makio hasuike interview

makio hasuike

we met makio hasuike in his studio in milan 21st of october, 2005.

what is the best moment of the day ?

maybe morning when I have just woken up, or when I go home in the evening.

what kind of music do you listen to at the moment ?

music that my daughter listens to, I wouldn’t even know what it is. (laughs)

do you listen to the radio ?

mainly in the car.

what books do you have on your bedside table ?

a mix of books. at the moment I am reading a book by a spanish philosopher… what is his name again…anyway, the book is ‘dopo la passione politica’ (editor’s note: a literal translation would be ‘after the passion of politics’, the author is josep ramoneda) there are about ten other books. art, antique arts, ceramics, which I like very much. I read in little pieces, I never manage to read an entire book at once.

do you read design magazines ?

I receive about a ten a month. but I very rarely read them , I skim through them quikly.they are all a bit the same.

where do you get news from? newspapers ?

newspapers yes, I read them every day when I go back home, but also the news is always a bit the same, and politics have become a scandalistic novel. reading the book I mentioned before, I understand how much politics has become a spectacle.

do you notice how women are dressing ?

do you have any preferences ?

for me ‘style’ means dressing simple and elegant.when a woman has too much make up, jewellery etc. it scares me.I like classics but also the more modern garments.character is important.

what kind of clothes do you avoid wearing ?

too fashionable or sporty. I don’t like anything which is exaggerated.

do you have any pets ?

yes, a dog.

when you were a child, did you want to be an architect ?

more than to become an architect or a designer, I wanted tobecome a tram driver, but my destiny seemed that I wouldbecome an artist. maybe because of my father, who was agraphic designer and painter, I imagined myself as a painter too.later reading and seeing films about artists which all died poor…I started to doubt – why should I opt for such a tragic life?-I always liked mathematics and science, and I thought to becomea tecnician or an engineer, but I felt that this would betrait myartistic nature. at a certain point I resolved this dilemma bybecoming a designer.

where do you work on your designs and projects ?

I work in the studio, because it is a kind of a cage which forcesme to work. though I remember some projects done while travelling,sometimes I manage to concentrate on work in a hotel when I am alone.at home I don’t manage to work.

what project has given you the most satisfaction ?

a project for me is not only the result, the final object,but I’m intrigued by the kind of decisions you’re obliged to take.decisions that mark a path, a changing.for example, when I started MH-WAY I tried to be distinctive,but wanted our products not to be exaggerated.I wanted things that were practical and simple for ‘urban nomads ‘,with a minimum cost and weight, because after work, getting onthe metro with a heavy briefcase, is a burden…

your deisgns range from buildings to home appliances and

accessories, is there something you still haven’t designed

but would really like to ?

anything that comes.designing is like eating – I always find new tastes.I also like to work on something that I have already designed,because when I do it again I might take a different approachand it would become a completely new thing.

it seems you pay a lot of attention to details.

…details are important, (a long break)details are never mere decoration: I develop them frominnovative materials by using modern technologies.sometimes I would like to finalize all of them, but in many casesI am not satisfied with them at all. (laughs)

did you design your ideal house for yourself ?

I have always dreamed about my own ‘perfect’ house,(long break) which I have never had.now, since 4 years, we are building a house that could getvery close to this ideal. but I noticed that when I concentratetoo much on it, at the end don’t want it anymore like this (laughs)…maybe I’m looking for an empty space, and I can continue to dream,which might be the house that most suits me.

who would you like to design something for ?

… I am not so determined here either, what comes I do.I cannot decide against something that is bigger than me- against destiny. one thing that gives me a lot of satisfactionis that my life is not like my original idea was.everything has come out in a strange way.this strangenes I like a lot.I look at my own life like I look at a film, and probablyI am not the director (laughs).

do you discuss your work with architects and designers ?

I would like to, but this is very rare.it doesnt happen much, not even ten times a year.of course there is a lot of discussion in our office or with my clients.I teach and I started partly to be-able to discuss about projects.

describe your style, like a good friend of yours would

describe it.

well, how I would like it to be …my design should be part of nature, non violent, no disharmony,sometimes invisible.

please describe an evolution in your work,

from your first projects to the present day.

like I have said, if I had to do every project again I would love to do soand the outcome would be very different. I came to italy becausea certain discontinuity fascinates me.I’m interested not only in a partial change of a project,but to change the entire way of thinking every time.

is there any designer and/or architect from the past,

you appreciate a lot?

this also changes a lot, I looked a lot to europe -scandinavia, germany, italy…and the americans – eames, saarinen, nelson…today I would like to have the eames chair.isamu noguchi makes me think a lot.

and those still active, are there any particular ones

you appreciate?

too many.

any advice for the young ?

one has to have a strong passion for this work and it needs acertain amount of sane ambition because you have to work a lot.quantity is part of the quality.one has to have an abundance of energy.

what are you afraid of regarding the future?

more than afraid I am very dis-pleased about getting old.life is so interesting that it should be twice as long.

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