Nagare, or flow in Japanese, is a collaboration with Ariake + designers, resulting in a harmonious blend of craftsmanship + creativity showcased through 8 new products.

In the art of furniture design, mastery involves developing a deep and intimate knowledge of the materials used to turn sketches into prototypes before fully realizing final products. That?s exactly what Japanese furniture brand Ariake facilitated in October 2023 when it led a cohort of notable designers and brands ? including Gabriel Tan, Anderssen&Voll, Keiji Ashizawa, Norm Architects, Monica Förster, Naoki Terada, and Christian Haas ? through a week-long design workshop in Saga, Japan.
Hinoki forest visit \ Photo: Sebastian Stadler
Gen Taniguchi, owner of Nao Washi, showing their Kaji trees \ Photo: Sebastian Stadler There, the designers met with Ariake?s Hinoki partner factory, which grows, harvests, and processes the prized Japanese Cypress wood. The group was also introduced to Gen Taniguchi, the owner and master craftsman of Nao Washi, a three-hundred-year-old family-run washi mill that transforms Kaji trees into washi paper. This immersive experience provided the designers with new tools and insights to create Ariake?s new 8-piece, 2024 collection Nagare.
Designers and their teams with their prototypes \ Photo: Sebastian Stadler
Gen Taniguchi displaying Washi paper \ Photo: Sebastian Stadler
Gabriel Tan and Furukawa San prototyping the Koi Chair \ Photo: Sebastian Stadler
Gabriel Tan wi...