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ITOKI CORPORATION (Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Yoshiro Hirai) released "silta" on December 6th, a large table that uses a new material that allows you to feel the warmth of wood.

Since the 2010s, ITOKI has been developing the "Econifa (*)" brand as an initiative to utilize domestic timber, and has been pursuing the possibilities of office furniture that utilizes domestic timber together with forestry and forestry related parties across the country. As work styles diversify due to the coronavirus pandemic, offices are also beginning to change from an emphasis on efficiency to a focus on wellbeing, focusing on the physical and mental conditions and lifestyles of workers. Based on the knowledge we have cultivated over the years, ITOKI focused on the effect that trees have on people and developed silta as a symbolic item that naturally brings people together in the office and stimulates communication. did.

*What is Econifa?

Forest trees, which account for approximately 70% of Japan's land area, are applied to sophisticated design templates and utilized, contributing to an increase in the amount of CO2 absorbed by harpoons and an increase in the amount of CO2 fixed through the use of wood in towns. We aim to realize a high-quality recycling-oriented society.

In collaboration with the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute of the Japan Forestry and Forestry Research Agency and the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences of the University of Tokyo, ITOKI conducted a demonstration experiment on the effects of wooden office furniture on office workers.

In the experiment, we used three types of large top tables made of different materials: chestnut thick veneer, wood-grain melamine, and white melamine in an actual office space. We scientifically verified the effects of using each worktop on workers' concentration, creativity, and physiological and psychological aspects. Empirical data shows that using a chestnut veneer table improves concentration and creativity the most, and reduces stress and anxiety, demonstrating that the use of wooden furniture in office spaces has a positive effect on office workers. The result was obtained.

Based on these results, ` silta'' was created as a table that takes full advantage of the effects of wood, using ITOKI's newly developed material that allows you to feel the warmth of real wood.

Although the supply of wood materials is not necessarily stable, silta is able to continue supplying wood by collaborating with forest production areas, wood markets, wood processing, and research institutions in the Tohoku region. We realize the circulation of safe and high-quality materials. By using our products with peace of mind in terms of price and quality, we will connect local communities and consumers and help circulate resources. Furthermore, by contributing to the use of domestically produced materials in a manner closer to mass production, we will contribute to the promotion of carbon neutrality.

The 50mm top plate, which gives a sense of solidity, is made of domestic chestnut wood that is 10 times thicker than the normally used veneer. With traditional table tops made of natural materials, the only options were solid wood or veneer. Our newly developed "thick veneer" uses 3mm thick natural wood materials that are delicately bonded together, giving it a texture that is closer to solid wood and a thickness that allows you to feel the warmth of wood. It has the advantage of being easy to use and overcomes the drawbacks of conventional materials.

For the edges, we use the ears, which are cut from domestic chestnut logs. The outer periphery of the log, which was traditionally made into chips, is used as a "live edge" in the design. This impressive table, with no two identical shapes, creates a presence that stands out as a symbol of the office.

Although solid wood is a material that allows you to fully experience the charm of wood, it has been considered difficult to use for large tables because it is too large in width and depth, and lacks precision and durability. In order to compensate for this weakness, we combined our unique office furniture design technology to develop a long-span structure (up to 6m wide) that does not require intermediate legs or beams. This has resulted in a clean shape, making it possible to create a design that is suitable for the symbol of the office. In addition, the steel legs have a "bridge" motif and are both strong and beautiful. The design is inspired by a bridge that grandly connects land to land, and expresses the connection between the people who work there by crossing the bridge.