Standing on three legs instead of four, the aptly named Three-Legged Drawer explores a unique construction that ditches the frame entirely to give you more drawers in the same compact form factor. The way this is achieved is by using the rear leg as a connector pole for the rods that each individual drawer slides on. The outer powder-coated metal frame gives you a uniquely lightweight aesthetic, while the chest of drawers comes with as many as 12 drawers along with a good 8-10 inches of ground clearance for keeping shoes and other belongings.
Designer: StudioYO
“Three-Legged Drawer was designed by “minimal addition,” which underlies the origins of Japan’s time-honored tools and represents a uniquely Japanese minimalism,” say Yoh and Kyoko Mizoguchi of Fukuoka-based StudioYO. “The structure of the drawers, which normally needs to have four sides to be complete, is redefined through a new structure with three legs and no need for outer casing.”
The two-tone finish of the Three-Legged Drawer gives it a certain modern appeal. Woodgrain and black were always a great combination (look at the Eames Lounge Chair) and the drawer chest embraces that. The 12 drawers don’t come with any embellishments of any kind – not even handles. Instead, semi-circular cutouts to their front frame help you open or shut the drawers. A similar cutout on the rear frame helps the drawers slide on their rail, which is visible more clearly in the naked frame below. Lastly, a glass sheet sits on top of the uppermost drawer, protecting it from dust.
The Three-Legged Drawer was winner of the Silver Leaf Prize (second place) at the International Furniture Design Competition Asahikawa 2021, its first exhibition. Michael Young, a globally successful designer since the 1990s, mentioned that “this work sits between design and art.”
