Japan (IV): A meaning of White

In 2011, when I was in Japan, I was surprised to observed in some metro stations a serie of posters titled “Manners”.

  

My surprise was very big because I didn’t see the reason of this topic for a campaign. It is already known that Japanese are one of the politest people in the world. Discreet, quiet, delicate, they don’t want to show off. So, who is the target? I answer myself: this is another meaning of white, a kind of purity of behavior.

Later I read more things about this campaign initiated by Tokyo Metro which each year select another graphic style to express rules of behavior in public transport. It is conceived as a reminder: to not dare to…

 

I found an equivalent in Bucharest’s public transport. But the size of the advertising is so small, too discreet in comparison with the nasty, insolent habits. Romanian manners are no manners.

Japan (III): A meaning of White

Recently, the words of the Monocle’s Tokyo Guide presentation come in my mind: “Tokyo – the cleanest city,…”. Of course, you have to visit Japan to understand why someone puts on the first place in a perception hierarchy the cleanness as the main feature of a city. But it is true. Incredible cleanness!

I remembered very well my reaction in Tokyo. After few minutes of walking, not far from Washington hotel where I stayed, in the street I started to take photos to some manhole covers in which I was interested in. I was surprised that nothing I had to avoid in my pictures. The street was so clean, no garbage in it, no stump, no smudge or piece of paper, package, etc. Nothing!

I looked more attentively: no trash! I was so amazed. How to live in such a big city without trashes in the street? And I had an explanation: you are not invited to eat or drink, to consume food in the street. Smoking is also forbidden, in fact, it is prohibited. You can do it only in places with such a destination.

So, in Tokyo the streets have the black asphalt, the public halls/corridors/passages have the white-ivory colour without spots from chewing gum or juice.

That is why Japanese like so much white and dare to use this colour in public spaces with high pedestrian traffic.

Japan (II): White

For me, white has both a physical and mental association with Japan. Its meaning goes beyond the u – its appearance. This is also Kenya Hara’s* point of view on which the Japanese graphic designer focuses on his book.

When I was in Japan I remembered very well Kenya Hara’s words. But more than this, I felt the meaning of white (a part of it, of course). I can say I perceived the white values with all my senses, especially by seeing, hearing, and touching.

Seeing

To speak about white in terms of images/views is to use words like: clean, clear, discreet, transparency. There is no exaggeration to say Japan = the cleanest country, I think, like no other places. I have some arguments based on few examples. At first, the street image – a common place for many (in terms of millions): citizens and tourists – so clean that you have the impression that it was cleaned up just before you have passed through. No thrown packages, no food rests, no cigarette, no pet shit, etc. Nothing. No garbage. So that there are not urban trashes. It’s amazing. As a consequence, you are not invited to drink and eat in the street (only in dedicated places). Also, in many central places (on large areas), smoking is forbidden in the street. You can see small public places where you can go and smoke. And this feeling of cleanness spreads on various very populated public places: airports, metro and bus stations, big shops, etc. These are in terms of cleaning.

In terms of clean walls, I didn’t see graffiti anywhere, no in metro station, or somewhere in Shibuya, for example, a district where teens are a dominant presence.   

Hearing

Speaking about white in terms of sounds is to use words like: noiseless, whisper. For an European – with a Latin root, it’s hard to imagine how to keep your mouth shot in public places i.e. elevator, a metro, etc. But in Japan is normal. In an elevator with about 20 people inside you can’t hear one word speak loud, only (if) few whispers. Instead of noise, Japanese offer you (inside, of course) music – jazz or classic – put it at the minimum volume.

Touching

Speaking about white in terms of touching is to use words like: smooth, neat, finish. I understand that Japanese people like to finish their work, to complete them.

It is so obvious that white is the proper colour for Japan and Japanese: they like white more than other colour, they wear white (see a common image of the workers wearing white shirts) or very pale colours.

*Kenya Hara, White, Lars Muller Publishers, 2010

Kenya Hara is a graphic designer, the art director of Muji.

Japan (I): No brand. Only quality goods.

