Kazuhiro Yamanaka
Kazuhiro Yamanaka is a Japanese designer whose multidisciplinary practice spans collectible furniture, product and lighting design, and installation. Born in Tokyo, he studied at Musashino Art University before completing his MA at the Royal College of Art in London. Throughout his career, Yamanaka has collaborated with international design houses including Ligne Roset, Boffi, Ingo Maurer, Alessi, Pallucco, and SAAZS, developing a body of work characterized by experimentation, precision, and a particular sensitivity to light and space.
Central to Yamanaka’s practice is an exploration of the relationship between objects, their surroundings, and the invisible void they define. His work has entered the collections of institutions including MoMA in New York and the Power Station of Art in Shanghai, where his first major solo exhibition was held in 2017. Alongside his design practice, he has taught at Musashino Art University since 2014 and has served as a visiting professor at the China Academy of Art since 2020. In 2025, his work was recognized with the Dezeen Award for Best Lighting Design of the Year.
Interview
I was born in Tokyo. I spent 20 years in London and now live in Japan.
I started making furniture when I was six years old.
No. I worked as a security guard in London for 15 years.
I was surrounded by materials as a child and had plenty of time to experiment and make things.
When designing an object, I first imagine the space surrounding it. The form of the object then gradually emerges in my mind.
I usually handle administrative work in the morning and focus on design in the afternoon and evening. To relax, I swim in the sea at midnight every other day, even during winter.
As a student, I worked with A4 paper because it was the most affordable material available. Since then, I have been fascinated by its beauty and potential.
Tsubomi Lamp
How Slow The Wind Swivel Chair, 2001
Creating maximum impact with minimum use of material.
There are no definitive answers in art and design, so I have no advice to give.
Maximalism.
Too many artists and designers to name.
Too many to mention.
Too many to list.
Inventive Beauty.
“I do not design objects. I design the void they define.”
The Questions
(The Proust Questionnaire is a set of questions answered by the French writer Marcel Proust.
Other historical figures who have answered confession albums are Oscar Wilde,
Karl Marx, Arthur Conan Doyle, Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Cézanne…)
Creation
Not trying
Overthinking
Cunning
No one
Curiosity
Exploration
Obedience
Integrity
Independence
What A Little Moonlight Can Do
Rainy Day
Interesting
Insight
Boldness
Invention
Light
Kamakura
Imagination
Confinement
Designer
Curiosity
Honesty
–
The Little Prince
Leonardo da Vinci
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Hana, Issey
Cynicism
Hesitation
Creating
Keep questioning
Paper Torch
“Light is a mystery I will never fully understand, yet I will spend a lifetime trying.”
Rock Garden GRAFFITI 
Collapsible Moon 
Candle In The Wind
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