I knew what I wanted: to study for one semester at the School of Visual Arts [“SVA”] in New York City, a city overflowing with multiple cultures, street life, and exciting sounds. Further, the SVA offered a unique combination between interior design and documentary making – a perfect fusion of my two passions at the time.
One of the SVA field trips involved a visit to Takeshi Miyakawa, a Japanese designer located in Brooklyn. I was immediately fascinated by his design and wanted to both learn and share his story.
I am a cockroach
Mini portrait of Takeshi Miyakawa
Takashi is a typical man and has his own design studio in Brooklyn New York City. Japanese Takeshi Miyakawa exchanged his hometown of Tokyo for New York City in 1989. Takeshi was always fascinated by New York City, “excited by very simple things on the street”, seeing inspiration in what “some people call… garbage”.
His design concepts are challenging and complicated, shapes we have never seen before. He starts everyday with a Brooklyn donut and spends his days in his design studio producing sketches, models, and his final pieces. Also a chef in his own regard, his studio often doubles as a Yatai, a Japanese street style kitchen. His non-stop energy is supported by the delicious lunches and dinners he prepares.
However, his creative energy is primarily fueled by his passion. He shares: “as long as I have this passion, I will be creating when I am maybe eighty years old”.
