Japan

This is a sofa which has a sharp shape like a mineral ore being inspired by hexagonal crystal.
By being wrapped by plywood, it has a side table on the edge of the sofa and the sloped shoulders of the sofa work as armrests.
(FUJI FURNITURE x NOSIGNER)

There are only three kinds of rectangle found by mathmaticians which could make different size of squares.
SQUARES are accessory cases which were designed by these rectangle.
The surface was polished by piano finish with sheepskin, which is a unique technique of making traditional mirror stand in Tokushima prefecture, Japan.
Whole drawers of SQUARES are not open until the center drawer is open.
This is a traditional trick used for Japanese drawer.

(KITATANI x NOSIGNER)

Shizuka Tatsuno is a product and furniture designer who moved to the UK in 2005 and graduated with the first class honor from the product and furniture course in Kingston University London in 2008. She exhibited in New Designers Exhibition, Tent London and 100% Design Tokyo Prototype in 2008 and is currently based in Tokyo.
Products revealing quality from using over time
Modular Bench is a modular seating unit for a live-alone. The bench can be changed to an arm chair with a small table, and a couch by sticking the arms and back in different holes and transforming the cushion.

I AM BUSY CONTEMPLETING THE INEXISTANT. I FOUND THROUGH CREATIVITY A WAY OF LIFE, INVENTING A FAR AWAY WORLD, I KEEP MY DISTANCES, DON’T WANT TO FALL IN THE NORM. I WANT THAT FAR AWAY WORLD STRIPPED FROM PRECONCEIVED IDEAS OF THE FUTURE OR CAREER AND WITHOUT CLEAR OUTCOMING, TO BE GUIDED BY ONE AND ONLY PATH; MINE, NO SIDES TAKEN, NO CAUSE TO DEFEND BUT JUST FEEL THE MOMENT.
MESMORIZED BY THE EXCESS, THE NONSENSE AND THE MADNESS, THE NEUTRAL BORES ME. ALWAYS ABOVE THE LITTLE WORRIES, I LOVE TO FIGHT THE PRINCIPLES, PULLING MYSELF OUT OF THE WORLD, CONTEMPLETING THE CENTURY FARWAY FROM THE RUMOURS, FLIRTING WITH THE UNIVERSAL BY DEVOTING MYSELF TO THE ANECDOTALISM WITH A COATING OF BEAUTY.
I REALIZE THAT I AM A MYSTIC, CULTIVATING THE NOTHINGNESS, THE NEED FOR LONELINESS IS THE RISK OF MISANTHROPY. I DISCOVERED HOW A LONELY MAN IS IN GOOD COMPANY.
TO BE AN ARTIST JUST LIKE THE TOXICOMAN IS TO LIVE WITH WITHDRAWALS THAT CAN ONLY BE OVERCOME BY THE SUCCESS.
WHEN I AM ABOUT TO CREATE A PIECE, I DO NOT APPROACH IT WITH AN ANALYTICAL WAY BUT RATHER WITH INTUITIVE ONE.WHEN SOMETHING COMES TO ME AND I FEEL MOVED BY IT, I JUST TRUST MY FEELINGS, I BELIEVE THAT ART COMES FROM SELF CONFIDENCE AND ALSO FROM ONE’S IDEAS, WHICH PUTS THEM TO A METAPHYSICAL LEVEL, SIMPLY PUT; I DON’T DO MUCH, DON’T FORCE ANYTHING JUST KEEP MY EYES OPEN STARING AT THE WORLD AND TRY TO BE CONNECTED, ALL IS USEABLE , CHAIRS, TABLES HAVE AN ATTRACTIVE APPEAL TO ME AS FAR AS I CAN RECALL, I IMAGINE THEM SCULPTURAL, NON FUNCTIONAL ,ETC… AND ONE MORNING YOU GO DOWN TO THE ATELIER AND START CREATING.

It is a form experiment that rethinks "Structural Expressionism" from the 1960's into a new "Structural Expressionism 2.0" which contains modern interpretations such as "organic body" and "speed/velocity".

Thus, a static action like sitting suggests a more dynamic form such as straddling or riding.

The chair's organic form with its holes suggests a cave-like atmosphere, so it was named "Organic Cave Chair".

The original idea for "Fractal 23" came after a series of cubical study sketches in which I experimented utilizing front & back (positive & negative) spaces in a cube.

In other words, when I design the front of the cube depending on how I divide the the space inside, there were left over spaces that could only be reached from the back. I was really fascinated by this simple but essential discovery. then I realized that when I used fractal geometry, I had to open all four sides to complete the occupation.

Even though "Fractal 23" is graphically strong and in that sense "eye catching", it still has a strong concept behind it.

