The crane manufacturer where Masami worked primarily focused on the design and manufacturing of large overhead cranes.
"For large ones, the lifting capacity can be 70 tons, and the crane body itself weighs around 200 tons."
He says that the design for large cranes is completely different from that for small cranes.
"For large cranes, standard parts cannot be used, so in many cases, we have to manufacture even a single gear from scratch."

Masami pulled out his university textbooks and re-learned material mechanics, while also studying mechanical calculations from scratch.
When Masami joined the company, they were using calculation standards established in the Showa 40s (1965-1974). Since there were no background documents remaining, when it came time to revise them, he took on a role like an executive team leader and spent about 5 years re-creating all calculation documents and supporting data.
"We went through trial and error to align with current trends without deviating too much from the original calculations. For that, a deep understanding of fundamentals was absolutely necessary. I believe this background is still relevant today."

Masami left the crane manufacturer due to health reasons and started working freelance as "Mizuno the Designer," specializing in steel structure design. Approximately 70% of his orders were for crane design.
He says that basically, no two large cranes are exactly alike.
For example, even if there's an order for "the same as five years ago," it's possible that safety regulations have changed, customer operating methods have evolved, or control method trends have shifted over those five years.

"While following the design of previous cranes, we also have to design new ones."
Furthermore, each manufacturer has a different approach to crane manufacturing. Therefore, designs must be tailored to each manufacturer.
"I believe my job is not to design in my own way, but to provide technical assurance for the manufacturer's methods."
His work ethic was highly regarded, and he began to receive requests not only for design but also for full project completion.

However, undertaking construction work requires a construction business license.
After considering various methods, he decided to merge with "Architect Mizuno," a construction company managed by his father, Masao.
Masami took over the work from his "Mizuno the Designer" era as the dedicated person in charge of the steel structure design and construction division at "Architect Mizuno."
This allows buyers to request services from design to construction in a one-stop manner.
Furthermore, since the designer serves as the point of contact, detailed specifications can be discussed from the consultation stage before ordering, and irregular requests can be handled flexibly.
"Since the designer is the initial point of contact, I believe we can be helpful in terms of applying our expertise."

What Masami pays attention to when proceeding with work is speaking in language that the other party can understand.
"Designers tend to make judgments based on numbers. However, telling a client 'the stress is X' won't convey anything to them."
He makes an effort to rephrase and communicate in terms that the other person can understand.
Masami stated that he wants to avoid situations where people say, "Well, the designer said so, so it can't be helped."

For example, when talking to manufacturing craftsmen, if he can communicate in a way they understand, they will put in the effort even for designs that require troublesome processes.
"I try to speak in the other person's language, not my own."
The more specialized one becomes, the harder this switch is. Masami is always conscious of maintaining smooth communication with others.

"I haven't worked on-site, but I might be good at imagining the site from drawings."
For about two years after joining the crane manufacturer, he says he would walk around the site every day during his lunch break. And he took photos of everything he saw for the first time.
If he didn't understand something, he would ask nearby craftsmen or look it up in drawings.
"By observing the site every day, you start to understand the workflow, how things are made, and how your own designs will take shape."
As he continued this daily routine, the number of photos he took decreased. That meant the number of things he didn't know had decreased.

"To be honest, the design work I do can all be learned from what's taught at university or books sold in bookstores, so it's not that high-level."
However, isn't there a significant difference between theoretical knowledge and knowledge gained from the field?
It is precisely because he had the inquiring mind to visit sites and investigate to understand how his designs came to fruition that he is still trusted by clients as a designer who understands the field.

" The joy of this job is seeing what you've conceived become reality."
Masami states this clearly. For example, it would feel good if a program you wrote worked correctly on screen. However, seeing a large structure like a crane actually move evokes a different kind of emotion.
"Around my second year at the company, I was deeply moved when I saw a crane I designed in operation. I believe experiencing this emotion is a privilege for us who design things."
However, he says that many younger designers struggle to connect drawings with actual objects.

"I want them to experience the emotion of seeing something they designed move exactly as intended. That experience has a huge impact."
With that in mind, he says he plans to seriously focus on fostering young talent going forward.
"Some students study hard but don't end up in design jobs. However, this industry is short-staffed, so I want those young people to learn the appeal of design and become successful."

Masami has the experience of thoroughly mastering the fundamentals of design over five years. He also knows the joy of manufacturing and the on-site reality that connects drawings to actual objects.
It is precisely because of Masami's unique background that he can foster young talent who can approach design with confidence.