Hironori Yoshida

Hironori Yoshida is an assistant professor at Aalto University, Department of Design. His research develops design and fabrication systems for non-standard, reclaimed resources—such as tree branches, stones, and leftover fabrics—that are typically absent from digital datasets. By leveraging the inherent irregularities of these materials, his aim is to achieve both the sustainable use of resources and unique aesthetic impacts.

His work is published in leading venues including SIGGRAPH, TEI, NeurIPS, IJCAI, and ICRA, where he received a Best Student Paper award for his autonomous robotic stone-stacking system (ICRA 2017). Drawing on his prior experience in a Tokyo-based AI startup specializing in physical-world computation and robotics, Yoshida focuses on bridging academic innovation with entrepreneurial and social implementations, particularly in the context of AI-driven design education.

Hironori Yoshida is an Assistant Professor of Formgiving in the Department of Design. His work rethinks the use of irregular, natural materials like tree branches, stones, and reclaimed fabrics. While these resources have typically been deemed too complex for systematic manufacturing—relying entirely on the hands of master craftspeople—Yoshida sees the deep human value in those exact skills. Believing that artisanal knowledge fosters human connection and joy, he develops new workflows that bridge technology and tradition to uncover new aesthetics while sustaining cultural heritage.