Who we are
Since its inception in 2005, Hiroshi Tsunoda Design Studio (htds) has been transforming everyday challenges into innovative design solutions. Founded by Hiroshi Tsunoda, a Japanese designer based in Barcelona since 2000, htds stands as a beacon of creativity and functional artistry.
Hiroshi Tsunoda is a Japanese designer established in Barcelona since 2000.
Tsunodaʼs fascination for American culture – especially cinema and basketball – took him to the US where he studied design at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, an
experience that allowed him to develop his talent, technique and personal style.
His design identity is formal simplicity, which brings a strong geometric character to his designs and provides them with harmony in relation to their function and the material
used. Tsunoda finds his inspiration to design new products in his closer surroundings, in
the small problems of daily life, continuously exploring new formal and conceptual fields.
In 2005 Tsunoda founded his own studio in Barcelona with the idea to offer innovative and fresh solutions with a multicultural point of view. In that same year he created DesignCode, a product editorial company based upon sensational design within everyoneʼs reach. Since inception, the studio has collaborated with different profiles of national and international companies.
Our Expertise
Hiroshi’s design process
My design process always begins with the simplest tools: a piece of paper and a BIC pen. This humble starting point allows me to sketch and jot down ideas, essentially “downloading” thoughts from my mind onto the page. Over the course of my 20+ year design career, this process has remained unchanged.
Many people underestimate the power of these basic tools, but I find their simplicity liberating. Without relying on advanced tools or technology, I can design anywhere, anytime, focusing purely on ideas. This fundamental approach has not only guided my professional work but also become a cornerstone of how I teach design.
In my classes and workshops, I encourage students to adopt this method. By sketching and crafting paper models, they can visualize and refine their ideas in a tangible way. This hands-on approach allows them to identify challenges and opportunities early in the process, making it easier to improve their designs. At my studio, we prioritize reaching the physical prototype stage as soon as possible, as it gives us something concrete to evaluate and discuss. This is a critical step in our design process and one that I emphasize in my teaching.
I firmly believe that this process is both practical and universally applicable, regardless of the type or level of design project. Over the years, I’ve seen students grow through this approach, developing their ideas with clarity and confidence.
I’m passionate about sharing this methodology and am open to giving classes or workshops anywhere in the world. With fluency in English, Spanish, and Japanese, I can connect with students across cultures and help them unlock their creative potential through the power of simplicity.