RAN

Design and art direction for @yoyogiueharabjj I've gotten obsessed with jiu-jitsu over the past year, so when my gym asked me to help them with a redesign for the opening of our new dojo, I jumped at it. Yoyogi Uehara Jiu-jitsu is located seconds from Uehara station, and is becoming a real community hub. The gym's motto is 一燈照隅, which is a light that illuminates every corner, so I created a main and kids version of the logo that represents that light. Please stop by if you train. We'd love to have you. Photos by: @____fumi

Hi, some personal news, not that it matters to too many people, but I’ve officially joined @dcasymphony as a co-creative director. Since starting @studioran_ almost four years ago, I didn’t think I’d join a company again, but I’m genuinely excited about this. Over the past few years, I’ve worked closely with DCA and built a creative partnership with @brad.holdgrafer that’s unlike anything I’ve experienced before. We’ve made some of the best, most meaningful work of my career together. If you looked at a Venn diagram of DCA and RAN projects, it’d basically be a full circle (I also designed the DCA logo lol). Brad is someone who protects good ideas at all costs, and I’ve never felt as creatively protected as I do with him. And moving forward, I’ll do my best to help shape DCA’s output with the same care and fastidiousness I like to think RAN has become known for. I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve built with Studio RAN and deeply grateful to every client who took a chance on me, and I don’t plan to abandon it entirely. I’m hoping that RAN will evolve into more of a creative outlet for personal and experimental work, where I’ll take on just a few select projects a year that challenge my usual output. So please continue to reach out if you have something fun in mind, it could end up with me or DCA.

Sticker designs for the limited edition @ishinomakilab ROTOTO AA STOOL designed by @torafuarchitects for @rototo_official and made by @karimoku_official . Originally designed for ROTOTO’s flagship store, the stool uses contrasting wood finger joints to give a sock-like appearance.

Studio RAN designed and art directed the latest seasonal artwork for the @arcteryx_jp Shinjuku store, featuring summer and fall flowers that bloom in the Japanese mountains along with information on where to see them. We collaborated with illustrator @ryutomiyake , who beautifully reimagined the Arc’teryx logo in flowers. I’m especially happy with the outcome because the artwork was printed on Awagami washi paper, a material I’ve wanted to use for a long time. The paper factory’s history extends over 1,300 years and its texture and depth really brought the artwork to life. If you’re in Tokyo, please check it out in person! Lead: @katsuhirohayashi of @arcteryx_jp Creative Direction & Strategy: @dcasymphony @brad.holdgrafer Design & Art Direction: @studioran_ @ray_masaki Illustration: @ryutomiyake Production & Project Management: @keisaku_ibuki @jameskojihunt

Logo and graphic design for @arcteryx_jp ’s VIEW FINDERS, a new in-store exhibition series highlighting artists whose work is inspired by the mountains. The first installment, now on display at the Arc’teryx Futako Tamagawa store, features Japanese mountain photography by @kyokokawano.kk , printed on sheer fabric that highlights the ethereal quality of her images. The aim of the series is to reframe the mountains not just as a site of extreme activity, but also as a space of serenity and sensitivity. The logo, designed in collaboration with @emi.taka.hashi , is intended to reflect that spirit. Concept & Creative Direction: @dcasymphony @brad.holdgrafer @jameskojihunt Photography: @kyokokawano.kk Production: @keisaku_ibuki Drill, Hakuten Graphic Design: @studioran_ @ray_masaki @emi.taka.hashi Copywriting: @megsgumis

Studio RAN designed and art directed a new seasonal artwork for the @arcteryx_jp Shinjuku store, now on display through the end of June. Printed on brushed steel, the piece features illustrations by @deanaizawa of climbing areas accessible from Shinjuku Station. We incorporated real climbing rope to physically link the regions back to Shinjuku. To localize the design for a Japanese audience, a custom katakana wordmark was created to mirror the sharpness of the Arc’teryx logo (special thanks to @greggazdowicz for the extra eyes). This is also a nerdy design detail, but the way the steel panels are divided and assembled is really precise and satisfying, so please take a look if you happen to visit! Lead: @katsuhirohayashi  of @arcteryx_jp Creative Direction & Strategy: @dcasymphony  @brad.holdgrafer Design & Art Direction: @studioran_  @ray_masaki Illustration support: @deanaizawa Production & Project Management: @keisaku_ibuki  @jameskojihunt Design Assistance: @giacomo.ponasso

Logo and graphic design for CAP Chair, a collaboration between @torafuarchitects and @karimoku_official . For their exhibition at @karimoku_research last year, TORAFU and Karimoku explored a variety of color and fabric combinations, which inspired a die-cut postcard featuring different textures and finishes from the chairs. Postcard photos: @leo_arimoto

Studio RAN designed the stationery for @arcteryx_jp ’s Tokyo Creation Center. The goal was to bring a sense of Japanese craft to Arc’teryx by incorporating the @buaisou_i rope artwork displayed in the office, blending the brand’s climbing roots with traditional Japanese techniques. After several iterations, we landed on using indigo, drawing inspiration from aizome, as an accent color paired with papers that are subtly reminiscent of washi. The business cards feature a UV layer over the artwork, allowing recipients to feel the rope's texture. It’s hard to capture all the small details in an Instagram post, but it’s exciting to finally see everything come together. Thank you to the Tokyo Creation Center team and @brad.holdgrafer for the intro! Creative direction: @tokyo007 Project management: satokoyokoyam Design assistance: @aikanagasue

Still one of my favorite projects to date. Artwork for the 2023 debut album "GOOD POP" by @pas_tasta . Fun fact: the eye + mouth + eye spells "POP" Photo: @leo_arimoto

New Studio RAN site! The layout is nothing groundbreaking, but I feel like it’s an honest reflection of how I approach design and the type of people and organizations I enjoy collaborating with. This site feels like a culmination of what I’ve been trying to build over the years: work that is culturally and socially sensitive, has a slight sense of humor, and strongly connected to my interests and values. There’s also a new ARCHIVE page, cataloging past projects I’m still proud of but didn’t turn into full case studies. The site features many beautiful new photos by @leo_arimoto and was designed in collaboration with @aikanagasue . Also the illustration is obviously inspired by my dog Konbu. Visit studioran.tokyo or tap the link in bio.

Studio RAN collaborated with @dcasymphony to refresh the identity of the beloved furniture brand @ishinomakilab . The rebranding centers around a new positioning: “Maker Made.” I wanted the catalog to reflect this ethos, appearing almost un-designed, as if made by a furniture maker rather than a designer. The cover features photocopied elements and a hand-stamped logo, and the humble paper stock embraces a sense of utility and raw simplicity. Creative Direction and Strategy: @dcasymphony @brad.holdgrafer Design and Art Direction: @studioran_ @ray_masaki Design assistance: @manskken Photography: @keijiashizawadesign @masarukiyota

Studio RAN collaborated with @dcasymphony to refresh the identity of the beloved furniture brand @ishinomakilab . The rebranding centers around a new positioning: “Maker Made.” As part of this concept, the 石巻工房 logo transforms and only truly becomes the logo when combined with different forms of making. For the cover of their new catalog, I wanted it to feel authentically “Maker Made,” so each cover is stamped by hand. Creative Direction and Strategy: @dcasymphony @brad.holdgrafer Design and Art Direction: @studioran_ @ray_masaki Design assistance: @manskken Photography: @keijiashizawadesign @masarukiyota