Inspirations: The Japanese Aesthetic with Naomi Pollock: Season 2 Episode 1
Architect/Author Naomi Pollock, FAIA chats with Katie and Dawn about the Japanese Aesthetic.
Architect/Author Naomi Pollock (photo courtesy of Naomi)
Naomi Pollock, who lived in Japan for nearly 30 years, is an American architect who writes about Japanese design and architecture. Her work has appeared in numerous publications on both sides of the Pacific, including A+U, Dwell, GRAY Magazine, Kinfolk, Wallpaper* and Architectural Record, for whom she is the Special International Correspondent. In addition, she is the author of several books, including Modern Japanese House, Made in Japan: 100 New Products, Jutaku: Japanese Houses, and Sou Fujimoto. In 2018, she was selected to join the College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects.
Both Dawn and Katie have found inspiration in Japanese architecture and design. Neither has been to Japan, but both have enjoyed reading about and perusing images of the Japanese aesthetic. Before launching into a chat with Naomi about her expertise, Dawn shares a project from Oliveira Textiles that took direct inspiration from the Japanese aesthetic.
In 2015 Dawn was contracted by Belinda Coker, owner & founder of the environmentally minded, Australia-based company Enviro-Sax, to design a series of patterns inspired by Japanese yukata robes. Belinda sent a 'brief' with lots of beautiful inspiration photos. The final result was called 'The Tokyo Collection'.
The conversation then turns to Naomi and discussion of several of her books, including: Modern Japanese House, from Phaidon Press November 1, 2005,
Jutaku: Japanese Houses from Phaidon Press October 12, 2015, and her most recent book Japanese Design Since 1945: A Complete Sourcebook from Thames & Hudson November 3, 2020.
Naomi and her publisher were kind enough to share some glimpses inside Japanese Design Since 1945. See below:
