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I just realized that Noboru Morikawa, the photographer whose work I sourced for my original post on the Teshima Museum, had updated his portfolio with more – and may I add, stunning? – images of the minimalist museum on the island of Teshima.
click on for the full gallery
Speaking of Hiroshi Nakamura, it was unveiled yesterday that the architect’s proposal will be adopted for the redevelopment of the Omotesando and Meiji-dori intersection of Harajuku, where the old GAP store used to be (it closed down in January of this year). I remember often meeting up with friends in front of that GAP store because Harajuku station was too crazy (plus, you had Nigerians trying to lead you into their flea market, filled with designer knock-offs).
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In a press release issued on Tuesday, Tokyu Land, the primary developer of the site, named Hiroshi Nakamura as the architect and said that they plan to officially break ground on Friday, November 12th. The planned completion date is Spring of 2012.
Although Tommy Hilfiger was the only Tenant who was named, word on the street is that the other 2 primary tenants will be A&F’s hipper younger sibling Hollister, and American Eagle. A little too American, if you ask me.
It’s also worth noting that the architect himself made a point of stating that the renderings were for leasing purposes only, alluding to the possibility of a design change.
via snow mag and tputh
With the grand opening of Tokyu Plaza Omotesand Harajuku about 1 month away – April 18th, to be exact – pictures of the structure have started to emerge on twitter. Here are a couple crowd-sourced images that I found (linked to the source). That entrance is pretty insane. Something right out of Stargate.
Late last month when I tweeted about Hiroshi Nakamura’s latest work, Midori Museum & Café, I didn’t think my wish for more images would come true so quickly. Yet indeed, photos are beginning to roll in from the open house, which is going on through the entire month of November. These images are all courtesy of madori brog (sic?).
Located in Tochigi prefecture, Midori Museum and Cafe is the latest work of NAP Architects, led by Hiroshi Nakamura. The architects originally captured our attention with their Dancing Trees, Singing Birds, and then their subsequent work, House C (or Garden on a Roof).
The new museum looks like several pitched tents.
I absolutely love these slots in the wall that are used for bookshelves. Something about the permanency of it all, and how it’s part of the architecture, really turns me on. Reminds me of these built-in book-ends.
Related:
In conjunction with Design Tide Tokyo, architect Hideyuki Nakayama – a protégé of Toyo Ito – has teamed up with UNION, a manufacturer of door handles and levers, to create a glass globe doorknob. As you approach the doorknob you catch a glimpse of what appears to be another world, waiting for you to enter and join, but in fact is a reflection of the room on the other side of the door.
When I first saw this it was very Ghibli-esque to me. I’ve never seen so much thought go into a doorknob. It’s currently on display at Plain People in Aoyama.
via Openers
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Following our coverage of Tokyo Designer’s Week, I wanted to highlight a few projects that were of particular interest to me. One of those projects is the Jaime Hayon line of ceramics for Choemon, one of the better known ceramic companies specializing in Marutani-yaki, a style of ceramics native to Ishikawa prefecture. It will be produced by Maruwakaya, who brought us the deerskin iPhone cases.
Although this is not the first time Hayon’s work has cast anchor in Japan (more on this and a recent history of Spanish design in Japan HERE ), it does mark the first original product line that was conceived specifically for a Japanese company.
I think the reason I am so drawn to this line of ceramics is that, while they are brimming with Hayon-esque creativity and originality, he has somehow succeeded in imbedding his work with the timeline of traditional Japanese ceramics. So much to the point where I almost sense a form of nostalgia as I look at the pieces arranged on the table.
via excite.ism
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photos by Takafumi Yamada | click to enlarge
Daisuke Motogi is a young Tokyo-based designer who just recently graduated from Schemata Architecture Office and established his own studio. In what can be considered a sparkling debut, Motogi created “Lost in Sofa,” a bold and dazzling piece that firmly establishes him within the Japanese design industry. Inspired by how we often lose personal belongings in a sofa because they fall out of our pockets, Motogi introduces the idea of intentional misplacement. By creating individual cushions that each serve as storage, we can now place virtually anything, anywhere we want in the sofa.
I love the idea but it’s very un-Japanese in it’s concept, usage of materials and how they come together in shape and form. I was surprised to learn that Motogi had never spent any time studying abroad.
“Lost in Sofa” was presented at designtide tokyo 2010.
source: press release from the designer
Image courtesy of whiskeygonebad’s “Brooklyn 1970s” flickr stream
This Saturday we will be having a stoop sale. We’re liquidating our bulging inventory of clothes, clothes and more clothes. There will be lots of kids clothes (baby to toddler), as well as a selection of men’s and women’s. We have to make room for more kids clothes!
Saturday November 6th
11:00am – 3:00pm ish
The corner of S. Elliot and Fulton in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn.
Please stop by, if only to say hi. I would love to meet you, even if you don’t buy anything!
As you probably know, Tokyo Designer’s Week closed on Wednesday, marking the end of another successful showing. Although we were stranded here in NYC and weren’t able to be there physically, we did manage to send a correspondent there to cover the event. Dustin Malstrom, creative Director of ReMade – an architectural and design studio now based in Japan – was kind enough to scoop out the event and send us some pictures.
But before we continue on, I have to point out how much I love their logo. And while I look forward to seeing the new ideas that come out of Sapporo Design Week each year, I’m so happy that they found a nice clean logo, designed by Micha Weidmann, and stuck with it, making simple subtle modifications each year.
While Tokyo was busy with their festivities, the northern folk have also been partying it up at Sapporo Design Week, which ran parallel to its Honshu counterpart. Although I never cover it in much extent, I do love their logo, which may serve as an impetus to providing more coverage.
It was designed by Mr. Morikawa of Terashima Design, a grahic design firm headquartered in Sapporo. The theme of this year’s event was “party” and, using only semicircles, the designer has created a quilt-like pattern that spells out the word.
PS Both festivities have now ended. Yesterday was the last day but stay tuned as we have some exclusive coverage from the Tokyo side.
Related:
Or-Ita is a revolutionary new tool used for sculpting cardboard. It performs an incredibly simple function – perforation – that transforms an incredibly dull material (cardboard) into one that can be freely bent and sculpted as if it were origami. It was invented by self-described “Inter Design Artist” Makoto Orisaki.
To celebrate the invention of this device (it’s not every day that such a simple yet high-demand tool gets newly invented, says the curator Eizo Okada) 6 designers have come on board to create works to experiment with, and demonstrate the capabilities of, this new tool. The show, which just opened over the weekend at CLASKA, is part of Design Tide Tokyo.
work by Ryuji Nakamura | click images to enlarge
work by Hisakazu Shimizu
work by Makoto Orisaki
work by Mitsuru Koga
work by Mike Abelson of POSTALCO
work by Yo Oe
If you aren’t familiar with the name, Makoto Orisaki has worked, domestically, with Kenya Hara, and for Philip Stark, who invited him abroad. He also spent a year with UK retailer Habitat and is a force to be reckoned with in the design scene in Japan. Some of his exemplary works include Line Works, Pallet File, and Inter_Box.
