General Design is an architecture firm based in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 1999 by founder and architect Shin Ohori. Shin Ohori was born in Gifu Prefecture, Japan in 1967. He graduated from Musashino University of Art in 1990 and received his master's degree in architecture from Musashino University of Art Graduate School in 1992.

Yinjispace：What kind of design does GENERAL represent in your mind? At the beginning of your creation, why did you choose to name your firm with GENERAL?

General Design：When I started my own design firm 22 years ago, designs produced by architects and design firms around me seemed so full of their personal intentions, attempts, and ambitions, and I thought that we should aim for a different kind of design, one that was rational, straightforward, honest, and essential. The name of our office, GENERAL DESIGN, represents the essence of such a design.

Yinjispace：How do you see the relationship between space and light, and the relationship between materials and space creation?

General Design：I believe that light creates space. By creating different shades of light, we can manipulate the quality, density, and depth of a space. By doing so, I hope to provide enriching moments for those who experience the space. Various characteristics and meanings of materials, including their physical properties, images and attractive qualities they possess, their historical backgrounds, and effects of time that cause gradual degradations, have significant effects on the required functions and qualities of the space. A considerable amount of time and energy is spent on selecting materials that will be the best fit for each project. I prefer materials that have rough, ambiguous, and deep textures that will become more attractive over time, to those which are smooth and shiny, and just left to deteriorate.

Yinjispace：How many projects has GENERAL completed so far? In your many years of design career, what role have you tried to make your company play in society? In which direction do you hope to develop in the future?

General Design：In our office, we have been working on architectural design for private residences and commercial facilities, as well as interior design for restaurants and apparel brands. We deal with both architectural design and interior design in equal measure, and neither of them is primary or secondary. We have completed about 50 architectural projects and about 200 commercial interior design projects.

We have been fortunate to have met a variety of inspiring clients.All of our projects have been inspired by our conversations with our clients and solutions to their specific problems. We believe that design work is about taking client’s vague, unformed images and bringing them to life right before their eyes.

The top page of our website lists our past projects in no particular order. At first glance, the designs may seem disparate, but there is an underlying common thread of thought running through all of them. It is rational, straightforward, honest, and essential, and is the result of working with clients, builders, and others to make what we believe are the best decisions.

In Japan, the 1960’s and 1970’s saw the birth of many wonderful buildings. In particular, there are still some detached houses and apartment buildings called vintage houses and apartments that have become even more attractive with passage of time. However, these buildings are reaching the end of their life span as physical buildings and are on the verge of disappearance.On the other hands, more and more buildings are being built every year, but I wonder how many of them will still remain as attractive as these vintage buildings 40 or 50 years from now.We would like to create buildings that will be cherished and used by people for a long time, and will be called “vintage” in the future.

Yinjispace：How do you balance the relationship between design and life? What time do you spend at work every day?

General Design：When I was young, like many designers, I spent almost all of my time in my life working. Since I started my own firm at a young age with little experience, I struggled to keep it going. This is not the case now that I am older, and I don’t expect my young staff to work that way either. It may sound a bit trite, but I believe that rich experiences and a balanced daily life will lead to the createon of good design.

Yinjispace：Have you had any contact with Chinese owners before? What do you think of the status quo of design in China?

General Design：In the past, I was approached by a branding company in China to work on a project, but due to external factors, it did not come to fruition.I believe that there are a lot of excellent architectures in China, both past and present. I am personally very interested in traditional private houses such as Siheyuan. Today, many outstanding architects from all over the world are actively working in China, and I have high hopes and expectations that young and talented Chinese architects will play an increasingly active role in the future.

Yinjispace：How do you see the influence of Japanese traditional culture on contemporary design?

General Design：I can't find the right words to describe the influence of traditional Japanese culture on contemporary design in general. As for my own design, I don't consciously draw on traditional Japanese culture when I design, but I suppose I am probably unconsciously influenced by it in the way I think about the relationship between space and light, harmony with nature, the passage of time, and a calm and dignified atmosphere in my work. All of our projects are designed to be as minimal and essential as possible.