Takenoko chair
The section where the base of log pillars chamfered diagonally has long been called “Takenoko [bamboo shoots in Japanese]” by masters of the tea ceremony from ancient times. This is a manifestation of the wabi-sabi sensibility, which takes bamboo shoots poking through the floor, hated in a hovel, to be worthy of longing for a humble abode. Our use of logs in architecture, too, is not only for the beauty of the materials but also to imbue the space with the naturalist aesthetics of people in Japan who live in harmony with nature. It was our wish to create a chair suited to such a modest locale.
Dining chair
Lounge chair
Our initial concept was for a chair that holds a small spatial quality composed of camellia wood parts retaining the bark, structured horizontally and vertically in the manner of Japanese wooden frame architecture. Giving the legs diagonally cut where toes and heels are likely to hit reveals a beautiful cross section with the look of a ”Takenoko”.
Cocept model
Care was also taken so the arms can be hung on a table for easy cleaning underneath. Just as cleaning is an ascetic practice of Zen temples, beautifully purifying a place is a philosophical and religious practice in the way that we live.“Sweeping the floor and living together with nature.” A chair for such a humble living was born.