"MONACCA" is a brand name for products made of thinned Japanese cedar in Umaji
Village, Kochi Prefecture in Japan.Cedar is the most popular tree in Japan and it has
been widely used as building materials since the 1940's governmental forestation
project. Umazi Village was one of the many places of forestation and their traditional
"Yanase"cedars were planted. In order to obtain good quality timber the maintenance of
forests is absolutely necessary.If the forest is too dense, the trees' growth will be
stunted due to the lack of sun-light and forest resources will be damaged.To avoid this,
it is necessary to thin the forest regularly.As a result of tree thinning a lot of thinned
wood used to be left in the forest. However, thequality of these trees are good as well.
Umazi Village took another look at this matter from an ecological viewpoint and
established ECOASU UMAZIMURA Inc. in order to carry out a reuse project exploring
the feasibility of cedar wood.

Features:
1) The only item with different natural grains
2) Natural warm touch
3) Light and user friendly is an advantage of cedar products
4) Strong , because made of press-laminated wood

'As a part of Japanese culture we have been caring for greenery in our daily life.
Cool and stylish products made of organic materials like iron and wood, which were used in the Edo era period.'

We offer such gardening items with an exclusive design.
Modern design with ecological materials….
Organic handmade brand goods…
That is  “co m o r e” !

So the chair turn to plants to watch the growth of kids,
growing and finally returns to the soil again.

Along with the cycle of the nature,this chair will bring
a small change to the society, the environment, and the humanity.
 

From : Tomofumi Kageyama

This is my concept. But there are no seeds in the cork
at present time. So I am looking for some enterpriser or company
which could cooperate with me in developing  the way of production.

What always fascinates me is a shape of complexly intertwining, that gradually brunches off from one substance, like that of botanical roots and branches.

One day, I encountered an interesting figure that had no joint, no back and front, while I casually played with a ribbon, twisting, cutting, and connecting both ends.

Ultimately, my experiments resulted in this topological form after studying various formation of twists, taking sketches, creating paper models and performing several trial on CAD/CG.

The appearance from the seating face to the backrest and to the branched chair legs reminded me of roots of the mangrove, which is said to have multiple organisms assemble and create diverse of ecosystems.

Since this chair is named Mangrove Chair, my hope is making more people gather together and for new people to meet though this organically formed chair.

2007 Tokyo Designer's Week “Design Premio”Awards the Prize

Rebirth is the lighting product which is made by real egg shells.
Egg shells are very fragile and weak material, but you can make a big structure by attaching them in a mutually complementary form.
And then, the structure becomes an autonomously-controlled
beautiful shape of necessity such as naturally-occurring form.

In this age with tons of artificial things around us, I feel many people
desire to have 'real things,' which provide them actual feeling of being, by experiencing nature or life itself.

This light with the name of Rebirth, is a design product which was born
from life itself.
When you realize the signature of lives on the surface of egg shells on Rebirth, you may feel some special emotional ties between the Rebirth and you.

(This project will be a part of 'Open Source Products' produced by nosigner.)

Minimalism style design from Japanese brand Conof.

The White Noise Lamp is a furniture piece inspired by Alvar Aalto's work on the Paimio Sanatorium and his chair of the same name. It is designed as a piece for the ill and elderly who find themselves in the predominantly sterile surroundings of a medical institution. The concept is that warm diffuse lighting and white noise can help relax the patient. The aesthete of the piece was designed to counterbalance the sterility of the surroundings and provide a more homely atmosphere.

Shane Crozier

A chair, which creates rainbow in the sun.

A support for the back is made of highly polished special prism glass.  This special glass is molded in platinum and is inserted into a solid acrylic, which functions as seating. When the prism reflects in the sunlight, the rainbow will emerge around the chair. Tokujin uses nature of Miami as the inspiration for this special piece.

By :Tokujin Yoshioka
More for TOKUJIN:
Tornado-1  
Tornado-2 
Water block
PANE Chair
TOKUJIN PROFILE

Light and strong, the naturally created honeycomb is ultimately architecture. This chair is made with sheets of glassine paper that were piled together and cut along specific lines so that it magically opens up into a honeycomb structure. The final form of the chair is set when in use, as it responds to the shape of the sitter’s bottom. This is now a part of the permanent collection　at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Vitra Design Museum, the Pompidou Center, and Victoria and Albert Museum.

By :Tokujin Yoshioka
More for TOKUJIN:
Tornado-1  
Tornado-2 
Water block
PANE Chair
TOKUJIN PROFILE

I believe that a “deliciously” comfortable PANE chair with an original feel has been baked by the innovative process of a new idea, material and structure.

By :Tokujin Yoshioka
More for TOKUJIN:
Tornado-1  
Tornado-2 
Water block
TOKUJIN PROFILE

A glass bench produced by special platinum mold.

'Much like when shards of glass are dropped into water and their outline gradually disappears, this bench has a similar effect in the rain. The bench looks as if it is disappearing in the rain.
The glass used for this bench has the extremely variable and rare content, which is usually not found in the ordinary glass material. This glass is produced by platinum mold. Compared to crystal, this glass is more valuable. In those days, they said silver and this glass were equivalent in value.'

By TOKUJIN
Tokujin : TORNADO

Tornado with 2 millions straws.
Design Miami
TOKUJIN / Designer of the year 2007

Images of TORNADO.

More for TORNADO