Design Hero: Oki Sato
Japanese design has long been known for its minimalism, but not many do it like Oki Sato. His playful takes on industrial design and architecture have carried his firm Nendo towards international recognition. I am endlessly inspired by Sato’s creations and philosophy. Through this series of deliverables, I aimed to translate his bountiful portfolio, love for manga, and lighthearted but clean style into a distinct visual system.
sole designer
timeline: 14 weeks
tools: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Figma, After Effects, HTML and CSS
advised by Brett Yasko and Andrew Twigg
animation
A 65-second long animation introducing Oki Sato’s playfully minimalist style. Full process here
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poster
Designers of anything from chopsticks to chairs to the Tokyo Olympics Cauldron, Nendo is appropriately named after the Japanese word for “clay,” or “play dough.” This poster is heavily inspired by manga and Oki Sato’s own sketches that are the blueprints to many of the firm’s works. Full process here
booklet
A 16-page booklet with more detailed looks into Oki Sato’s works and evolution. Full process here
mobile experience
An interactive app prototype created alongside the booklet. Full process here
