[Interview with designers]
I like P-TILE for its distinctive texture and ease of installation, making it aflooring material I would like to continue using. - kurosawa kawara-ten

From the left. Mr. Kurosawa, Ms. Mikurino, Mr. Takashima

TAJIMA's P-TILE is a tile flooring material that has been used in various places since its launch in 1956 andhas been cherished over the years. In this article, we interviewed 'kurosawa kawara-ten', who loves
P-TILE dearly, about the reasons for choosing P-TILE and its appeal.
Thanks to …
kurosawa kawara-ten
Mr. Kenichi Kurosawa ／ kurosawa kawara-ten CEORuns the architectural design office in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Started a renovation anddesign business in 2009. Actively involved in local revitalization by utilizing vacant houses andparticipating in community development.
Ms. Suzuna Mikurino
Studied architecture at Chiba University. Has been associated with kurosawa kawara-ten since her
student years. Joined the company in 2020. Has participated in TAJIMA factory tours and lectures. Afterthe factory tour, actively incorporates P-TILE in the properties she designs, exploring its potential.
Mr. Kazuhiro Takashima
After working for a major house builder, joined Kurosawa Kawara-ten. With TAJIMA's sales
representative, engages in positive discussions about house-building and town-building, sometimes
passionately saying they want to make the town more lively with TAJIMA's products.

The office of kurosawa kawara-ten “Hayashi House”
This time, we visited an office undergoing renovation called 'Hayashi House,' named after its previous
owner, Mr. Hayashi. The stylish wooden furniture and industrial-style walls spark imagination about thefuture of this office space. As part of their efforts to revitalize vacant houses in the area, they collaborate
with students interested in architecture for the extension design, often experimenting with innovativeideas. Moreover, the house serves as a learning hub for young people interested in architecture, offering
opportunities such as installation workshops for them.

Choosing genuine materials that develop charm over time.
――What is your impression of TAJIMA?
Mr. Kurosawa:
To be honest, I didn't realize that 'P-TILE' is a TAJIMA product. When I was designing a laundromat andconsidering whether the floor could be made of denim to complement the denim wallpaper, I happened
to come across 'DENIM FLOOR' in TAJIMA's lineup. This made me realize that they offer a variety offlooring materials.

A cozy and stylish laundromat with denim wallpaper. P-TILEs are used for the floor.（Photo：Ryosuke Sato）――Please tell us about your commitment to flooring materials.
Mr. Kurosawa:
I prefer using genuine materials over 'something-like' alternatives
whenever possible. While I don't dismiss imitation products, I aim toselect floor coverings that develop charm and character over time.
In this regard, P-TILE falls into the category of synthetic construction
materials (※1), but I believe they develop their charm over time,such as the surface becoming slightly shiny or the edges softening. I
prefer flooring materials that users can appreciate as they changeover time. Another advantage of P-TILE is their ease of installationand handling, making them suitable for widespread use. I hope
many people recognize these benefits and consider using them.

※1 Synthetic construction materials
Building materials developed using new materials and technologies, including polyvinyl chloride,polyester, and plastics. In floor coverings, decorative laminates, plastic flooring etc. are included in thecategory.

Both P-TILE and linoleum develop charm over time.
Mr. Kurosawa:I also have a fondness for linoleum. I admire Alvar Aalto (※2), who used linoleum in his house, and thematerial retains a beautiful texture even after about 80 years since installation. Learning about this, I
developed a desire to incorporate linoleum somewhere. When choosing flooring for a home, I
recommend Marmoleum for areas where water is used but cushion flooring is not desired. This is why
TAJIMA’s P-TILE and Marmorium are the flooring materials I intend to continue using in the future.
※Marmoleum, offered by TAJIMA, is available only in Japan, not in other countries.
※2 Alvar Aalto（1898-1976）
A Finnish architect, urban planner, and designer often referred to as a master of modernism. His workspans from architecture to the design of everyday objects such as furniture, glassware, and paintings.

