Ishinomaki Laboratory

Keiji Ashizawa was born in 1973. After graduation from Yokohama National University College Department of Architecture and Building Science in 1996, Keiji started his career in architecture WORKSHOP and sharpened his craftsmanship philosophy and developed his skill through custom-building of furniture in super robot. In 2005 he founded his own design studio, Keiji Ashizawa Design. Keiji is active in a wide range, including cooperation with various furniture brands such as Karimoku, MUJI, IKEA for product design projects, and Panasonic for product development and architecture projects.Hisdesigns won various awards such as Good Design Award (top 100 and Special Award from the Chairman of JDP for Ishinomaki Laboratory), and AIA's 2010 National Architecture Awards（for Wall House with Peter Stutchbury Architecture）His philosophy, "Honest Design" is consistent in every project expanding from designs for small products to architectural projects. He honestly tackles the terms and limitations of each project, groping solution for them. This process from general viewpoints results in multifaceted solutions, which amplify each element and shine the strength and beauty of materials. In architectural projects, focusing on the relation with environmental terms, he approaches from the landscape to the styling, harmonizing the space with various techniques comprehensively. For the products, considering not only functions and limitations but also relations and effects with the spaces and architectures, he is good at product designing with fine-tuning of materials.On the other hand, he is also keen to seek how design and creativity contribute to society from his architectural perspective. In 2011 to support local communities' autonomous restoration from the Great East Japan earthquake, he founded a DIY studio, Ishinomaki Laboratory. In 2014 Ishinomaki Laboratory was incorporated as a furniture brand. Design Koishikawa, which is the gallery space opened only for two years (2016-2018) in Koishikawa, is another excellent example of his projects rooted in his contribution to society. Design Koishikawa aimed to foster a local culture of the Koishikawa area, where Keiji's design studio was located. Keiji's perspective nestles close to individuals and communities of people. His works interpret knowledge and values gained from the past for modern society through choosing social-good methods and materials for environments and local society around people. His modern aspect of design translates the accumulation of values inherited from the past into one for future generations.

At a time when environmental awareness is becoming increasingly important, the post-disaster and DIY-oriented philosophy of Ishinomaki Laboratory reflects the changing paradigms in furniture design today.