Five designers who are currently shaping the world of design

A look into the worlds of Oki Sato, Patricia Urquiola, Karim Rashid, Tej Chauhan, and Naoto Fukasawa shows how differently design can be conceived, felt, and experienced.

Design is as multifaceted as the people who shape it. From playful lightness to radical reduction, from emotional design language to futuristic visions – each of these designers finds their own way to transform ideas into groundbreaking results.

Oki Sato, founder of the Japanese design studio nendo, is considered one of the quiet stars of the international design scene. Deploying clean lines and subtle humour, he transforms everyday objects into moments of wonder. His latest prestigious project, the Japan Pavilion for Expo 2025 in Osaka, shows how he manages to combine tradition and the future. His motto: minimal intervention should give objects and spaces unexpected twists. He gained international renown with projects such as the Cabbage Chair for Friedman Benda, the Deep Sea collection for Glas Italia, and the Issey Miyake stores in Tokyo.

nendo​.jp

Patricia Urquiola has become an absolute icon in the hotel scene with her unmistakable signature style. Her exemplary use of wood and stone elements, combined with sumptuous textiles, strategically placed glass, and contrasting colours, characterises some of the most stunning hotels of our time, including the visionary Il Sereno on Lake Como, the opulent Mandarin Oriental Barcelona, and the charming Six Senses Rome. In addition to her hospitality projects, the Spanish designer is one of the most sought-after product designers in the business.

patriciaurquiola​.com

With over 4,000 products in production, more than 400 awards, and projects in over 40 countries, Karim Rashid is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary design. His credo: design is not a luxury good, but a cultural force that can improve the lives of millions of people. Rashid moves with ease between luxury and democratisation. Typical features in his work: brilliant colours and organic, soft shapes.

karimrashid​.com

Whether iconic watches, car tyres, or landline telephones – Tej Chauhan designs products that not only function, but also touch the heart. He became famous for his ​‘emotive industrial design’, for example with the Colombo telephone for Nokia: a radical break from the grey rectangles and rigid shapes commonplace at the time – and a resounding success. For Rado, Chauhan reinterpreted the iconic ​‘DiaStar Original’ and ventured into materials such as rubber, but without falling into the classic sports watch look. What drives him? The balance between function, emotion, and form.

tejchauhan​.com

True to his motto: ​‘Without Thought’, Naoto Fukasawa designs objects that seem so familiar that you use them without thinking. Icons such as the Muji CD player (1999) and the ​‘Hiroshima Chair’ (2008) illustrate this approach. Fukasawa reduces forms to their essentials, combining subtle perfection with natural materials. His ​‘Super Normal’ concept, developed together with Jasper Morrison, celebrates the timelessness of everyday objects. Today, his work ranges from furniture and electronics to playful sculptures.

naotofukasawa​.com

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