By Willy Wilson | Sep 25, 2009
Bird’s Nest Chair
Japanese designer Hiromichi Konno and his splendid creation RIN™ chair firmly positions Asian aesthetic in the international market of interior design.
“The chair is part of Fritz Hansen’s 2009 collection. This is the first time the Danish brand is collaborating with an Asian designer,” said Frederik Moller, vice-president of sales at Fritz Hansen.
Hansen also said that the company is pleased to include the chair to the collection and that this collaboration is a tribute to the brand’s enthusiasts in Asia Pacific region.
Inspiration: Bird’s Nest
Konno’s fascination with nature and the curiosity surrounding the form of a bird’s nest were the idea behind RIN™.
“I am mesmerised by the immediate paradox of how something so practical and functional could be so beautiful,” he says. However, translating such a raw inspiration into a tangible and comprehensible product is not an easy task. Adding to the complexity of the process is the designer’s eagerness to utilise biodegradable materials.
But Konno had named the chair “RIN”, a Japanese word that refers to a single standing flower and the confidence and beauty it exuberates. On a conversational level, the word means stunning, elegant and courageous – the qualities Konno believes the chair embodies.
Japanese Simplicity
With a designing process that took almost three years, Konno admitted that a lot of research went into creating RIN™. From the selection of materials to solidifying technology used and the cost factor, the RIN™ chair went through several redesigning stages and inspections before releasing the final shape and structure to the market. The result is not bad at all – it could very well be the masterpiece of contemporary design.
“I wanted to make a beautiful chair that can evoke emotions in people. It must be able to appeal visually and exude a form of elegance when we sit in it,” said Konno.
Ergo, the simple and clean-cut final look, which to Konno, is a natural progression when designing usable and sellable products.
RIN™ chair favours simple and uncluttered lines, with basic features like round shell and integrated arm rest. At a glance, RIN™ chair looks like an egg-shaped ensemble that could just break anytime. But, if you sit on it, you will discover that despite the lightness of the chair, it holds one’s body perfectly and gives maximum comfort to the back, shoulders and arms – all thanks to the moulded polyurethane foam that pads the chair.
RIN™ chair is available in six colours with or without upholstery in a wide range of fabrics and leather. The star-shaped base, in two heights, is made in polished or powder coated aluminium to match the shell.
Biodegradable Chair
While Konno acknowledges that there are a lot of emphasis on the environment issue in today’s design world, Konno maintains that his decision to utilise recyclable materials is by no means a marketing tool to gain reputation.
“The true test of a designer does not lie on whether recyclable materials are incorporated into h is/her designs, but whether it has a longevity and timeless appeal,” said Konno. How true!
Marrying these two elements is not easy, and those who have managed to do so deserve some recognition. Konno with his RIN™ chair is one of those success stories.
For environmental reasons, all parts of the RIN™ chair can be dismantled and recycled, including the 4-legged star-shaped frame made of polished aluminium, the steel pedestal and even the glides made of black injection moulded plastic that are mounted on the star-shaped base. The plastic material used to build the seat shell can also be granulated.
With clean-cut materia ls, maintenance should not be a problem. Clean the plastic shell by wiping it with a dry cloth. Dirt can be removed not only with a cloth wrung out in lukewarm water but also with the aid of some mild cleaning agent or dishwashing liquid would do. Then dry off the shell with a cloth wrung out in clean water and finish by wiping it with a dry cloth.
RIN™ is available in Space Asia showroom, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
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Space Furniture |
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03 - 2287 8777 |
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65 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
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www.spacefurniture.com |
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