In Profile
BABID

How would you describe your personal design style?

There are two distinctive characteristics of my design approach.
1) People describe my style as an Elaborate Zen, where they can feel rich cultural elements from East and West, old and new. To achieve this, one must understand the deep theory and history of architecture, interior design, decorative art, and the art of both cultures in which I lived, and now teach at my college.
Vernacular is also the most important concept for me to build a design concept. I use geographical, geopolitical, historical and cultural research to find facts and stories that give rise to design and derive design concepts. I studied geography and museum studies at university, and by using these methods, I created a core of deep design that is not superficial.
For example, the design concept for the third Curation Hotel comes from these two unique aspects: the dramatic location and geography of Atami City—mountains, coastline, and sea—combined with the area’s cultural history.
The interior design refers to these motifs throughout and, where possible, has been made by craftspeople using traditional skills and locally sustainably sourced materials. The finished interior is then curated by adding art pieces from the client’s collection and several important Japanese antique artworks that were fled during the political revolution 160 years ago and brought home from Europe.

2) I am a hotel design producer who has run design offices in London and Tokyo for 25 years and has 20 years of experience in hotel consulting. I do not just design hotels but also show their future path, express and create it through design, contribute significantly to the hotel’s sales and property value, and show the potential of sustainable design to the market. I hope that this award will help us reach potential clients who are aiming to create sustainable hotels all over the world.
For example, I completed four “Curation Hotel”, which is the trademark of Noriko Sawayama.
The concept of Curation Hotels is to produce sustainable hotels by renovating historical hotels and houses, where guests can learn about the traditional Japanese architecture, decoration and art they are immersed in and appreciate how contemporary design and art can complement the traditional making methods and materials. The hotels were not aimed to be just popular for tourists but to be appreciated by guests and residents as showcases for local treasure.
This is an essential part of the Curation Hotels ethos—to sustain traditional Japanese building materials, techniques, and skills that are being lost. Japan has a fantastic history of traditional artisan-constructed architecture, but sadly, many contemporary buildings tend to be created like industrial products using mass construction methods.
I aim to raise awareness of the importance of approaching hotel design with a sustainable philosophy and contribute to building a collection of likewise hotels throughout Japan.

Where does your design inspiration come from?

My designs are primarily based on research and study, but I travel around the world to supplement them. Traveling gives me surprises, emotions, and new knowledge, which enrich my designs.

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?

Sustainable design is the most basic, and design should not deviate from this. The primary definition of sustainability is the inheritance of culture. It’s about connecting the culture that humanity has built to the future, including its creators, artists, and material suppliers.
It is about refining this as much as possible and embodying it in the pursuit of beauty.
The excellent design has those details visible.

Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in the future.

Sustainable, Vernacular, Natural, Mindfulness, Health

If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to designing, what would it be?

Always ask yourself: is it authentic, genuine and original?

How important are The International Hotel & Property Awards?

Participating in a design award that reaches the eyes of many professionals and potential clients is a great marketing opportunity to spread the word about our sustainable policies and reach potential clients.
We are already regulars, but significantly, we were able to work on submitting our work for this award again this year and celebrate it with our colleagues.

What projects are you currently working on?

Hotel renovation projects
A new hotel project
House and flat renovation projects
Salon design
Show setting design

What was your favourite project to work on and why?

Atami Tonoya-an is the first curated hotel project, and it was the first home and hotel project I worked on after returning to Japan from London. It is a showcase for spreading the concept of curated hotels and a salon where people, especially professionals in the hotel and design industry, gather and learn. It was short-listed by Design et al. in 2018.
When each owner saw this first hotel, they were impressed with the concept, and this led to all the hotel projects that followed.
Seven years have passed since it was completed, but visitors still come incessantly. Many learning and interactions occur here, which is why I love this place so much.
It is an important facility that will continue to function as the core facility of curated hotels.

What was your most challenging project to work on and why?

The most challenging project was the fourth curated hotel, Gakuroku-suien, in Fujikawaguchiko Town, which won the Design et al 2023 award and was also selected for the Elite Award.
Japan is prone to earthquakes, and a renovated property must meet strict earthquake resistance standards to be recognized as a hotel.
However, in order to do so, for example, in an old house built 200 years ago, many very difficult hurdles must be cleared.
First, we need to create the necessary earthquake-resistant design through a structural investigation. This requires months of research by interior designers and architects to ensure that the hotel’s important functions and design are not compromised. The seismic renovation plan derived in this way is approved by the relevant local government office, and a formal building confirmation application is made.
Local, highly skilled carpenters also carry out the renovation. What we do is combine contemporary design with traditional construction methods that are common in the UK but very rare in Japan.
However, many carpenters working in rural areas have no experience in this field. To get the carpenters on-site to understand, it is necessary to express it clearly through drawings and images and communicate on-site. When these are communicated well, the carpenters will do their best work using their exceptional skills. This also becomes a learning experience for the carpenters themselves, leading to great satisfaction in their work and motivating them to continue to preserve traditional craftsmanship in the future.
It is a great joy for the professional team and the owner that the completed work won an award. This also became a big topic in the region and was featured in many media outlets, including television, magazines, and newspapers locally and nationally. It now plays a significant role as a nucleus for disseminating local culture.

