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Roots DivertedContemporary Design Practices Merge with Asian Traditions

Volume 2 - China, India, Japan, South Korea

Hirocoledge

Hiroko Takahashi is a young fashion designer passionate about traditional dyeing techniques and the timeless aesthetic of Japanese kimonos. She has spent years studying traditional processes of textile making at the Tokyo University of Fine Arts where she obtained a doctorate degree in 2008.

Using bold dots and straight-line patterns, her aim is to bring the kimono back into everyday life by creating a casual version of the garment with a modern twist. Inspired by the Meiji and Taisho period looks, Takahashi attempts to reconnect modern Japan with “old Japan” through her creations. She particularly cherishes the Japanese Katazome dyeing technique, which consists of applying rice and bran flour paste through a stencil to block the dye from penetrating the fabric.

Her online store Hirocoledge features a variety of other textile products such as tenugui (Japanese towel), sensu (Japanese fan), bags, wallets, and home interior goods that add colorful touches to modern life.

. Above: Hiroko Takahashi wearing one of her own creations.

Maruwakaya Co. Ltd.

Company founder Hirotoshi Marukawa works to integrate the Japanese craft of monozukuri into contemporary lifestyles in order to fuse different aesthetics that are situated in between the chic and the strange. Since the Edo period, these types of combinations have become distinctive in Japanese culture. Today, his company Maruwakaya collaborates with designers and crafts people to create products that can be used casually on a daily basis. They include iPhone cases made with the traditional inden technique in which patterns are painted with lacquer on dyed deerskin.

His company also collaborates regularly with Kyoto-based Choemon, a pottery factory founded in 1879 in Ishikawa that specializes in hand-painted kutani pottery used as tableware and tea ceremony utensils. Choemon has developed an integrated system of production from raw material to finished product and together with Maruwakaya has generated unexpected objects including a skull-shaped candy jar. More recently, Spanish designer Jaime Hayon was invited by Maruwakaya to collaborate with Choemon and design a series of products that investigates people’s relationship around the dinner table.

. Above: Choemon porcelain craft company collaborations with Jaime Hayon.

Viya Home

The breadth and depth of Indian crafts and contemporary design deserves a stronger presence on a global scale. With centuries-old techniques on the brink of extinction, designers have a role to play in making good use of local crafts and sustain the unique cultural heritage that India has developed over the years. At a time when the country is going through major shifts, questions around the preservation of local identity are increasing and craft survival versus mass production is part of the conversation.

Craftsmanship often develops around a pursuit for perfection and beauty. It is with that philosophy in mind that the company Viya Home from New Delhi creates bespoke objects and interiors using the refined skills of local craft workers. Century-old methods and techniques are behind the luxurious details inspired by Indian motifs and architecture. Many hotels have commissioned pieces from Viya’s collections of objects made of brass, copper, semi-precious materials including lapis lazuli and mother of pearl. The modern aesthetics paves the way toward the concept of “India Modern”, a practice based on traditional crafts with the intention of creating new products.

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. Above: Viya products use traditional brass and copper craft techniques.

Wrap

In the outskirts of New Delhi, Wrap founder Gunjan Gupta established a new kind of furniture design company that attempts to redefine luxury and the value craftsmanship in her country. In her own words she defines design as being a first-world activity, while craft remains a third-world profession.

Her design work dismantles old Indian furniture and reassembles them in a way that captures local meaning and heritage. Through this process she mixes materials to convey a sense of hybrid identities that conjure up the traditional with the experimental, and the local with the international. Her goal is to offer affordable quality furniture that strikes a balance between luxury and simplicity while helping toward the preservation of unique craftsmanship skills that are under threat.

. Above: Wrap mixes locally found materials to create culturally relevant pieces of furniture.

JIA Design

Cheap mass manufacturing inconveniently sticks to China’s image abroad and design has become a priority item on the government’s agenda to promote “made in china” under a whole new meaning. One of the pioneering Chinese companies to take Chinese design to another level is Hong Kong based JIA. Founded in 2008, it is experiencing rapid growth and popularity around the world, with clients in the hotel, retail, and culture industries.

JIA creates products based on Chinese traditional tableware that are rooted in the country’s cultural heritage. The objects are inspired by ancient functional designs that have lasted for thousands of years, and are, for the most part, made locally. The materials used are also chosen for their original quality. For instance, a coffee pot made of purple clay gives the object a natural feel and its texture absorbs the aroma of the coffee blend over time, making the product more intimate and personal. Lanterns made of mouth-blown glass have symbolic Chinese qualities and yet also fit contemporary settings. JIA offers a fine balance between eastern and western lifestyles by reinterpreting timeless designs from China’s vast heritage.

. Middle: The DING cast iron cooking vessel is inspired by the ancient Chinese bronze Ding and offers a functional cooking surface.

Happiness for Daily Life

Happiness for Daily Life is a site regeneration project led by four UK designers in collaboration with the local community in Gongju, South Korea.

By using local knowledge and resources, the designers created products and environmental designs to transform an old building into an attractive café where locals can gather. Furniture designer Michael Marriott worked on the interior elements of the café with the help of local students, by using traditional craftsmanship skills. Ceramic tableware was created by jewellery designer Linda Brothwell. Furniture designer Fabien Cappello worked with local stone and wood workers to develop a range of brightly coloured outdoor furniture. Graphic designer Anthony Burrill drew his inspiration from Korean typography and patterns to create the café’s visual identity. He collaborated with NUCH to blend his striking patterns together with traditional Korean textiles.

The Korean National University of Cultural Heritage seeks to nurture the next generation of designers, architects and cultural managers with the skills, knowledge, and expertise required to successfully embed Korean cultural heritage into modern practices.

. Above: British designers and students from the National University of Cultural Heritage collaborate to regenerate an old building site.

© Sali Sasaki 2011