A chair woven by nature's art
"AKANE," crafted from the special Akane wood from Kishu in Wakayama Prefecture, is born from wood that is generally regarded as defective due to insect bites. The unique marks naturally engraved into the grain of cedar and cypress bring a one-of-a-kind expression to each chair.
As a design chair that combines rarity and uniqueness, "AKANE" will add a special story to your space.
As a work of art created by nature's hand, the "AKANE" chair radiates a distinctive presence that is unique to its environment.
Akane Wood from Kishu
In Wakayama Prefecture, Kishu, there is a special type of wood called Akane Wood. This wood, which has been eaten by the larvae of the insect known as Sugino Akanetorakamikiri, is referred to as Akane Wood. Although there are no issues with its strength or durability, it is sometimes discarded as defective wood.
We found beauty in the appearance of this Akane wood and designed two chairs from it: one with a design that combines boards and another with a distinctive carved curved surface.
By turning what was once seen as a flaw into a strength, we aim to make a statement about environmental issues.
Design
KENGO KUMA
Architect
Date of birth: August 8, 1954
Birthplace: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
He is one of Japan's leading architects and is currently a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo. He established Kengo Kuma & Associates in 1990. He is highly acclaimed both in Japan and overseas for his proposals for architecture that opens up new relationships between nature, technology and people.
Activities: Projects underway in over 50 countries. He is also involved in writing many books and papers. His main publications include “Kengo Kuma: Onomatopoeia, Architecture, Groundedness” (EX-Knowledge), “Japanese Architecture” (Iwanami Shinsho), “All Works” (Yamato Shobo), “Points, Lines, and Planes” (Iwanami Shoten), “Losing Architecture” (Iwanami Shoten), “Natural Architecture,” “Small Architecture” (Iwanami Shinsho), and many others.
Awards:
-Imperial Prize, Japan Art Academy Prize
-TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People
-Medal with Purple Ribbon 2018
-AIJ Prize
-Mainichi Art Award
-Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award for Art Encouragement
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-International Wooden Architecture Award (Finland)
-International Stone Architecture Award (Italy)
Products
Furniture with a Unique Mark of Nature
Using wood with a unique origin known as Akane wood from Kishu, Wakayama Prefecture, one of Japan's forestry centers, we have designed furniture.
While making a statement about environmental issues, we wanted to share the generous aesthetic of Kishu by seeing beauty in the traces left by insects.
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