Designing Happiness: The Unique Approach of Duncan Shotton Design Studio

Embracing Unconventionality to Create Emotionally Engaging Designs

Duncan Shotton, the mastermind behind the studio, was inspired to establish his own design studio when he moved to Japan in 2012. Despite having a stable job at Kinneir Dufort design consultancy in Bristol, UK, Shotton decided to take the leap and set up his own studio in Tokyo. His limited Japanese language skills did not deter him but rather inspired him to create his own path.

What sets Duncan Shotton Design Studio apart is its primary focus on creating designs that make people smile. Whether the design is for a client, a collaborating partner, or a private individual, the main goal is to deliver products and solutions that are a little out of the ordinary. These designs engage people emotionally, promote happiness, and ensure that people love what they are doing, wherever they are, and whoever they're with.

The realization of these designs is a process that involves a laptop, a notebook, and a scalpel. Ideas are first recorded in the notebook, and the promising ones are prototyped in paper and card. The design process then continues with 2D and 3D software and further prototyping. Despite the compact space of the studio in Tokyo, Shotton manages to create designs that are original, unique, and fun.

Shotton's unique approach to design has not gone unnoticed. In 2013, his design studio was awarded the Golden A' Giftware Design Award. This prestigious award is granted to outstanding and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. It recognizes products and ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.

With the help of Project Coordinator Nozomi Kawakami, Duncan Shotton Design Studio continues to create designs that bring happiness and smiles. The studio's unique approach to design is a testament to Shotton's belief in the power of design to engage people emotionally and promote happiness.