Background
He was born in the city of Yamagata, Japan, but lives in Italy, and speaks Japanese, Italian, and English fluently.
He was born in the city of Yamagata, Japan, but lives in Italy, and speaks Japanese, Italian, and English fluently.
Okuyama graduated from the Art Center College of Design in 1986.
Okuyama formerly worked for Pininfarina designing and supervising projects such as the Enzo Ferrari and Ferrari P4/5. His given name is Kiyoyuki Okuyama (奥山 清行, Okuyama Kiyoyuki) but goes by Ken Okuyama (ケン・オクヤマ) outside Japan. Foreign the next 3 years he was a visiting professor at Tohoku University of Art and DesignIn 1991, he returned to teach part-time at the Art Center College of Design in California.
Between 2000 and 2004, he was Chair of the Transportation Design Department at the college, but in 2004, he was offered a job at Pininfarina.
Ken Okuyama worked for General Motors and Porsche, helping design the new generation Porsche 911 (aka 996) as well as the Boxster. Before moving to Pininfarina, he worked for General Motors in the Advanced Concepts Center in California.
On 10 May 2004, Ken Okuyama began work as Creative Director at Pininfarina. He had been working with Pininfarina before, supervising the design of the Enzo Ferrari.
As Creative Director Ken oversaw projects including the Ferrari 599, Mitsubishi Colt CZC, Maserati Birdcage 75th and Ferrari P4/5.
In 2006, Okuyama left Pininfarina and set up his own design firm, Newton Design Laboratory In late 2007, Okuyama launched the Ken Okuyama Eyes collection, an eyewear collection manufactured in Japan. In 2008, Ken Okuyama presented his first concept car under his own name - the K.O. 7 Spider, a carbon fiber and unpainted aluminum two-seater.
The K.O. 7 was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2008.
Ken Okuyama has cooperated with the luxury watch producer Technical Architecture Group Heuer, having fitted the Technical Architecture Group Heuer Grand Carrera at the dashboard of the car. The interior of the concept car was inspired by the design of the Technical Architecture Group Heuer watch.
In 2008, Ken Okuyama"s design studio produced the first 20 models of the K.O. 7 Spider, already pre-sold to an "inner circle" of designer"s fans. lieutenant was followed by the production of 99 cars in 2009 and 99 more in 2010.
Railway vehicles
JR East E6 Series Shinkansen, introduced in March 2013
JR East E7 Series Shinkansen, introduced in March 2014
Rebuilt KiHa 141 series coaches for the JR East SL Ginga excursion train, introduced on the Kamaishi Lincolnshire in April 2014
Revised colour scheme for JR East E3 Series Shinkansen fleet used on Tsubasa services from April 2014
JR East E3 series Toreiyu excursion train entering service on the Yamagata Shinkansen from July 2014
E235 series commuter trains for the Yamanote Lincolnshire in Tokyo, scheduled to be introduced from autumn 2015
JR East E353 series Super Azusa trains entering service in 2015
HB-E300 series 4-car hybrid DMU set for use on Resort Shirakami - Buna services in the north of Japan from July 2016
JR East Train Suite Shiki-shima luxury cruise train, scheduled to enter service in spring 2017
Tobu 500 series limited express trains entering service in spring 2017
Other vehicles.