Holding Sunshine – Glass Sculpture by Rui Sasaki
The field of glass is so intriguing considering the many properties that this fascinating material holds. Opacity, colour blending, surface textures, and much more make up a piece of glass design. With that in mind, crafting a cohesive piece of work requires so many different elements to come togeth
Nature’s Inspiration – Ceramics by Keisuke Okazaki
The roots of the trees seen in the mountains and the bumpy roughness of this climate inspire the work of Japanese potter Keisuke Okazaki. Over the years he has developed a distinct style of brushing on the glaze to mimic the deep, textural qualities found in stone. This is an interesting juxtapositi
New in the Shop – Paper Containers by forc
We are proud to introduce forc, a new project that’s a collaboration between Gifu based paper factory Maruta, the craftsmen at mother tool in Tochigi, and the design talents at FULLSWING. Each container is crafted using strips of paperboard that are cut and then bent in to shape. The material
Maker Profile – Frying Pan JIU
It’s not often you see products that bring handcrafted techniques into the field of industrial design. For this reason, I have been fascinated by the work of Osaka-based Fujita Metal and Tokyo design studio TENT. By fusing TENT’s passion for modern design and Fujita Metal’s high-qu
New at OEN Shop – Perfect Instance Mobile by Tempo
One of my favourite pieces from Japanese workshop Tempo is the Perfect Instance mobile that comes in a blue and orange colour. This mobile is composed of two anodised aluminium plates. One has been placed horizontally and the other vertically so that the plates intersect. A metal bar separates the t
New in the Shop – Ebony RaysTray by Mori Kougei
Today we profile the wonderful RaysTray made from ebony wood by Mori Kougei. Handcrafted in Japan by Hiroyuki Mori, Mori Kougei uses the traditional skill of inlaying thin sheets of wood to create these striking functional objects for the home. The deep, dark colour of the ebony has hints of purple
New in the Shop – Lacquerware Reimagined by SEKISAKA
In the Kawada district of Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, where Echizen lacquer ware is produced, product brand SEKISAKA has been in the lacquerware industry for more than 300 years. In response to the changing times, SEKISAKA produced the series titled STORE with their intent to match our modern life
New in the Shop – Pebble Paperweights by PLYWOOD laboratory
Japanese plywood manufacturer Taizawa Plywood developed their ‘Paper-Wood’ technology in 2009. Paper-Wood is plywood with beautiful cross-section colouring that was created by laminating coloured recycled paper and natural wood grown locally in Hokkaido. Collaborating with studio Drill D
New in the Shop – VASTO Wall Object by Iwata Woodwork
A beautiful piece of minimal design by the Iwata Mokkou studio based in Hiroshima, Japan. The VASTO wall object has been developed to have harmony within Iwata’s current collection of woodwork that we already stock. These pieces can stand alone as art on the wall or purely as sculptural object
Tadao Ando References – A Short Film by Hans Georg Esch & Florian Yeh
Tadao Ando is a very divisive architect. I suppose when you are talking about minimalism, you tend to have a small group who rally behind an artist’s work and then those who like to play down the significance of such strict adherence to one’s values. I see Ando as a disciplined practitio
New at OEN Shop – Brassware by Takeo Suhara of Yuta Craft
Just as the different clays in pottery bring a sense of depth and mystery, so does the weight and purity of a metal. I haven’t really discussed Takeo Suhara’s work in much detail due to the popularity of them. These beautiful brass utensils under his studio name ‘Yuta Craft’ really d
New at OEN Shop – Lighting by Japanese Studio Y.S.M PRODUCTS
Despite the lack of lighting in our shop it’s one of the most interesting areas of design in my opinion. The way light strikes an object ultimately plays with our overall perception, dictating the way we perceive and interact with it. I really enjoyed the work of Y.S.M PRODUCTS in Japan and I
