5 japanese design concepts.
It might not be a surprise to you that i have a serious penchant for Japan. The country of the rising sun is home to wonderful traditions and beautiful crafts. And yes, to plastic pink beeping gadgets, too. But let’s not forget that the Japanese have some very sophisticated aesthetic concepts that can inspire us all.
1. kanketsu
The first one might be the easiest. Kanketsu means simplicity. A company like Muji is based on kanketsu, thought it stresses that true simplicity is often achieved through a complex process. Isn’t this what good design is all about: a complex process towards a (deceivingly) simple solution?
2. wabi-sabi
This one is really hard to explain. Wabi stands for a kind of freshness and quietness. It can also refer to quirks and anomalies arising from the process of construction, which add uniqueness and elegance to the object. Sabi is beauty or serenity that comes with age, when the life of an object is evidenced in its patina and wear, or in visible repairs. The Japanese word for rust is also pronounced as sabi, and the two words surely share some connotations, when it comes to the impermanence of things. Wabi-sabi then is the art of balancing those two, which is neverending process in itself. In short: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, nothing is perfect and that is a good thing.
3. iki
Iki is a concept that goes back to the Edo period (1603-1868). It was first used by samurai to describe someone honourable. Afterwards, common people started to use it and it got the meaning of elegant but without being arrogant or exuberant. It means original, calm, exquisite and sophisticated but without being perfect or complicated. A bit like the French word “chic”, but as the English would say: understated chic. I’m thinking of a subtle Delvaux bag inherited from your mother rather than a new bag with a big “Louis Vuitton” logo. In Japan, geishas are regarded as iki: they are beautiful and sophisticated but don’t have the intention to stand out. Haruki Murakami’s books are also described as iki.
4. mono no aware
Mono no aware literally means "the pathos of things". It means being aware of the passing of things and the bittersweet feeling that goes with it. It comes from the word mono which means “things” and the word aware, which used to be an expression of measured surprise.
5. ma
Have you ever seen a Japanese flower arrangement in ikebana tradition? To western eyes, it is really empty. We mostly tend to like opulent arrangements but the Japanese see emptiness as a key element in aesthetics. This ‘white space’ is called ma. It defines the element around it, and is in turn also defined by the elements surrounding it. Without nothing, you cannot have something.
It may be clear by now: these concepts are amazingly interesting, yet almost never simple. They tend to contain a certain disbalance or circularity that conflict with our western polarity-thinking. But that’s exactly what I find so mind-expanding about them.
Something to think about!
(All pictures below are designs by Naoto Fukasawa: heater for plusminuszero - cd player for muji - chair for vitra - pouf for driade - electric water kettle for plusminuszero - chair for magis - humidifier for plusminuszero)
