Spoon & Tamago

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Still in LLove

September 20, 2010 / Johnny / Comments Off

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Dutch-Japan relations, the Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy is sponsoring Llove Hotel, a hotel space exhibition created by Japanese and Netherlands designers.

Part of Designtide Tokyo, several designer rooms will be available for actual stay between October 22 – November 23.

a sneak peak of what the designer rooms look like

Participating designers from the Japanese side include Jo Nagasaka, Ryuji Nakamura, Yuko Nagayama and Hideyuki Nakayama. From the Dutch side: Richard Hutten, Joep van Lieshout, Pieke Bergmans, Thonik and Scholten & Baijings.

Toyo Ito named 2010 Praemium Imperiale Laureate

September 17, 2010 / Johnny / Comments Off

Toyo Ito in his Studio. Photo © Sankei Shinbun

Earlier this week, The Japan Art Association announced that they had come to a final decision on a selection for their 2010 Praemium Imperiale Laureate prize. Toyo Ito won the prize for architecture and was joined by other luminaries including Sophia Loren (Theater/Film), Enrico Castellani (Painting), Rebecca Horn (Sculpture), and Maurizio Pollini (Music).

Tama Art University Library by Toyo Ito. Photograph by Iwan Baan.

Toyo Ito joins previous Japanese recipients including Hiroshi Sugimoto (2009), Yayoi Kusama (2006), Ando Tadao (1996), and Akira Kurosawa (1992). Nominees are slected by an international advisory panel who propose candidates in each of the 5 fields. The final selection is then made by the Japan Art Association.

White O by Toyo Ito. Photograph by Nicolas Saieh.

Your tid-bit of trivia for today: Toyo Ito is the one who got Klein Dytham Architecture started in Japan. According to The Japan Times, Klein Dytham sent their portfolio to Toyo Ito before even coming to Japan. “Klein and Dytham’s portfolios were so ‘beautifully presented’ that he decided to recommend them to a friend who had asked him to design a hair salon.”

Za Koenji Public Theater by Toyo Ito. Photograph by Iwan Baan.

via archdaily
(thanks paulene!)

Koichi Futatsumata’s vacuum tube amplifier

September 15, 2010 / Johnny / 2 Comments

Perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing amplifier ever designed, it was just announced (PDF) that Koichi Futatsumata’s (of Case-Real) vacuum tube amplifier will go on sale later this year.

Originally named ELEKIT TUBE AMP, the prototype made its way around the blogosphere earlier this year, perhaps serving as the impetus for the piece to go into commercial production. It was renamed “22 [tu: tu:]” and will retail for 73,500 yen. They even created a special website [www.22tutu.com] which launches September 17th. There, they will begin taking orders for the amp around the end of October.

Moss Ring by cometman and kokeya

September 14, 2010 / Johnny / 1 Comment

What do you get when you pair a jewelry designer with a bonsai designer? Well, you quite obviously get bonsai jewelry. And when that pair happen to be cometman (jewelry) and kokeya (bonsai), you get really awesome jewelry.

The moss ring was created exclusively for online retailer Lade Store and costs 6,800 yen. And good news! They ship overseas (this is actually one of my first encounters with Japanese stores that cater to overseas customers).

Much emphasis was placed on the selection of materials. The ring was carved from a single piece of bubinga wood, hailing from the tropical regions of Africa and commonly found in, among other things, harps, archery bows and Lexus luxury vehicles. The plant is actually a special type of moss known as Leucobryum something or other. It is known for its resilience to dryness and for its deep color, which is why it is often found in the lush Japanese gardens of Kyoto.

via SPGRA

Ashtray that doubles as an incense burner

September 10, 2010 / Johnny / 1 Comment

Japanese-Italian design duo Misto-o, comprised of Nao Ikeuchi and Tommaso Nani, have designed a minimal reversible saucer than can be used as an ashtray or an incense burner. In other words, you can have a smoke, stink up the room, and then flip the astray over to cancel out the smell. It’s like this constant struggle between light and black, good and evil.

via Abitare

Pentax Optio lets you customize your camera with nano blocks

September 9, 2010 / Johnny / 1 Comment

How amazing is this!? Pentax’s Optio NB1000, slated for release this fall, comes with a lego surface that lets you create custom 3D art on your camera surface using nano blocks. Nano blocks are basically miniature legos that were developed by a Japanese company called Kawada.

Little huey would go berserk if I got him this for Christmas.

Via Tokyo Mango

Yurin by Rie Isono

September 9, 2010 / Johnny / 4 Comments

click images to enlarge

Yurin is a new set of chimes designed by Rie Isono for Kyujo Orin, a chime-maker that has been around since 1907. It was announced yesterday that the line of chimes had been awarded the top prize at the Active Design & Craft Fair, part of the Tokyo Gift Show taking place this week.

Chimes have always been a significant part of the Japanese experience. Whether it is a wind chime activated by a warm summer breeze, quietly cooling you down, or a Shinto priest notifying the gods that a newly deceased will be joining them. Having been around since the Edo period, chimes have made their way into shops, cafes and homes across Japan.

My favorite is the kotorin (right), with a little slit in its mouth to hold small notes.

And according to research conducted by the Acoustical Research Society of Japan, certain exquisite chimes have the effect of generating alpha waves in the brain, which are associated with relaxation and ease.

Collab Alert | Tsumori Chisato and Petit Bateau

September 9, 2010 / Johnny / 2 Comments

Japanese fashion designer Tsumori Chisato, known for her girly, fantastical style, has signed on to create a disturbingly cute line of clothing for nautical-inspired French brand Petit Bateau (I usually call it Petit-bourgeois – petit referring to the physical size of the wearer, rather than their social class).

The launch party for the new line recently took place at Petit Bateau’s Daikanyama store in Tokyo.

As expected, the pieces are way out of our price range (who pays $200 for a onesie, bib and stuffed animal?) but we will keep our eyes peeled for them at the annual sample sale held in nyc.

via fashion-press

(thanks Masako-chan!)

Wooden iPad case and stand by Sasaki Kogei

September 8, 2010 / Johnny / 2 Comments

Sasaki Kogei, purveyors of everything that is wood, has created a wooden iPad case that doubles as a stand. It will be on display at the 70th Tokyo International Gift Show, which just opened their doors through the end of the week.

The iPad is fully functional as it nests within its wooden cage. The designers have included a wooden button to turn the power on and off, as well as an outlet so the iPad can be charged without removing it from its case. No word on pricing yet. I expect they will reveal that at the gift show.

Pass The Baton (Omotesando) by Wonderwall

September 7, 2010 / Johnny / Comments Off

About half a year after the completion of their first store in Marunouchi, Pass The Baton has opened a 2nd location in Omotesando. And once again they have enlisted the creatives at Wonderwall to pull together an eclectic design aesthetic that complements the overarching theme of the store.

If you will recall, Pass The Baton is a new concept shop that encourages people to embrace the used and the old. But the latest reworking of this vintage shop includes a gallery space as well as a special showcasing of items – demarcated by the pink walls – selected by fashion designer NIGO (A Bathing Ape).

Also included in the store is a “pass counter” where customers can literally pass the baton. Just make a reservation and show up with your beloved goods to have them appraised and then displayed. Profits are split 50/50 between the customer and the store.

I love how they brought back their signature cup chandelier. In the previous iteration they used what looked like whiskey glasses. But this time they opted for coffee cups.