The teachings of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style can be summarised in two words: be clear. It requires writers to omit the unnecessary in order to arrive to the simplest, most effective way to communicate. The same is applicable to design – the simpler it looks, the more thought and effort actually goes into it. This process of distillation is very important to Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa, known for his reverence for forms that relate to us on a human level. Devoid of useless details or unnecessary ornamentation, Fukasawa’s thoughtful designs are rooted in responding to one’s environment. Over coffee at colourliving in Hong Kong, he talks about his philosophy and how it comes into play with his 12-year collaboration with revered brand B&B Italia.

Why didn’t you tell me earlier? That was what the owner of B&B Italia said when I told them that I’ve wanted to work with them. They didn’t tell me what they wanted me to do so eventually I decided to design a shelf that became Shelf X. It was meant to be a limited run, but demand was high so we made the original 100 a signed edition.

I was fascinated by the calibre of people working with the brand. For example, there’s Ronaldo Goria, who’s almost 80 years old and revered in the Italian furniture-making industry for his expertise in foam, textile and more. We work on a trial and error basis – things like tension of fabric and thinness of material can be hard to draw but he just gets it, and helps modify the design for the better.

The process of manufacturing is equally important. It’s not just about producing a designer’s drawing; it’s about touching, feeling, making. It’s intuitive and also takes a long time. For the first Papilio chair, product development alone took more than two years.

When we released the Grande Papilio, we didn’t expect it to become such an iconic piece. Due to its success, we were able to expand the series, so we gradually developed an outdoor version, a bed, and even a loveseat. The Papilio Shell is its newest and last incarnation.

I look at myself as the person who creates a good soup stock. From this foundation, a certain taste can be added. For example, once I create the outline, B&B Italia can easily add their own flavour to my ideas. 

I naturally absorb many things; I’m like a sponge. I don’t need a particular inspiration to design. If you pay attention to the environment – something I call the ambient around the body and life – then you can clearly see what’s missing.

Culture does not play much of a role in how I design. The easiest way to develop the perfect outline is to observe one’s surroundings rather than just creating. I always aim to create designs that work for all humans because at the basic level, all of us have the same wants and needs.

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