It started with a cutter from Olfa. And an audio cassete from Orion. The next was a cassette recorder from Sanyo. And a walkman from Panasonic. My first perfume was from Kenzo. It was followed by an audio mini system from Sony and a tv Sony triniton. And beautiful pair of shoes from Kenzo. And an other perfume from the same Kenzo. Few years ago we bought a Toyota Yaris. I discovered Shigeru Ban’s vision on architecture and design objects. And Tokujin Yoshioka’s daring design. And from half a year I wear a manga hair cut. Now, I’m starting to write down (I'm in the plane flying to Tokyo) first impressions on my trip in Japan on a Muji notebook. All these are my precious encounters with Japanese design and Japanese brands. In my mind comes Muji philosophy on design brand. It says: there is about No brand quality goods (Mujirushi Ryōhin). So meaningful, and so Japanese. No words. Only quality.

Shigeru Ban: paper with love and great mind

Numit cu deopotrivă admiraţie şi ironie ‘arhitectul hârtiei’, arhitectul japonez Shigeru Ban a schimbat percepția și convingerile celor care considerau hârtia un material demn de a fi tratat doar ca ambalaj protector. El a arătat clar și atât de convingător că se poate construi durabil din carton (straturi presate de hârtie), spulberand temerile şi preconcepţiile inginerilor, arhitecţilor şi autorităţilor. Creația sa reprezintă un amestec unic de raţional, funcţional, eficienţă, tradiţie, natural, economie, inventivitate, totul asezonat cu umor şi spirit liber.

A început să experimenteze acest material accidental, când, nevoit să reducă costurile standului expoziţional dedicat lui Alvar Aalto (unul din modelele lui profesionale), a înlocuit lemnul cu tuburi de carton ridicând fără dificultăţi structura propusă. Această întâmplare l-a facut pe Shigeru Ban să afle mai mult despre acest material, să-i înţeleagă calităţile şi să le stăpânească cu maiestrie şi înţelepciune, devenind un pionier al utilizării tuburilor de carton în structuri arhitecturale. Cercetând materia primă (în întregime reciclabilă) din care sunt fabricate tuburile de carton, descoperă proprietaăţtile de rezistenţă la presiune şi gradul de flexibilitate ale materialului cat si faptul ca poate deveni rezistent la apa şi la foc. Dar, în viziunea lui, banalul tub de carton nu are doar calităţi structurale, fiind un element constructiv şi portabil extraordinar, ci şi estetice, valorificând tradiţia japoneză a caselor din bambus. De fapt, el numeşte cartonul ‘lemn îmbunătăţit’.

Japanese object

Strong and thin, reliable and fitted to (many) purposes, I remember so well my first Japanese object: a cutter from Olfa. It was at the middle of the ’70s. I remember it’s honest form (ergonomically fitted in my fragile hand) and distinct color (black and yolky-yellow) with its body made of painted metal and plastic. And, perhaps, above all, its snap off blade which can be snapped easily at the end of the cutter.

After so many years, and many encounters with quality objects, I strongly believe that this Japanese object definitively shaped my perception of good design – i.e. simple, durable, and as little design as possible (“less but better” – Dieter Rams).

Calatrava: Form for a future content

I wished to see Calatrava’s architecture live. This was the main reason to spend few days in Valencia this summer. Valencia is the Calatrava’s birthplace. I wished to touch his architecture, to go around and pass through it, to look at it by day and by the evening.

Mi-am dorit mult sa vad arhitectura de Calatrava ”live”. Asta a fost principalul motiv al sejurului in Valencia – orasul natal al arhitectului. Am vrut sa ma plimb prin ea, sa o ating, sa o privesc pe timp de zi si pe inserat.

Acest ansamblu cultural si educativ – cu cele 5 componente: Palatul artelor, Palatul stiintei si omului, Umbrarul, Agora si Oceanografic-ul – este in sine, in forma sa, prin arhitectura, cultural si educativ. O tema rezolvata cu stiinta si indrazneala, cu forme si detalii bine desenate (poate mai putin unele finisaje bune ca intentie, putin experimentate si verificate in timp). Palatul stiintei este de vazut ca arhitectura atit in interiorul sau cit si in exterior. Continutul tematic mi s-a parut depasit si demn pentru anii 70, nu pentru inceputul secolului 21.