Hoping for P-TILE to become more included as a material option.
Mr. Takashima:
In the future, I hope people will have more options to choose materials that suit their preferences andlifestyle when building their homes, and that P-TILE will be among those choices.
Ms. Mikurino:
When I attended the TAJIMA factory tour, the back side of the P-TILE stacked in one corner of the factory
seemed to be shining to me. I thought that was pretty cute. I've always had that impression of P-TILE,and I thought it would be cool to use them in the area I was working on at this 'Hayashi House'.
By the way, after discovering the benefits of P-TILE, I recommended it for my brother's house, which was
being designed at the time. My brother has a dog, and he didn't want to use wooden flooring because itwas slippery. I suggested P-TILE because it can be easily replaced if urine or anything is spilled on it. Hewanted the natural look of wood, so I chose a color close to beige (P-TILE Modern, A-25). When he saw
the floor installed, he said, 'It's so nice!'
I would like to continue using P-TILE actively in the future as well.

P-Tile Modern (A-25) is installed in Ms. Mikurino's brother's house. The natural, gentle shades complement the bright space.

A house with P-TILE flooring. The rustic charm of the P-TILE perfectly complements the minimalist exterior and the warm wooden interior.

――What information do you refer to when selecting floor coverings?
Mr. Takashima:
I feel that more and more architects are recognizing the benefits of P-TILE. I hope there will be more
opportunities to collaborate with such professionals and have our case studies featured in magazinesand online. Nowadays, customers often get their inspiration from photos they see on the web, so it
would be great to have more examples of installations available online.
Mr. Kurosawa:
To raise awareness among students and design
offices, providing digital materials for video and 3Dmodel production would be beneficial. Users of 3Dmodeling software often rely on default wood
textures included in the software. If products like
P-TILE were included as digital materials, they could
be considered as flooring options from the early
design stages. Sharing these materials with software
companies would also be effective. I often take theextra step to modify existing digital materials toresemble P-TILE for use in my projects.

Keywords for now and the future: 'Sustainable' and 'Ethical'――What do you want for the floor covering in the future？
Mr. Kurosawa:
It would be wonderful to see more floor coverings with diverse textures and hues. For example, textures
like terrazzo and texture of sand would be also interesting. It would be even more captivating if thesematerials could vary depending on the source of the sand. In this respect, the 'Coffee' theme in theTS-7000 series (※3) is an impressive design, though it is a carpet tile.
And the words I've been hearing a lot recently are 'sustainable' and 'ethical'.
I think the value of the product itself increases when there is this kind of story behind it, and I hope that
this will make floor coverings more familiar.
※3 TS-7000 Series
Carpet tile launched in 2020, available in 10 different designs. Type E 'Coffee', as the name suggests,
features a dotted design with a coffee jute bag motif.

A passion that extends beyond floor coverings and architecture
to urban development and future building.
Mr. Kurosawa considers not only flooring and architecture but also urban development and future
progress through architecture. The more we listen to him, the more we can sense his passionate ideas
As we listened to his story, we pondered what we could do as a floor covering manufacturer... We lookforward to seeing what Mr. Kurosawa will accomplish in the future.

kurosawa kawara-ten
Nishikuniyoshi 1645-34 Ichihara Chiba Japan
http://kurosawakawaraten.com/

Tajima’s sales person’s comment
Working together with customers to create floor coverings.
In our daily conversations with customers, we often encounter new ideas and unexpected uses. While weare manufacturers, we understand that creating floor coverings involves collaboration with others. We
aim to enhance floor coverings and spaces by working together with voices from various sectors of theconstruction and architectural industries.
Satoko Yanagida
Tajima Roofing Inc.Floor Material Department,Sales Division

Floor materials introduced in this article.

Vinyl Loose Lay tileTile

DENIM FLOORP TILE

Carpet Tile

TS-7000 type E