Designer Insights: The Future of Offices
Vol.4 Expressing a Company’s Identity
– The Role of Office Space
A serene space for reflecting on exhibition methods
Takashi Nakahara is a museum designer who works on projects such as exhibitions for art museums and various expositions. He is noted for his unique career focused on exhibition spaces. His portfolio includes permanent exhibitions in science and general museums, work on the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, special exhibitions such as 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, and numerous projects with ISSEY MIYAKE. He also worked on the ITOKI booth that won the “Best Booth Award Selected by Exhibitors" at the 3rd edition of ORGATEC TOKYO in 2024. We asked Mr. Nakahara about his workstyle and his thoughts on office spaces.
Report by Yasushi Yamazaki／Journalist (JDN director)
Having three calm workspaces helps deal with anything on-site
Mr. Nakahara has three locations where he does his work. The main workspace is the company he started with friends from his student days in Tokyo’s Naka-Meguro district. This is where his staff work. “I also need to check up on the progress of projects, so I spend most time in Naka-Meguro.”
Another workspace is his home office. The third workspace is a corner at the office of his private life partner, graphic designer Mina Tabei. Having designed it and selected the furniture himself, Mr. Nakahara says that it is a comfortable space.
On weekdays, Mr. Nakahara is busy meeting clients and managing the construction of exhibitions on location. “I also have a lot of work outside of Tokyo, but I can manage as long as I have my laptop and tablet. I’m not that particular about my working environment during the day.” Due to the nature of his work, sudden adjustments at construction sites are frequent. “Meeting on location, drawing up a blueprint there, checking the end result, it’s constant moving from one place to another.”
“When I spend time thinking, designing, or sketching, then I do want an optimal environment. I’m a morning person, so for example in the early morning, when no one is around, I get a silent environment with no other people watching. I like having that.”