Hideki Kokubun, President & CEO By Interiors

We have known and admired each other for many years now. You have been our partner in Japan since our origins and together with your team we feel like a big family. To start, I would like to understand what do you think the Japanese market values the most from western companies?

After World War II, Japan was destroyed and had to be restored. Japanese architects found inspiration in a more western style, which led to changes in interior design, furniture, and lifestyle habits. For me there is a different aesthetic, sensibility and value in the designs that differ to the Japanese. Companies such as Viccarbe import so much more than just products, it makes us travel to that Mediterranean culture we admire.

As you know, Viccarbe has grown a lot over the years thanks to exporting its Mediterranean concept in a unique way, promoting collaboration and optimism. What do you believe has made us so successful in Japan all these years?

Your innovative collaborative concept and every new product you bring into the market are greatly appreciated by the Japanese client, especially in the office sector. We feel proud of introducing Viccarbe to local designers and architects as there is a lot of trust and understanding between both our companies. You have always tried to identify what we need and solve any problem we might be facing quickly. We are not just a business partner; we feel more like family.

Japanese people have a special sensitivity that takes care of the small details. How could we learn more from you?

Minimalism has always been part of our aesthetics, present in architecture utilized to shape temples and shrines, which require a close attention to detail to reach the highest quality. To design simplicity, smallest details are mandatory, otherwise everything looks cheap.

What will the future of offices look like in such a developed country as Japan? What do you consider will be highly requested?

 Since Covid-19 started, we have been working individually from anywhere we like, from home, in a café, from a train station, etc. We are no longer forced to work in the office on our own and spend so much time just commuting. Offices in the future will be spaces where people gather, discuss, exchange ideas and opinions. Less individual workstations but more collaborative spaces. We will create spaces to boost collaboration and communication, reaching the highest performance.

I have always thought that the solution to all evils lies in reading, what book do you recommend?

I sometimes like to read books by famous entrepreneurs such as Kounosuke Matsushita (Panasonic), Kazuo Inamori (Kyocera), Akio Morita (Sony), or Sazou Idemitsu (Idemitsu Oil Company). They are said to be “Gods” of company management, and they have left behind many famous sayings and mottos.