Tokyo Fiber 2009 SENSEWARE PART 2

Part 2 of our coverage. Jun Aoki, Kashiwa Sato, Kengo Kuma, Kosuke Tsumura.

Part 1, Part 3

Exhibition: Tokyo Fiber

With a pure and simple innovative approach, architect Jun Aoki took a close look at carbon fiber and conceived a product that straightforwardly brings out the characteristics of this fiber. Carbon fiber provides strength under tension and is very light, as can be clearly seen from the structure of the long cantilever bean that Aoki produced. Stretching across the room, the lighting fixture illuminates more than enough space for five chars side by side, even when the chairs are spread out.

Art Director Kashiwa Sato is active in a wide range of areas from kindergarten design to design of mobile phone handsets. Sato had the idea of making blocks for kindergarten age children. These are soft building blocks of air. The highly elastic monofilament is extruded into random cells to make a cushion material that is 95% air, thereby effectively capturing air in three dimensions. The material is washable, safe, and clean. Ideal for building dens!

By embedding optical fibers continuously, then cutting across fibers, it is possible to make concrete that light will penetrate. Kengo Kuma, known for architecture, understands building design can be influenced by the potential of its materials. These piled light blocks create a new architectural vocabulary. The space he produced is translucent, so people inside sense the shadows of people walking outside. This represents a radical change for the character of a solid material that would normally shut out light.

Kosuke Tsumura, a fashion design who is constantly searching for new, meaningful perspectives for clothing and people, created clothing for a mother and her baby. The rockable cradle that gently accepts the new-born baby is made from a material that is soft like a blanket. The impression in the center is firm like a silk cocoon. Individual laser cut units are combined like puzzle pieces to form the mother’s clothes.