Studioarka

studioarka is a professional group of architects and designers directed by Tomu Katayanagi. Inspired by innovation and multicultural minds, studioarka develops creative research in a continuous interaction of past and present, technology and aesthetics. Tomu Katayanagi was born in Tokyo, where he studied architecture and design. He moved to Milan in the early seventies, and worked with architect Cini Boeri expanding his professional experience. In 1981, he was in charge of several projects at the Cini Boeri Studio, including the design of detached houses and flats in Italy and abroad – and of the industrial design products. Among the internationally best-known design projects there emerges “Ghost armchair” for Fiam Italia, designed with Cini Boeri. The gold medal at Milan XV Triennale, Casa Amica and Forum Design Awards are some of the awards he has received. Since 1996 he has started to work as a freelance architect, developing various projects with Italian and Japanese companies. For more than ten years he directed TK&L Milan Design Center, also handling the training of young designers. He has held several conferences in Japan on the issue: “Italian design: history and background”.