Utide have been shortlisted in The International Design and Architecture Awards.

Name: Miki Saito
Company: Utide
Position within company: Founder
Website: www.utide.com

Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc)
My background is a fusion of cultures. I was born in Tokyo, raised in New York, and worked in London. Prior to launching my own interior design firm, I worked in real estate development and corporate branding.
I am an graduate of Keio University Faculty of Economics, and  Keio University Graduate School of Media and Governance (Architecture Urban Design)

How would you describe your personal design style?
Our design is a fusion (modern X classic, east X west, antique X new) of design and styles. 

Where does your design inspiration come from?
Traveling around the world, Staying at hotels around the world, Visiting restaurants, walking around the neighborhood, SNS (instagram / pinterest), and magazines.

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?
Perstonal, simple and natural.

Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2020 and beyond.
Personal: Not geared by design trend, original for each
Natural: Not over exaggerating, Natural colours
Mix of Real X Tech material: Wood and Giant marble like ceramic tile, sofa covered with leather like material X real leather cushion
Ecological: Usage of natural / composable materials,
Back to Basic: Hints are in the history

If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to design schemes, what would it be?
Don’t think too ahead.  Concentrate on your present and near future life.  Design can change accordingly.

How important are The International Design & Architecture Awards?
It is our first time to join the award, so we truly do not know.  But we hope that this will be a good challenge not only for us but for the other Japanese interior design firm to understand the importance of joining the international award.  As design is still not a great value in Japan, and interior design is considered as something anyone can do, we hope that we can be a good example to show that design has a value and interior design is important.

What projects are you currently working on?
A renovation project of an large flat in Shibuya, Tokyo
A newly built housing in Setagaya, Tokyo

What was your favourite project to work on and why?
The apartment renovation in Azabu, Tokyo.
It was an aparment Andre Putman designed originally.  Althought the flat the client owned was not designed by her, her design is left as original in the lounge and the library area of the apartment.  And we believe green /  gray  window frame is her original design, which is used in all flats including the flat we renovated.  Thus, when renovating the flat, we chose light green /  grey for the kitchen door, created curve walls at the entrance…etc.

What was your most challenging project to work on and why?
Designing a high-end Personal Fitness Gym.  As we normally design housing, it was our first time to design a gym.  The client asked us to design the gym as he wanted to create a comfortable home – like gym, like his own house which we designed.

Which products/services could you not live without when designing?Lighting

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?
To incorporate more digital and technology in design and presentation.
Japan is still outdated with the usage of technology in design and presentation.
We want to use digital scanning and modelling to save our time measuring and use more time for designing.   We want to express our design easily and precise to the client using the digital sketch (not 3D modelling)

Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself and your daily inspirations:

Your favourite holiday destination? Untohcued Japanese island like Tanegashima
Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar?
Park Hyatt Tokyo
Amanpulo

Utide have been shortlisted in The International Design and Architecture Awards.

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