Name: Mr. Ryuichiro Imasaka
Company: ILYA Corporation
Position within company: Senior Chief Designer /Interior Design Div.
Website: www.ilya.co.jp
. Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc)
Graduate from Bachelor of Arts / Musashino Art Univ.
I have been working for ILYA over 20 years, and fortunately I was given exceptional chance to work in London for Kajima Design Europe and Fox Linton Associates for a period of time, which gives me the another point of view about Japanese interior design.
. How would you describe your personal design style?
I always keep in my mind to create modernised spaces with particular local touch by each site.
. Where does your design inspiration come from?
Books, Art & Crafts
. In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?
Client budget will tell us what the best balance for the economical issue is.
That means we are not artist, but must create the space based on the good balance.
. Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2016 and beyond.
Passion
Curiosity
Music
Technology
Physical
. If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to design, what would it be?
Developing new ideas and learning from the past
. How important are The International Hotel and Property Awards as recognition of talent and achievement?
IHPA gives a good opportunity to the designer to know how their design would be felt from all over the world.
. What projects are you currently working on?
Interior design for new built hotel in Kyoto Japan and seaside resort hotel renovation
. What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?
I’d like to create new relationship with Arts & Craft people in Japan, to represent the brand-new mixing of materials which I have never seen.
. Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself
Your most treasured possession? A pair of “Superleggera”design by Gio Ponti
Your favourite holiday destination? Historical city – wherever in the world
Your favourite hotel / restaurant / bar? Park Hyatt Tokyo is still a masterpiece of modern design in Japan
Your favourite book / film / song? Jeffrey Archer’s novels, 007 series
Your favourite food and drink? I prefer country pubs rather than the posh formal atmospheres in restaurants
Your favourite way to spend an afternoon? (in no more than 25 words) go to zoo or museum nearby with my son.
If you weren’t a designer, what would you be? I can’t imagine honestly…