I’m continuing my round-up of highlights from 3 Days of Design with a look at two brands that embody the concept of ‘Japandi’ – that is, a fusion between Japanese and Scandinavian style.
There’s a clear affinity between Japanese and Scandinavian design, with both sharing a focus on clean lines, natural materials and balancing form and function. It’s a pairing that I’m naturally drawn to, especially when it involves true collaboration between creatives from both parts of the world (I do worry some other instances stray into cultural-appropriation territory, especially when I see major homeware companies reducing it to a passing trend, and using Japanese terms or lifting Japanese aesthetics with no effort to understand the deeply rooted meanings or nuances behind them).
True collaboration is certainly the case with the below brands, both of which are partnerships based around the exchange of ideas and a mutual respect for different traditions. And the results are stunning, as proven by their 3 Days of Design exhibitions…
Karimoku Case Study
First up is Karimoku Case Study, a joint venture between Japanese furniture manufacturer Karimoku, Copenhagen-based Norm Architects and Tokyo studio Keiji Ashizawa. Born out of a shared love of serene beauty and material richness – and a shared recognition of our innate human need to reconnect with nature – it was first launched at 3 Days of Design in 2019. It now brings together the original founders with other architects, designers and craftspeople, organising workshops at Karimoku’s facility in Aichi prefecture to foster collaboration and innovation.
A particularly interesting aspect of Karimoku Case Study is that all its pieces are developed for specific interior and architecture projects (or ‘case studies’), many of which you’ll have seen me cover on this blog. Not all of the resulting designs go into full production, but the ones that do are all the better for having been created with real-life needs and everyday use in mind. As Karimoku’s Vice President Hiroshi Kato, whose grandfather Shohei Kato established the company in the 1940s, says: “We want to make furniture that lasts; that will be used and loved for more than a hundred years… Our ultimate goal is to make people happier by improving spaces.”
This year Karimoku Case Study took over the New Mags store, presenting a selection of new and existing collections among the displays of books and journals. I loved the warm yet calming vibe, with paper screens, richly grained hardwoods, beige and grey textiles, handmade ceramics and marble elements providing a beautiful mix of tactile materials and soft neutrals. It was all laid out as a series of different ‘rooms’, each anchored by an understated yet super-silky rug produced by Japanese company Hotta Carpet, and it was a joy to wander from one to the next.
Standout designs for me included the recently launched ‘NF’ seating family, developed with renowned British architect Norman Foster for a private residential space, and the ‘N-CC01’ easy chairs, originally conceived for Archipelago House in Sweden. Both combine elegant curves with crisp yet inviting upholstery and represent a wonderful balance of form and ergonomics. I was also drawn to the clean-lined, stone-topped ‘N-CT01’ coffee table, which references both traditional Japanese architecture and the minimalist creations of Danish modern designer Poul Kjærholm, and the oversized washi-paper pendant and floor lamps – prototypes from Karimoku Case Study and Kyoto lantern maker Kojima Shouten that I hope will enter proper production.
The various spaces were finished off perfectly with an artfully curated mix of accessories, including the elegant ‘Emi’ oak tray and hand-carved ‘Eno’ wooden bowls, designed for Sweden’s Michelin-starred Restaurant Äng and now available from Bonni Bonne. I also spied stunning marble sculptures from Caché and clever book-like storage boxes made for Karimoku Case Study by Danish leather manufacturer August Sandgren.
Find out more about Karimoku Case Study and browse its full collection here.
Koyori
Making its 3 Days of Design debut, Koyori was founded in 2022 to produce refined furniture that showcases high-quality Japanese production techniques and materials. It was formed by a group of Japanese manufacturers and makers, with input from British designer Jasper Morrison and Swiss designer Sebastian Fehr, and works with a range of international names to create pieces that transcend borders and add value to everyday life.
I first wrote about Koyori following its official launch at last year’s Milan Design Week, so I was very excited to see its designs in person. Its exhibition took inspiration from the way Japanese houses are typically arranged into entrance hall, garden and interior and was separated into three sections, each with its own distinct atmosphere.
Visitors were first greeted by a reception area adorned with noren – traditional fabric dividers hung in doorways or windows, with vertical slits cut almost all the way up. Beyond this was a Zen garden with meticulously raked gravel (redone each morning!), where the brand’s chairs were arranged like statues – a very apt way of showcasing their elegant yet sculptural shapes. They’re all beautiful, but my favourites were the ‘Edaha’ chair, designed by Danish-Italian duo GamFratesi and inspired by a leaf resting on a branch, and Paris-based brothers Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec‘s ‘Kawara’ armchair, made from veneered plywood that’s expertly molded into wave-like curves.
The rest of the space sat behind a series of screens and represented the interior of the ‘house’. Here, Koyori’s first three tables, all available in round and rectangular versions, were on display: ‘Nei’, whose frame looks as if it’s notched into the top; ‘Usurai’, made using a cross-cut lamination technique that creates a distinctive striped effect; and ‘Miau’, whose top looks as if it blends seamlessly into tapered legs. The latter was accompanied by the ‘Miau’ chair, whose bentwood frame, elegant curves and gently molded seat (available with or without upholstery) instantly caught my eye.
The name Koyori, by the way, means ‘twisted paper cords’ and is the main material of mizuhiki, the durable and decorative paper strings traditionally used in Japan for wrapping gifts, especially on festive and ceremonial occasions. It seems fitting for a brand grounded in the legacy and beauty of Japanese craftsmanship, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s carried forward.
Read more about Koyori here.
All photography by Abi Dare
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