Daisuke Ishikawa
Japan
CAREER Enrolled in April 2009; Completed master’s degree in March 2011
My individual style has remained consistent since I entered KMD. I believe in creating things I personally believe are wonderful, and yet what I create should be loved by my friends and accepted universally.
For my project, I made LED lighting that changes the ambience of human habitats in everyday life. My interest was motivated by the contrast between special and ordinary moments, a contrast that has been part of Japanese tradition from ancient times. Considering the traditional contrast, I focused on how lighting affects our lives in contemporary Japanese houses. For example, we should be able to change the lighting as well as the table setting when we have a dinner party. This goes far beyond pressing a button to light a room. In the same sense as changing a table cloth, dishes and preparing foods and drinks for guests, I invented lampshades that change lighting. When changing lampshades, tone and lightness/darkness of the light also change accordingly.
In a later project, KMD classmates and I set up a new brand called ‘semi (cicada)’ under the concept of extending the lifetime of designed products. We have designed and sold products such as bags and gadget cases made from old department store banners and ads. This project is still ongoing after graduating from KMD, fulfilling our challenge to set up successful businesses.
(This article was written in March 2013.)