etwas eigenes, eigenartiges. I think this is very much connected to the way i personally experienced and see Japan.
DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
: Well the name is kept very simple and clear and because the main protagonist and source of inspiration in these drawings is the city of Tokyo or specific elements of it, it was kind of clear for me to name it 'Tokyo Metropolis'.
DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
: Well the drawings are completely done (even sketches) on a digital level, so I used just common illustration tools and software like Adobe's Illustrator to create them.
DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
: To be not unique.
DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
: No this was just a solo project. I would expect to have driven every collaborator crazy during this long process of creating these drawings and because personal memories or images of Japan are processed, it would have been twice as difficult.
DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
: A very interesting question, maybe yes and no. Yes of course, because I told you the drawings are done 100% on a digital level but at the same time, even using these advanced digital tools, I implemented hand drawing methods within e.g did I want to create darker areas or shadows, I was drawing lines above lines or put one pattern, one hatch above the other or rotated them. So quite similar to hand drawings, when you want to create darker areas you keep on drawing on the same spot over and over or change direction of the strokes.
DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
: Well in this case it was mostly studying manga, how they are constructed and told page by page, what are specifics of the page setup, what are key elements, how is the background elaborated. Simply taking a closer look at how things are working, things you normally don't pay attention to while reading them or you realize probably only on a 'subconscious' level.
DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
: The realization in general I would say.
Because I never done such a type/style of drawings and especially not with this 'architectural undertone'.
It was definitely a trial and error principle, I was following. Working on one image I had ideas already for another one and started right away next to it with the other image, so they were mostly drawn next to each other...a process that extended the completion massively because one day one images was more into my focus than the other ones. But luckily it wasn't a commissioned project, time itself wasn't an urging issue.
DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
: To be honest, it was out of curiosity and to get an idea if the kind of work you're doing is touching and inspiring for other people too.
DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
: I think the most important thing I learnt again was to take yourself the time off and just keep on doing things you're interested in.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
: Any spatial exploration is an act of architecture and so is the act of drawing.