Designed for the newly-opened @bluebottlecoffee Shibuya Cafe in Kitaya Park, Shibuya (Tokyo), we imagined a scene where a pair of visitors could sit on the new ISHINOMAKI STACKING BENCH and enjoy a cup of coffee in a relaxed environment. The width of bench seat is also sized so that Blue Bottle Coffee's trays can be affixed accordingly. Visitors sitting with trays in between them on the benches creates a minimal yet cozy scene. Additionally, for workers to easily take out and bring in the benches on a daily basis, it was important for the design to be stackable, lightweight, and compact.
Design : Keiji Ashizawa
(b. 1973) lives and works in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating from Yokohama University School of Architecture in 1995, Ashizawa spent the first ten years of his career working as both an architect and steel fabricator. The unique skills and experience gained throughout these early years, including a valued understanding of metals, continue to influence his approach to design.Keiji Ashizawa presents work of ‘honest’ design – simple yet refined, thoughtful and of a light manner – derived naturally through the process of attempting to maximise the potential of each material and its function. He excels in applying these ideas to projects of various scale, from furniture and lighting design to architecture and exhibition design.His furniture and lighting have been exhibited internationally since 2001.In 2011, Ashizawa was awarded a ‘Special Award’ by the Japan Institute of Design for his principal participation in the inception of Ishinomaki Laboratory – a DIY furniture workshop established in Ishinomaki city, Japan, after it was devastated by the tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
www.keijidesign.com