Which products/services could you not live without when designing? E.g. Lighting companies, furniture companies

Groups of carpenters with traditional skills (experts in carpentry, plastering, painting, upholstery, fittings, joinery, and furniture)
Domestic production areas and suppliers that produce excellent timber and thinned wood
Production areas and suppliers that manufacture traditional washi paper and washi wallpaper
Production areas and suppliers that produce traditional tiles
Fabric workshops that can be customized
Highly skilled furniture manufacturers that can be customized
Artists in multiple fields who can do commissions (iron, glass, washi paper, bamboo, dyeing)
Art galleries, antique galleries
UK and European manufacturers that create excellent products in the middle area between art and design (lighting, furniture, curtain poles, fabrics)

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?

My goal is to spread the concept of sustainable hotels and to lead to an expansion of the curated hotel lineup.
Your most treasured possession? : A gorgeous cabinet decorated with Nagasaki Raden, an intricate pearl inlay technique.
It was manufactured 180 years ago, passed on to a British aristocrat, and when the aristocracy fell into ruin, it was put up for auction. A Japanese antique dealer in London specializing in Oriental art won it, and it was returned to Japan.
During the Meiji Restoration 160 years ago, many Japanese arts were exported overseas due to abolishing the samurai warrior class, the primary market for Japanese art. This became a trigger for the Japonism art movement in Europe.
By returning it, the existence of a cabinet of this quality, which was used as a dowry by a feudal lord and which is rarely seen in everyday life, was made known to the world, and it became available for many visitors to see.

Your favourite holiday destination?

When I lived in the UK for 23 years, I would stay in the south of France, Provence, every year, and it was my favourite holiday destination.
Now that I’m back in Japan, I return to London twice a year, staying for about a month each time, soaking up all the London design and art, enjoying reunions with friends, and looking forward to visiting the UK countryside.
However, Japan is now the country that inbound tourists most want to visit. Returning to Japan after a 23-year hiatus, I find it overflowing with countless fascinating travel destinations. Visiting these destinations every month is my greatest pleasure in Japan.

Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar?

Hotel: The Newt in Somerset
Restaurant: my house dinner with friends with my private Sushi Chief
Bar: numerous small bars in Atami, Shizuoka, Japan

Your favourite book, film & song?

Book: Hokusai, Beyond the great wave, British Museum
Film: My Neighbor Totoro
Song: Amagi-goe by Sayuri Ishikawa

Your favourite food and drink?

Food: Sushi
Drink: Sake

Your favourite way to spend an afternoon?

Walking in great nature with my beloved 15-year Doberman cross Momo in my town and surrounding mountains

If you weren’t in this sector, what would your alternative profession be?

Artist: Calligrapher or pianist.
As a child, I learned calligraphy from my grandfather and piano from my aunt. I was often awarded the title of number one in calligraphy in Japan.
Although it ended as a childhood hobby, I decided to work as a calligraphy artist again when I turned 70.
I want to create many sizeable interior calligraphy artworks and make them my next career.

Anything else interesting?

I am writing a book on popularizing art in the Japanese market.
Japan has a fascinating art history, with two contrasting styles: decorative and gorgeous art rooted in Jomon pottery since BC14000 and the pared-down beauty of wabi-sabi rooted in Yayoi pottery since BC1500.
There was a time when Japanese houses had many art pieces, and everyone decorated their homes beautifully.
Unfortunately, that lineage was torn apart by the Meiji Restoration, World War II, and the bubble period of the 1980s, and now art is disappearing from Japanese homes. It is evident that Japan, which maintained the world’s second-largest economy for 40 years, spends less than 1% of the world’s total on the art market.
On the other hand, Japan boasts the most significant number of art museums, biennales, and triennales worldwide. Yes, people love art but have lost the ability to incorporate it into their lives.
But how poor is it to have no art in your life? Art stimulates people’s imagination and enhances a nation’s creativity. One reason for Japan’s recent ultra-low yen and decline in the global economy could be that art has become distant from daily life.
With the explosive increase in inbound tourism, Japan’s cultural reputation is now on the rise worldwide, and there is a growing momentum among Japanese people to reexamine Japanese art.
Through my work as an interior designer in the UK and because I have been an art lover since childhood, I know how to incorporate art into daily life. I would like to share that knowledge, explain the methodology for incorporating art into daily life, and start a movement to enrich Japanese life with art.