About

Who we are

Studio Jigen is a multidisciplinary design firm specialising in interior design.

It started its activities in 2019, in tandem collaboration of two Japanese interior designers, Kohei Nojima and Noriko Yamazaki. A studio founder, Kohei Nojima, has extensive design experience, particularly in commercial sectors based in Japan, while Noriko’s design methodology stemmed from her Architecture background and is inspired by her design experience on various continents of the world.

Our design philosophy combining global perspective with local identities was developed from our experiences. Since its foundation, our projects have been acknowledged in the form of receipt of awards and steady flow of quality project commissions.

With any project, clients have their own stories and visions. We approach design as an iterative process, explore with clients and ensure to convey new dimensions to their visions.
Our design is driven by collaboration with partners in adjacent design fields such as landscape design, architecture, signage and visual identities.

We believe that big plans always start from tiny seeds of thoughts. We help you visualise and realise your grand visions.

Profile

Kohei Nojima
Director, Interior Designer

Kohei Nojima has been practicing interior design for more than 15 years in Japan and Australia, with a wide range of expertise in workplaces, educational, and commercial discipline. After having relocated to Adelaide in 2018, he founded Studio Jigen in 2019, and is bringing his Japanese interior design expertise to Australian industry. He holds a master degree of Media and Governance, Environmental Design and Governance, from KEIO University, Japan.

Noriko Miltenburg-Yamazaki
Director, Architectural Designer

Noriko Miltenburg-Yamazaki was born in Tokyo, Japan. She completed a master's degree in architecture at Tokyo Institute of Technology. After working at a leading property developer Mori Building in Tokyo for several years, she moved to Melbourne, Australia, and established a design firm Noriko Yamazaki Design.
As a mother of two young children herself, her passion in architecture lies in creating thought-provoking environment in residential, commercial, and educational space. (She introduces innovative Australian architecture by coordinating articles for Japanese architectural magazines, such as a+u.)
She worked at Nicholas Day Architects (Melbourne), Shibukawa Eder Architects (Vienna), and de Architekten Cie. (Amsterdam).

Awards

The Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) Shortlist (2022), Niche Media
Melbourne Design Awards, Silver(2020), DRIVENxDESIGN
Sydney Design Awards, Silver(2019), DRIVENxDESIGN
DSA Design Award, Award for excellence(2012, 2017, 2018)*, The Council of the Design Association of Japan

SDA Design Award, Winning a prize(2012, 2017, 2018)*, Japan Sign Design Association Kids Design Award, Winning a prize(2009, 2014, 2015, 2016)*, Kids Design Association
JCD Design Award, The best new designer award(2012)*, Japan Commercial Environmental Design Association
*Kohei Nojima led these projects when he worked at KOKUYO.