Claesson Koivisto Rune × Woodwork / sasimonokagu takahashi [Story1]
Enduring quality

“It’s a beautiful idea that craftsmanship is more important than age. It doesn’t matter when something was made, it’s how it was made,” says Ola Rune, co-founder of Stockholm-based architecture and design firm Claesson Koivisto Rune. The architect has just arrived in the small town of Kumano, Hiroshima, where he will continue his dialogue with Yuji Takahashi, his collaborator for the third iteration of Tokyo Craft Room. “When I think about Japanese craftsmanship, one striking example is the shrine at Ise Jingu. Every twenty years they make a replica to replace the existing shrine complex, and by using old techniques they keep tradition alive.” 

Claesson Koivisto Rune’s involvement with the project will see the firm build on a relationship with Japan that dates back to its first architectural commission: Villa Wabi (1994). Following a research trip that shone new light on Japanese architecture and design, the founding architects designed an experimental urban villa for a public square in Stockholm. Several decades later, their practice has expanded to include projects as varied as hotels, tableware and tiles, yet their ongoing dialogue with Japan has endured.

“Research is something that’s always present in our work,” explains Rune. “We’ve been working together for 25 years, but we’re still three very curious individuals who are constantly looking at what’s happening and why. We want to know why some people do the same thing differently.”

The idea of doing things differently and exploring the potential of old techniques resonates strongly with Yuji Takahashi, craftsman and founder of Sasimono-kagu Takahashi. After studying furniture production, Takahashi shifted his focus to sashimono (wood joinery) and set about refining his skills in Miyazaki and Kyoto, before establishing a workshop in Kumano. At the heart of his work are traditional joinery techniques, which allow for the creation of robust products that can be repaired throughout their lifetime. Pairing these techniques with modern tools, materials and technology, he designs and manufactures furniture with enduring quality.

For Rune, the starting point for the project was spending a night in the room itself, gaining insights into the scale of the space and its functional requirements. These observations laid the foundations for his early discussions with Takahashi about the kind of furniture they could create together. “During our first meeting, Takahashi-san started showing me some samples on his iPad. When we looked at the detailing I thought to myself, ‘This is unreal. You can’t do this, it’s impossible to make a box or tray in this manner,’” Rune recalls with a smile. 

Each designer charts their own path through the early stages of a new collaboration, gradually building an understanding of its possibilities. Rune and his team’s conversations with Takahashi not only revealed the potential of his joinery skills, but a sheer enthusiasm for his craft. These insights became stepping stones, enabling the designers to explore new concepts with a sense of confidence.

“We want to do something that we haven’t done before and see how much we can challenge Takahashi-san. When the audience see this product, we want them to understand how well it has been made.”

>>Continued in Story 2

Claesson Koivisto Rune

クラーソン・コイヴィスト・ルーネ

Claesson Koivisto Rune is a Swedish architectural partnership, founded in Stockholm, in 1995, by Mårten Claesson, Eero Koivisto and Ola Rune. It started as an architectural firm, but has since become an internationally-acclaimed, multi-disciplinary office with an equal emphasis on both architecture and design. Project categories include buildings, hotels, homes, shops, offices, exhibitions, kitchens, sanitary ware, tableware, glassware, furniture, textiles, tiles, lighting, electronics, candy and even a trophy (the Swedish TV-prize Kristallen).

www.claessonkoivistorune.se

sasimonokagu takahashi

さしものかぐたかはし

SASIMONOKAGU-TAKAHASHI is furniture atelier founded in Kumano,Hiroshima in 2010 by joiner Yuji Takahashi. They can conclude whole process of making furniture  by themselves from design to sales. In those days they mainly craft furniture which is privately ordered through Takahashi. Besides furnitures, he owns studio “tetoma” where he can open some exhibitions relates their lifestyle, chatting space and the other events. 

www.sasimonokagu-takahashi.com