Nendo: 10/10

by Nendo

Elegant, modern, subtle, and the epitome of contemporary design from Japan that is also setting the tone for design’s future on the global scene. There are few design studios worldwide that can deliver projects of such consistently high quality as the Japanese studio Nendo. Expertly melding architecture and interior, product, and graphic design with sculpture and installation, Nendo’s work is both impressively clear and intriguingly sophisticated. The functionality and unobtrusiveness of their projects is in line with established Japanese design traditions, yet their lightheartedness and humor is also inspired by the country’s pop culture. In this context, the name Nendo, Japanese for modeling clay, is indicative of their skill at playing with the fundamental properties of objects. The studio, which was founded by Oki Sato in Tokyo in 2002, has now firmly established itself on the global design scene and routinely wins international awards. The magazine Wallpaper*, for example, celebrated Nendo as "Designer of the Year 2012." Nendo’s work has been shown at a range of galleries and museums around the world, at design events and festivals, such as the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, and in commissioned projects for notable clients such as Bisazza and Cappellini. This comprehensive monograph presents a striking selection of Nendo’s astonishingly multifaceted work including vibrant store concepts, mystically inspired exhibition spaces, sculptural furniture pieces, home accessories, and design objects. Regardless of how diverse the included styles appear to be, they all give the reader a sense of where the future of design is heading.

Genres: Design

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 25, 2013

Reviews

[Lorenzo Diaz campos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nendo es una firma que ha crecido de forma vertiginosa, hoy en día recibe comisiones de las más prestigiadas firmas y colabora en variados ámbitos. Su fundador y director, Oki Sato, ha sabido crear productos para un mundo global y lo hace desde sus oficinas en Tokyo, Milán y Singapur. Sato ha desarrollado un estilo inconfundible, reflejo de su misma condición. Nacido en Canadá, educado en Japón y ciudadano del mundo, su despacho logra conversar con varias naciones. Su estilo refleja la simplicidad y elegancia del diseño japonés con las ambiciones e inquietudes del mundo occidental.
Este espléndido volumen, en un elegante y generoso formato, es el primer monográfico de la firma y deja claro su contundente creatividad. Dividido en 10 capítulos, equivalentes al número de años que se reseñan, presenta el trabajo liderado por Sato alrededor de las temáticas que resumen su forma de enfrentar los proyectos. El libro se vuelve a la vez un recuento de éxitos y una declaración de su manera de pensar.
Pocos diseñadores tan jóvenes pueden presumir una trayectoria tan exitosa y una línea de producción tan clara, sin duda veremos más Nendo por varias décadas.