Interview with Keiji Ashizawa

─ What kind of materials and products do you prefer?

Ashizawa: The closer to the material, the better, I feel.
The closer the stone is to the original stone and the wood to the original wood, the better, the duller the iron and brass.
With paint and plastering, I prefer a rough finish rather than a shiny finish, so that it looks as if it was there in the first place.

The same black or white material may look at different sides, such as a transparent black or an absorbing black.

Comparing a stone called Zimbabwe black and a stone called “Sanseikuro,” even though they are the same black, Zimbabwe black seems to be more packed and blacker.
Well, Zimbabwe black is expensive, so we often end up with Sanseikuro by adjusting the estimate (laughs). In the end, if you put up a suitable material, it’s beautiful and pleasant. I’m glad it worked out so well.

I think it’s good that the product doesn’t have any foul taste. I get tired of products that say, “Well, what do you think?
I think it’s great that products released a long time ago are still being sold today. The fact that it always around gives it a timeless value.
For example, I still use Vola’s water faucets.

But I don’t think I want something for myself anymore.

Ashizawa: Oh, but now I want a camera lens (laughs).
I participated as a judge for the IF Design Award once. I got a FUJIFILM camera after talking to Masazumi Imai, a FUJIFILM camera designer who was on the same jury at the time, about various things.

I was told that since FUJI dealt in film, they had an underlying sense of color.
I felt that the iPhone camera wasn’t enough and couldn’t get a better image than I expected.

Especially with a camera, the state of the light is very apparent. In the end, photography is all about light.
These days, I carry my camera with me every day. This is a mirrorless camera, but I still think it’s heavy, and sometimes I don’t even click the shutter once.

And I’ve recently realized that, while it’s partly due to the camera’s performance, it’s the lens that captures the light.
I bought a 23mm and 35mm single focal length lens, but they are both brighter and tighter.

I want to get a zoom lens, but the brighter zoom lenses are much more expensive.
It’s incredible what these things can do. The performance of the product and the price are precisely right. There isn’t a gap between the account and the price. There are no bargains. Things that I like are expensive without ever losing their value.

The difference in price also depends on the strength of the brand, though.
I’ve always been curious about FUJIFILM cameras; they seem to be in the minority. FUJIFILM may be quite a bargain compared to other camera brands.

It seems like they’re working harder than other manufacturers to ensure users correctly see their cameras. That’s one thing I like about it.

─ It means that you empathize with the stance and spirit of the manufacturer.

Ashizawa: It’s the same for us. If you want to beat the established designers, you have to work hard at that.

Well, I’m talking about the fact that I’m into cameras right now.
Jonas, the architect at Norm Architecture, with whom I work on projects such as REAGE KINUTA TERRACE, is an amazingly good photographer, and he’s been an influence on me.
“I remember I was an architect, too.”I thought, “Well, so I must be a good photographer too because I’m part of the same group.”

But after a while, I realized that I’m not Jonas (laughs).

─ What is important to you as an architect when you are involved in different projects?

Ashizawa: I think that architects are capable of making proposals. We try to improve the environment and change the system to a better society, little by little.
And yet, if there is beauty in it, it will be something that will last.

In terms of beauty, I recently heard that national treasures are beautiful. I think everyone knows unconsciously that beauty is worth preserving.

I often tell my staff that the most important thing is to develop their sense of beauty. Without that, there would be no architecture, no space, and no design.
And the differences in aesthetics become a person’s personality. Perhaps it’s partly due to national characteristics.

It would be best if you also were unique to make a living as an architect.

In other words, if you are unique, in a big city like Tokyo, someone can find you.

If a client wants to find a perfect person, they will not choose an architect just because they are cheap. Even if they were to ask you for help because you are less expensive than a specific person, you would have no choice but to say no (laughs).

Of course, cost sense is a significant factor, but it’s essential to be unique after all.
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(2020.03.06 at Ishinomaki Laboratory Tokyo Showroom near Keiji Ashizawa Design’s office)