Taiju Yamashita (山下 泰樹, Taiju Yamashita, born 1981) is a Japanese designer and architect. Founder of DRAFT (DRAFT Inc.) and director of TJ Design and Architecture.
Career
Drop out from Musashino Art University, industrial, interior, craft design department. Graduated from Bond University, Australia. Established DRAFT Inc. in 2008. Since launching his career as a pioneer in the field of office design in Japan[1], he has broadened the scope of his activities to product brand for the DAFT about DRAFT, as well as urban design and environmental design.
He has received numerous international design awards, including the Best of Year Awards (2018), SBID International Design Awards Asia Winner (2023), and Nikkei New Office Award, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award (2023). Taiju is internationally as one of Japan's foremost young designers.
Selected Projects
- Zoff
- BoConcept Minamiaoyama Showroom Office
- Sony Music Entertainment
- Adastria
- CyberAgent, Inc. Abema Towers office、SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE Office
- JAXA ‘KIBO’ MCR Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
- TORIDOLL HOLDINGS
- NAGOYA INNOVATOR'S GARAGE
- beBit - UX Square Tokyo
- dip
- Wantedly
- Geniee
- STYLE & PLAY GREAT YARD
- ＋SHIFT NOGIZAKA
- Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City KOIL TERRACE
- MIKAN SHIMOKITA
- Wolfgang’s Steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener TEPPAN
- Salone del Mobile Milano 2023[2]
- Villa ASO
- Pointillisme (Salone del Mobile Milano 2024)[3]
- Yokohama Rinko Park Project (Complex facility including cafe and running station, scheduled to be completed after 2023)[4]
Awards
- 2016 Liveable Office Award ー Small & Medium Business Category Fist Prize[5] (Hong Kong)
- 2016 INSIDE World Festival of Interiorsー Retail Category Finalist (Germany)
- 2016-2017 A’Design Award & Competition ー Silver and Bronze Award (Italia)
- 2017 Spark Awards ー Bronze Award[6] (USA)
- 2018 INTERIOR PLANNING AWARD[7] (Japan)
- 2018 Best of Year Awards ー Contract Desk Category Winner[8] (USA)
- 2020 Sky Design Awards ー Shortlist (Hong Kong / Japan)
- 2021-2022 International Property Awards ー Asia Pacific Awards Office Interior Japan Winner (U.K.)
- 2023 Nikkei New Office Award ー Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award[9] (Japan)
- 2023 Society of British Interior Design International Design Awards ー Office Category Asia Winner[10] (U.K.)
Quote
Books
- "100 Space Designers and Architects: Shop Design in Trend" (話題のショップをつくる注目の空間デザイナー・建築家100人の仕事[11])
- "Discerning office design created with graphics and renovation" (グラフィック×リノベーションでつくるこだわりのオフィスデザイン[12])
- "How to create a brand with a story that sells excitement and value" (感動と価値を売る、ストーリーのあるブランドの作り方[13])
- "NAGOYA 2030" (ナゴヤ2030[14])
Magazines
- "CasaBRUTUS" (MAGAZINE HOUSE)
- "BRUTUS" No.784 (MAGAZINE HOUSE)
- "SHOTENKENCHIKU" (SHOTENKENCHIKU-SHA)
- "WORK STYLE BOOK" vol.2（NEKO PUBLISHING）
- "Pen" No.533 （CCC Media House）
- "T JAPAN" Constructing Coziness[15] (The New York Times)
TV
- NHK World TV - DESIGN TALKS+
- NHK Educational TV - DESIGN TALKS+