News room

ITOKI CORPORATION (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Koji Minato) held a press event for media representatives at Karimoku Commons Tokyo on Wednesday, December 6th, ahead of the "Work Like Living" exhibition*, which begins on Thursday, December 7th, 2023. The event unveiled the wooden work chair "vertebra ⁰³ WOOD," designed by product designer Fumie Shibata and created in collaboration with Karimoku Furniture, which combines the warmth of wood with ergonomics, and the portable battery "hako," which combines a free way of working without restricting one's location with a simple and beautiful appearance, and a product presentation was given by the product development team. In addition, product designer Fumie Shibata, Eri Akamatsu of Karimoku Furniture Co., Ltd., and ITOKI space designer Sachiko Kayama held a talk session on the theme of "Work Like Living" about the secrets of product development and recent office space design trends.

"More freedom in WORK-Style in Japan. Based on this idea, we have created two new products by combining product designer Fumie Shibata's design, Karimoku Furniture's wood knowledge and processing technology, and Itoki's ergonomic office furniture manufacturing knowledge and know-how. Keisuke Tanaka of Itoki's Product Management Department, who is in charge of "vertebra ⁰³ WOOD" product development, and Shogo Minauchi (same department as above), who is in charge of "hako" product development, explain the development background, concept, characteristics, etc. of the actual product and the time of development. I explained this using an unpublished photo.

The name of this exhibition is the phrase "work like you live" that has been advocated since the release of vertebra ⁰³ in 2019. Regarding the design of the two new forms "vertebra ⁰³ WOOD" and "hako" based on this idea, Mr. Shibata said, "I was talking to Mr. Itoki about wanting to make a wooden work chair, and Karimoku Furniture was created. With the help of Mr. Karimoku Furniture, we started a three-party project.We actually visited Karimoku Furniture's factory and observed the wood processing process while proceeding with development.hako has a unique work style. Amid diversification, Itoki told me that they wanted to develop a portable battery that would allow people to work freely without being tied to power sources.Itoki is a company that designs workstyles and offices, not just home appliances. "I was conscious of creating a product that was unique to San," he said, explaining the motivation behind the product development and his thoughts.

"The vertebra ⁰³ WOOD is a work chair that transcends the boundaries between work and life. It has the same concept of providing comfort through a mechanism that naturally guides you into the correct sitting posture, and design and expandability that allows it to blend into a rich space and be freely customized. However, making it out of wood presented new challenges. For example, it was difficult to reproduce the sleek look of the fabric joint between the back and body in wood. By pooling ideas and coming up with new ideas, we were able to create a shape that looks like fabric made out of wood. In addition, to ensure comfort while following the three-dimensional curved shape of the back and seat of vertebra ⁰³, we adjusted the surface shape by sitting on the prototype many times and measuring the pressure resistance. We were particular about the color, and by directly talking to Karimoku furniture craftsmen about the color, we were able to finish it with a paint that brings out the wood grain. By combining Karimoku furniture's latest equipment and craftsmanship with ITOKI's knowledge of ergonomic work chairs, we have completed an unprecedented wooden work chair." He talked about the difficulties and attention to detail in the design and engineering aspects. Tanaka, who is in charge of product development for the vertebra ⁰³ WOOD, also shared some behind-the-scenes stories about the development, saying, "We created the vertebra ⁰³ together with Shibata-san, but this time we had some difficulties because the approach was completely different between making the back and seat out of urethane as in the past and making it out of wood. Thanks to Karimoku Furniture, who are wood professionals, the next-generation model of the vertebra ⁰³ series was born."

Regarding hako, Mr. Shibata said, ``From the early stages, we had the idea of making a set of four pieces.However, if it had too much of a gadget feel, it would become office noise.We made the design as simple as possible, using a paper box as a motif.'' At the same time, we have created four color variations to match the hue of vertebra <sup>03</sup> WOOD and the current living environment.Because it is a simple square box, we paid close attention to every detail.Usually, it is difficult to reproduce right angles with plastic. However, I had high hopes that Itoki would be able to make it a reality, so we held many discussions without compromising.As a result, we were able to realize the ideal design.Also, we were able to realize the ideal design. In response to this comment, Minauchi, who is in charge of hako product development, said, ``Hako was originally created by Mr. Shibata. "We have pretty much followed the design proposal that you submitted. We both wanted to realize a simple design that we were particular about in a mass-produced product, and I think we were able to bring a new type of portable battery to the world," said Itoki. I touched on the challenge as a.

