Yuki Teraoka graduated from BA (Hons) Interior and Spatial Design at Chelsea College of Arts in 2015. He now works as an Interior Designer at Caudesign in Japan.
You were very successful during your time at UAL, gaining a NASA 3D Printed Habitat Challenge World Top 30 Award – can you tell us more about that?
It was very random timing – I found this competition offer online and I quickly applied and formed a design team within a day.
The project brief went like this. In a bid to make Mars habitable, NASA is launching a mission to send people to Mars in 2035 for the first phase of interplanetary human colonisation. Our job was to design the first habitat on Mars.
There were many challenges to consider. First, there is a very low level of gravity on Mars which leads to low atmospheric pressure. Because of this, all sorts of deadly rays from space reach down to the surface of Mars. Secondly, Mars has an abnormal climate, along with dust storms and some deadly meteor showers.
Our first job was to design a habitat for 4 astronauts, constructed as quickly as possible, using 3D printing and as much local material as we could.
Safety was our first priority. We designed a honey comb hull which consisted of a 3D printed metal frame filled with 3D printed Hexagonal Silicon nitrate that can be produced locally. This served to protect astronauts from harmful rays and substances.
In terms of installation, we decided to automate the building process using inflation, which 3D prints the structure from the inside, to build shelter to minimise the external exposure on crews.
You were involved in a number of projects during your time at UAL – can you tell us more about them?
The Roots project was one of the most memorable and exciting projects for me. It was initiated by my class mate, and I was invited as a spatial designer / artist. The aim was to create an artwork that defines what roots / origins means for each of us as international students, travelling and studying around the world. I concluded my work with a calligraphic brush using my own hair, hand made note and
a shoulder bag to visualise the two fundamental aspects of building roots, through interactive experience.
Our final year show in 2014 was quite challenging, as I had to organise and curate works from over 80 people. We wanted to show how the design process works within the exhibition space itself, starting from idealisation to prototyping then finalising. We made sure the visitor had a good understanding of this process by the time they left the show.
What was the most important thing you learnt while studying at UAL?
UAL taught me to never be afraid of taking chances. I see projects and without a second thought I jump on them because I never know where they might take me. At UAL I built up a wide range of interests across different fields, and I was given a lot of scope to make ideas into reality.
How do you think your time at UAL has impacted your life and work?
Firstly I now know how to form a design team very quickly, and organise and conduct projects as a team. This has had a very positive impact on me. Also, because I have had a number of collaborations with people from different fields, I have earned the confidence to work within a group and start to understand their point of views. This was particularly useful when I initiated a design project this year, collaborating with spatial designers and RCA students.
Where do you find inspiration today?
Mostly from my current work place and my friends who continued to study in London. Strangely I have recently been studying quantum physics as my current job is related to that, therefore my current design project contains the essence of this hidden deep into its concept.
What are your plans for the future?
Currently I am operating a design project which is about designing a new travel experience which motivates people to discover themselves in order to create the most unique and personal experience. I would like to complete this by 2020 since there will be a Tokyo Olympics, packed full of visitors!
Also I have always been interested in analysing spatial interaction from a small quantum scale, therefore I would like to continue this journey. This is the ultimate research of how we interact with reality.
My final goal is to establish a new educational system, to understand how we can find wisdom within ourselves.
Find out more about the study options available at UAL here.