February 2013 • In Production
Knockdown Comfort
Inoda + Sveje create a simple seat with plenty of character.
By Shannon Sharpe
HEIGHT
28.0 inches
WIDTH
28.9 inches
DEPTH
27.8 inches
Cozy. That’s how Kyoko Inoda and Nils Sveje want their furniture to feel, and their mutual interest in achieving this through the use of contemporary materials brought the pair together in 2000. Their studio, Inoda + Sveje, acquired an international client base in three short years, and moved from Copenhagen to Milan. In 2012, now a well-established company, Inoda + Sveje realized that designing knockdown furniture—which makes for easier shipping—would be a smart business move. “Having production in Japan but also targeting the European market, it made sense to focus on collapsible furniture,” says Inoda. However, sensible and beautiful don’t always go hand in hand. “Very often we see knockdown furniture missing character due to oversimplification,” she explains. “We knew from the start that we wanted to create something rich, warm, and tactile.”
The design of the IS Lounge chair came out of a brief from a client, the Miyazaki Chair Factory in Tokushima, Japan. Inoda + Sveje decided to complete the piece in time for Milan’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile, experimenting with various prototypes until they were completely satisfied. “It is basically a cushion with two sides,” says Inoda. “But this simple definition does not reflect the workmanship and technical skills needed to make it a durable piece of furniture.” Perhaps the best proof that they accomplished a high level of coziness: The design team keeps several chairs in the studio “just for hugging.”
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