Yuri Suzuki on how the key design tool is always communication

Joining us at Nicer Tuesdays November was Yuri Suzuki, shortly after the designer’s slightly surprising announcement that he was the newest Pentagram partner. Even Yuri notes how the decision for him to join the design partnership was a surprise to himself, recalling how when the initial conversation began his first question was “Why!?”

But over the past decade, since he graduated from the Royal College of Art, Yuri has achieved a lot in many pockets of design. “Working for will.i.am, making robotic musical instruments, and also making robots for music videos,” he reels off during his talk, “also making a tube map from radio and also a sound car – a sound taxi – and also a breakfast machine as well… I’ve been abstract for so long that I’m quite surprised I’ve been able to survive for the past ten years.”

But as Yuri’s talk went on to explain, being abstract may be the best foot to put forward to make your mark. After all, Pentagram does not just deal with design but more communication, and one thing Yuri does, whether it’s with sound or sculpture, is communicate with an audience in a way that only Yuri can.