WIA_ISSUE2_2023

DESIGN
From our brand philosophy, your home
does not need to have any fancy furniture.
Instead, it should have something or
someone you are familiar with. Growing
up, I have met different people and there
are different challenges at work and in my
life. Life becomes much more complicated
and dynamic. You can choose to be super
ambitious, or you can be a workaholic and
work non-stop 18 hours a day to achieve
your dream. Or your work might need you
to keep travelling to different countries. No
matter which five-star hotel or high-class
service apartment you stay in, there might
be a small corner in your mind that gives you
a sense of safety, that belongs to you only.
That corner can be the small bedroom you
grew up in, or it can be where your loved
ones wait for you. This place we call home
will become your source of energy, and it will
give you courage and power to be strong and
ambitious.
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And this is what HOW Furniture wants to do
for our customers: We want to help them
choose the furniture they like, that they will
build their memories and life journey with.
It is not only about how the furniture can
help to live a better life; it is about how to
appreciate the simple happiness in a life.
In your opinion, what defines Japanese
craftsmanship?
Lin: Japanese craftsmanship is like an
‘attitude’ of living. It is very different from
the western furniture market, where famous
furniture brands usually partner with
different designers and come up with designs
that integrate the designers’ language and
thought. This is very different from Japanese
furniture craftsmanship. In some of the
Japanese furniture brands, the designer
might not be well-known by the public even
if they are a very famous designer within
the industry. Japanese craftsmen prefer to
craft some basic source materials into good
quality products, and this is the value of
Japanese furniture.
The craftsmanship of Japanese wooden
furniture is primarily focused on precision.
This precision begins right from the design
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concept stage. For instance, furniture makers
consider how to achieve the desired furniture
design during the production process and
how customers will use the furniture from
their perspective. Our hero brand, Hirashima,
is a good example, taking two years to
be launched from the design concept to
the production of a prototype. As a result,
Japanese furniture designs are relatively
durable, and their design concepts and styles
do not get outdated with time.
Another indicator of high-quality is the
F4 stars specification, which refers to the
coating and glue used during production. The
formaldehyde content in F4 star materials is
even stricter than EU standards.
1 The storefront of
HOW Furniture’s
showroom
2 Japanese furniture
makers typically
consider how
customers will use
the furniture from
their perspective
3 Camphor wood is
used for this drawer
What is the culture of using wood like in
Japan?
Lin: The culture of using wood in Japan
dates back to ancient times and is rooted in
Japanese people’s reverence for nature and
their culture of co-existing with it. In general,
Japanese people have a philosophy of using
all natural resources carefully and respectfully
as a way of expressing gratitude towards
nature, similar to how when they sit down for a
meal, they express gratitude and appreciation
for the food they are about to receive by
saying “itadakimasu”.
Japan has abundant wood resources
compared to other countries, thanks to its
vast forests and mountainous areas. Houses,
WOOD IN ARCHITECTURE • ISSUE 2 – 2023 51