Simplicity, sophistication, and clarity might come to mind when one thinks of the MUJI brand, and Kenya Hara has been an essential figure in the brand’s development. A gracious and humble Kenya provoked the minds of many as he walked through his thoughts, teachings, and objects Thursday 29 November 2007 at Bumble and bumble. His approach to design solutions embraces the ideology of emptiness, which has helped the MUJI brand and himself create a niche in design.

Hara went into great depth on the difference between emptiness and minimalism and how each has helped shape both MUJI and his solutions. A more in-depth look at these concepts and their relationship to one another can be found in his recent book Designing Design.

MUJI Interior

MUJI stainless aluminum pen case

MUJI salt shaker

Hara said MUJI is intended “to give form to ‘living.’” This idea was extended in a 2004 exhibition, “Haptic.” Hara explains: “The ‘Haptic’ Exhibition intentionally features the activity of making things, that is, the activity that originates in the human senses, not that stimulated by new materials. The term ‘haptic’ means to be palpable to the sense of touch. What kind of design arises when we establish as our primal concern in making things a focus on tactile perception?” Some of the highlights of the exhibition can be seen below.

Juice Peel Beverage

Naoto Fukasawa, Product Designer

2004

Floating Compass

Shunji Yamanka, Product Designer

2004

KAMI TAMA: Hair Lantern

Kosuke Tasumra, Fashion Designer

2004

Visit the Hara Design Institute for a more in-depth project showcase.