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Big in Japan: George Arriola of Minimalisms on the intersection between IoT and Japanese artisanship

Name: Big in Japan: George Arriola of Minimalisms on the intersection between IoT and Japanese artisanship
Start: 2015-12-09T18:00:00+00:00
End: 2015-12-09T21:00:00+00:00
Location: Squire Patton Boggs LLP

December 9, 2015 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

George Arriola has interwoven his long interest in Japanese culture and design into the various stages of his career. In this presentation, he’ll share with us how his interest in Japan has played a role in his development both as a product designer and as a businessperson.
George will also share with us his enthusiasm for Japan’s shokunin (artisan) and monozukuri (maker) culture, and how he has worked in combining traditional Japanese materials, techniques and aesthetics with modern technology. He’ll describe a new path forward for Japan’s craftspeople, and a route for Silicon Valley’s IoT pioneers to learn from and collaborate with Japan.
George Arriola
CEO & Executive Creative Director, Minimalisms
George Arriola celebrates the renegade spirit of California by designing products and experiences that are – Human. Simple. Authentic.
Currently, George runs a bespoke skunk works product design consultancy – Minimalisms.
Working with craftspeople around the world George has designed iconic objects and experiences such as the world’s first heirloom electronic, Runcible, by Monohm. Designed to be quiet. Fundamentally calming. Humanistic.
Previously, George has led multidisciplinary teams of industrial design & CMF, visual & interactive design, and product management focused on product design at Apple, PlayStation, Sony, Theranos, Adobe.
During his tenure with Sony, George was directly responsible for establishing, defining, and driving Sony’s common UX across all 5-screens known as “genome” from Bravia 4K, Xperia, to Vita, ending with the PlayStation 4 console and connected experiences.
When not working, George enjoys artisan sake brewing, culinary excursions, architecture, and hunting for the next best cup of cold brew coffee.
George currently splits his time between San Francisco, Tokyo, and Kyoto.