There are different levels of brilliance to Iro, a furniture collection designed by Tokyo-based Schemata Architects’ Jo Nagasaka. On the surface, there is the obvious sheen of candy-hued resin finishes, making the Japanese word for color a fitting name. Yet beneath its vibrant veneer, the collection demonstrates a brilliant fusion of various aesthetics and techniques. Using the traditional Japanese “udukuri” method to strip away the softest parts of the Douglas Fir, Nagasaka exposes the more durable woodgrain underneath. Rather than hiding these patterns, resin-coating only emphasizes them; the colors varying in intensity according to the depth of the grooves. The result is decidedly contemporary pieces embedded into the characteristically geometric forms of Japanese minimalist design. The collection, launched by British art-design manufacturer Established & Sons during the 2013 London Design Festival, is currently on view at the London Design Museum’s “Designs of the Year 2014,” where it gets our vote for best furniture.
There are different levels of brilliance to Iro, a furniture collection designed by Tokyo-based Schemata Architects’ Jo Nagasaka. On the surface, there is the obvious sheen of candy-hued resin finishes, making the Japanese word for color a fitting name. Yet beneath its vibrant veneer, the collection demonstrates a brilliant fusion of various aesthetics and techniques. Using the traditional Japanese “udukuri” method to strip away the softest parts of the Douglas Fir, Nagasaka exposes the more durable woodgrain underneath. Rather than hiding these patterns, resin-coating only emphasizes them; the colors varying in intensity according to the depth of the grooves. The result is decidedly contemporary pieces embedded into the characteristically geometric forms of Japanese minimalist design. The collection, launched by British art-design manufacturer Established & Sons during the 2013 London Design Festival, is currently on view at the London Design Museum’s “Designs of the Year 2014,” where it gets our vote for best furniture.