Interview

What factors do you carefully consider when creating a digital model?

I work as an interior modeler in the design department. When I joined Nissan, I was using clay models, but by my sixth year, I began working with digital models. In recent years, there’s been a rapid shift towards digital technology. Interior modeling requires the use of various materials and many components to be effectively expressed in design. For this reason, using digital techniques in interior modeling can be more cost-effective than using them in exterior modeling.

The transition to digital tools has not altered the core principles of crafting. If we learn how to use the software, we can apply the knowledge and experience we’ve gained from working with other materials and tools. Rather than distinguishing between digital and physical, it is essential we combine our sculpting knowledge with intuitive senses. However, digital tools can be a double-edged sword because they are very convenient. If we rely on them too much, we end up building a superficial model calculated by a machine, so we need to have a clear definition of the intended product in mind.

What do you value the most in your work?

I make a maximum effort to exclude my personal preferences. In design, it is important to make the key theme stand out more and create a 3D form that eliminates any distractions. Upon considering the intent of the design, I create models that are aesthetically pleasing as three-dimensional objects.
One reason for this is that I engage in creative work as an artist outside of my professional duties. Car design can be defined as a task that eliminates unnecessary elements, while my personal artwork is created with more elements added. I believe that my identity should be expressed solely through my personal artwork.
Fortunately, Nissan is a company that values individual creativity. It is not an environment that demands machine-like production. I am very satisfied with the atmosphere at Nissan, which allows me to express my creativity and pursue my artistic endeavors in my own time.