Furniture and Functional Objects by TEORI
It was a nice surprise to find this Japanese company named TEORI this week, they’re producing some superb items that also have a nice story and concept behind them. TEORI was founded in 1998 as a manufacturer of wood products in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture. They specialise in making modern design objects out of bamboo, an eco-friendly material that grows much quicker than wood. Not only that, it’s also very durable and flexible, having high antibacterial properties and healing effects. TEORI have coined it “laminated bamboo lumber”, which is where thin strips of bamboo are placed down to create a board or block. Bamboo is actually a difficult material to process due to its high density and the variance in strength depending on the direction. However, the technical expertise of TEORI has enabled them to design bamboo products in a similar fashion to that of wooden lumber, which in turn means they can explore a wide range of ideas and applications.
What I find interesting about this project is that they’ve selected six designers in collaboration with engineers to challenge the various issues surrounding bamboo laminated lumber. As you can see above and below, this has led them to create goods with the balance of beauty, uniqueness, functionality, and a massive plus in my eyes is the cost. Bamboo is pretty cheap, and with effective manufacturing these can be made at a great price without sacrificing quality and design. That’s just what I like to hear!
You’ll find a selection of my favourite pieces above and below that I thought would fit in to the home nicely, they’re also pretty innovative. Check out the chair further down for example, it’s quite hard to believe that this has been made using bamboo as it’s so beautiful on the eye, also very polished. Funnily enough, it’s a bit like oak or a material of that kind. Obviously you would tell up-close but I don’t think that takes away from the finish itself, it just gives a totally different vibe to the furniture, maybe a more natural and responsible one at that.
You may also like
Textiles by Hiroko Takeda
It’s intriguing to think that many of my influences revolve around nature itself, even if it’s u
New in the Shop – Handmade Woodwork by Studio KUKU
I’m fascinated by those makers who are able to craft not only functional pieces using high qua
Hikaru Dorodango – Coloured Soil Spheres Sculpted by Bruce Gardner
Bruce Gardner lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico and specialises in the Japanese art of Hikaru Dorodan
