Kengo Kuma – Furniture That Blends Into the Surroundings

In contrast to the Western world, furniture does not have much of a presence within traditional Japanese architecture. Kengo Kuma believes that this unique stance towards furniture is not due solely to the practice of sitting on tatami matting on the floor, but rather also stems from the transparent nature of this architecture. Bringing large furniture with a strong presence into transparent spaces such as these would ruin the carefully crafted aesthetic. Over the centuries, Japanese designers have sought sophisticated designs that minimise scale and create delicate pieces. In this book, Kuma explores how to design modern furniture as an extension of these innovations.