living room chair ~ Arm chair is designed from Japanese cushion "Zabuton" - KK01

ORU SOFA

This is a sofa folded from a piece of washi (Japanese paper) of about one meter square. As represented in origami, folding (=oru, as a verb) is one of the traditional methods in Japanese design, to make the material fit into the body. Here, we applied the idea of ORU to a sofa.

ORU SOFA Produced by Kengo Kuma ,worldwide architect.

KENGO KUMA PROFILE

Kengo Kuma was born in 1954. He completed his master’s degree at the University of Tokyo in 1979. After studying at Columbia University as Visiting Scholar, he established Kengo Kuma & Associates 1990. In 2009, he was installed as Professor at the Graduate School of Architecture, University of Tokyo.

Among Kuma’s major works are Kirosan Observatory (1995), Water/Glass (1995, received AIA Benedictus Award), Stage in Forest, Toyoma Center for Performance Arts (received 1997 Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Award), Bato-machi Hiroshige Museum (received The Murano Prize). Recent works include Nezu Museum (2009, Tokyo), Yusuhara Marche and Wooden Bridge Museum (2010), Asakusa Culture and Tourism Center (2012) and Nagaoka City Hall Aore. (2012) A number of large projects are also going on abroad, including the arts centre in Besancon City, France, and a new Victoria & Albert Museum building in Dundee, Scotland U.K..

Prostho Museum Starbucks Coffee at Yusuhara Wooden
Research Center(2010) Dazaifutenmangu Omotesando(2010) Bridge Museum(2010)

website in Kengo Kuma and associates

http://kkaa.co.jp/

We originally produced the sofa made of Oguni-washi paper, as a strong material made from Japan’s unique technique, but we could also use leather instead of washi. If you plan to use the chair in a busy public area like a lounge, we would recommend leather-made ones.

Washi can exert remarkable tensile strength when persimmon tannin is infused with it. The innovative idea of upholstering with washi came to be realized by this impregnation of tannin.

Manufacturing Process~About Japanese Paper~

"Oguni-washi Manufacturer's Association" was founded in 1984 to urge enployment and to preserve

"Oguni-washi" which was the intangible cultural asset but had nearly disappeared. currently 10

members are working for the job. We treat only KOUZO to apply for labels for Japanese Sake, nameplates to clothes for KIMONO and wall-covering for buildings. We grow KOUZO from spring to autumn and manufacture traditional paper like Oguni-washi or YUKISARASHI in winter. We aim at anually consistant job. Bark of KOUZO become paper and the other parts become fuelwood to boil KOUZO and dry paper. Furthermore ash of the fuelwood will be mixed to the liquid to boil KOUZO.

Manufacturing paper is a traditionally economical and ecological work in Japan.
We would like to succeed to the traditional method and to produce paper in high quality.

EXPLANATION FOR THE PICTURES
Oguni-washi 1

The picture show the products which are manufactured by "Oguni-washi Manufacturer's Association".The lineup of the papers without a pattern consist of unbleached paper and YUKISARASHI(paper which have been exposed on the snow).

Oguni-washi 2

The picture show the products which are manufactured by "Oguni-washi Manufacturer's Association".Dyestuff for the products are made from natural materials, for example the persimmon juice which have a resistane to water and have effect of protection against insects. And patterns of paper are given by the bark of KOUZO(Scientific Name: Broussonetia Kazinoki) and safflower. One of them includes fibers of Japanese cedar to add special pattern.

KOUZO Field

"Oguni-washi Manufacturer's Association" grows KOUZO as a material of paper.
KOUZO which have put forth buds in spring grow up to the height of 4m before the end of Novermber and we cut the tree before snowy season. We take much care of KOUZO in summer plowing out weeds and nipping extra buds.

boiling
KOUZO is steamed to strip off its bark of which surface have been peeled off. The bark called SHIROKAWA become material of paper. SHIROKAWA will be boiled in water with ash juice for about 4 hours. After removing scum, SHIROKAWA will be broken into fibers with the special aparatus called "Naginata Beater".

Straining
kOUZO and water are stired in the container named "SUKIBUNE for KOUZO" and are poured
through the special strainer named SU-to-KETA. While the operation, we take care to swing the
strainer to make the material become flat and thick. Each piece of strained materials will be
layed up on a bed and will be drained the day after.

Drying
Each of drained paper will be stripped off from the bed and will be dried on a steamed iron plate
one by one.

Pasting permsimmon tannin
After coating by aged persimmon tannin, paper becomes atrong and waterproof and protects against insects. "Oguni-washi Manufacturer's Association" offers above paper for the use of nameplate to clothes for KIMONO, wall-covering for buildings and so on.

About Minerva

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2jfUcgw8VQ

Product list
You ask, a catalog is sent by PDF!

List of Supply
We supply order made furniture to many public and private institutions, including the Imperial Household Agency, Imperial Hotel and other famous corporations

In-company scenery

We attached the tag “Made in Japan” to all the chairs and sofas which we have made.


Medal with Yellow Ribbon
An award presented by the country to those who have shown outstanding hard work and achievement in business

living room chair ~ Arm chair is designed from Japanese cushion "Zabuton"