ARTISTS TO KNOW: SAYOKO OSADA
SAYOKO OSADA
Originally from Tokyo and currently based in NYC, Sayoko Osada is an experiential/spatial designer who believes an “environment is worth a million words.” While designing activations for iconic brands like Nike, Google, HYPEBEAST, Proenza Schouler and many more, Sayoko effortlessly captures the identities, emotions, and stories of her clients.
SHEER: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
SAYOKO OSADA: My name is Sayoko. I am an experiential designer creating environments based on identities, emotions, and stories and currently living in NYC. Born and raised in Tokyo, when I was 13, I moved with my family to Ohio where I was basically the only foreigner in a predominantly white school. Unable to speak English, I did whatever I could to communicate and connect beyond words.
Through those years of being lost in translation, I discovered my passion for multi-sensory communication and identities.
SHEER: How did your passions and interests growing up develop into pursuing a career in experiential design?
SO: I’ve always been into art, so I studied architecture because it was the most multi-dimensional creative discipline I knew at the time. Once I realized architecture wasn’t about environments designed to sensorially convey messages, I tried to get into set design or exhibit design towards the end of college. Instead I stumbled upon experiential marketing. I never thought about designing for marketing and I didn’t even know that was an option. But designing for brands came naturally to me because it was all about unfolding worlds for people to experience identities through the way it feels and flows.
SHEER: How would you say your upbringing and culture influenced your work?
SO: Japanese culture is sensitive to relationships and seasons. This manifests in many realms including the language (for instance, there are many ways to say “snow” depending on the texture, weight, and timing of the year) and architecture (i.e. various types of thresholds provide social cues for how to act around that “boundary”.) I feel that descriptiveness has influenced particular expressions in my work. In retrospect, I believe these subtleties have influenced the way I think about environments.
SHEER: You believe that "environment is worth a million words." How do you explore this in your work?
SO: Different ways of communication resonate with different people. Environment is literally 360 degrees. My role as an experiential designer is to curate and compose various senses so that without someone explaining what the space is supposed to be about, you just get it. First, I dive into the essence of the brand. By observing multiple ways that the brand shows up, from their actual products to their past campaigns to the tribe following the brand, I notice the specificities in their identity and attitude. I also do the same with the specific initiative (i.e. theme of the show, featured talent of the event, etc). Then I combine those essences and translate into one cohesive package of mood and journey that make up the environment. Considerations include: layout, aesthetic, colors, lighting, materials, taste, temperature, sound, sequence, height, scale, vibration, motion, time, etc. Whatever that is applicable. That creates an experiential environment that lets you feel the core message through many angles.
Believe in More, Nike. Photo by Dorothy Hong.
SHEER: Which past projects do you believe challenged you the most and really helped define your craft?
SO: When I worked at Bureau Betak, a design and production studio known for their fashion shows, I got to design under an amazing design director who taught me how to be specific about everything in the context of experiential environments. For instance, if we wanted LED screens, we specified down to pixel density from cost perspective as well as the expressive effect. This experience has laid the foundation for the level I want to operate.
SHEER: What do you believe makes experiential design such an important and unique form of art?
SO: What’s beautiful about experiential design is its interdisciplinary nature. As it starts to be recognized as a discipline, it is opening up a new way of communication that is multisensory. It’s a combination of many disciplines in art, design, and psychology. That also means oftentimes diverse types of creators come together to make a total experience. It’s a production. This is what I was looking for when I studied architecture but wasn’t defined, so I am excited about how it evolves.
HYPEBAE Fall Formal, HYPEBAE. Photo by Dorothy Hong.
SHEER: What advice do you have for women of color aspiring to build a career in experiential design?
SO: Tap into your identity and represent where possible! As experiential designers, we have an exciting opportunity to translate our own culture or involve others in our work. And be hyper-respectful of other cultures if you reference them directly or loosely in order to avoid appropriation at all cost. For more direct advice, please reach out to me; I’d love to hear more about you and give you more tailored guidance.
SHEER: What do you hope people take away from interacting with your work?
SO: I want people to feel closer to the essence of what the space is about. As if they met a new person and got to know their aesthetic, voice, and passion. Most of the opportunities I’ve had so far is to create experiential environments for major brands. In the future, I want to be working more directly with the visionary behind the brand, music, story, food, etc, and translate their essence into the environment.
Sneaker Time, HYPEBEAST. Photo by Dorothy Hong.
Check out more of Sayoko’s work below.