For vertebra ⁰³ WOOD, Karimoku Furniture was in charge of producing the back and seat, which were cut and molded from solid chestnut wood, a domestic hardwood. ``The wood sheet of vertebra <sup>03</sup> WOOD is made of two layers of laminated wood, and the parts that are difficult to see are made of short chestnut materials that are connected to make effective use of them. It is laminated with thought.The cutting process continues for 90 minutes by changing the blade 9 times, during which fine adjustments are made by the craftsmen.As Mr. Shibata said, it is a combination of the latest equipment and craftsmanship. We realized the characteristic curved surface unique to vertebra <sup>03</sup> using wood,'' he said, talking about his commitment as a supervisor of Kibe.
In addition, as someone who is involved in space design as part of his regular business, he said, ``Until now, Karimoku furniture was only used in executive rooms and reception rooms.However, with the shift to wooden offices in recent years, it has also been used in office spaces. Wooden furniture has become popular.There has never been a wooden chair that has the functionality of a work chair, so I hope many people will use it.''

Kayama proposes work styles and spaces as ITOKI's in-house space designer. Recent trends and needs in office space design and interior design include an increasing number of workspaces that don't look like offices at first glance, such as workers and living room-like spaces. Therefore, creating an office that people want to come to has become an important issue for organizations.'' When proposing spaces, he says, ``We are conscious of not only functionality but also comfort.Our head office ITOKI TOKYO XORK, is a place to communicate the latest work styles and workplaces to customers. ) has been carefully designed not only with the layout and fixtures, but also with lighting and materials, creating an office that fosters a positive mindset toward work and encourages communication among employees.
Based on these considerations, we feel that vertebra ⁰³ WOOD and hako are products that will be very easy to use in future office spaces. Vertebra ⁰³ WOOD blends well into wooden spaces and does not get tired even when sitting for long periods of time, so it is ideal for co-work areas, etc. I think hako would be cute if placed side by side on a shelf near the wall.We plan to incorporate it into XORK 's interior space soon.'' suggested sex.

We are currently working on projects with domestic and overseas manufacturers, including electronic products, daily necessities, medical equipment, and total hotel direction. He has received awards such as iF Gold Award (Germany), Red Dot Design Award, Mainichi Design Award, G Mark Gold Award, Asian Design Award Grand Prize, Cultural Special Award, and Gold Award. Professor at Tama Art University and chairperson of the 2018-2019 Good Design Award Judging Committee. He is the author of ``Another form inside one form''.

Joined Karimoku Furniture Co., Ltd. in 2014. He assumed his current position after working in sales at furniture stores. While in charge of sales to design offices that design offices and commercial facilities, in recent years he has been holding study sessions to encourage the use of domestic materials both inside and outside the company.

For over 20 years since joining Itoki, he has been involved in over 200 various office projects. He was responsible for the establishment of the Innovation Center in 2012, the relocation of the headquarters office in 2018, and the design of the company's office project, achieving WELL certification and large-scale introduction of ABW. Currently, as the director of the design center, he is mainly in charge of projects in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

At the venue, the design process and development story of "vertebra ⁰³ WOOD" and "hako" will be visualized. You can actually touch and sit with the product, along with photos and stories from the time of its development. This is a space where you can experience the future work style proposed by ITOKI.

[Related press release]
Press release announcing the event “Shapes of working like living”
https://www.itoki.jp/company/news/2023/2311_karimokucommonstokyo/

Featuring the warmth of wood and Itoki's unique ergonomics, "vertebra ⁰³ WOOD" is the long-awaited latest model in the series that expands the office environment and the consciousness of workers more freely and flexibly as they change with the times. Under the supervision of Karimoku Furniture, we have achieved the optimal three-dimensional shape of the back and seat that follows the work posture, just like the previous model. It maintains an appearance that blends in with living spaces, an ergonomic mechanism that provides comfort, and expandability that can be freely customized to suit the individuality of the user and the space, while also maintaining the texture and warmth unique to solid chestnut wood, a domestically produced hardwood. You can taste it.

BODY TYPE: 5 legs, 4 legs rotation
Size: 5 legs W560 x D515 x H775-890 (SH425-540) mm
4 legs rotation W560 x D515 x H810 (SH455) mm
Color: Wood color (clear, black, green)
Body color (black, dark green, chestnut brown, pale olive)
Release date: Early January 2024
Price: 143,330 yen ~ (tax included)

We started accepting reservations for "vertebra ⁰³ WOOD" on the ITOKI online shop main store site from 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6th.
“Itoki Online Shop Main Store Site” vertebra ⁰³ WOOD reservation reception page
https://s.shop-itoki.jp/V03WDEXH

"Hako" is a beautiful portable battery that blends in with the space when in use, when carrying, and when charging. The simple and compact form has a strap on the back, making it easy to carry when moving from place to place for online meetings. The colors are adjusted to a certain tone, such as colors that go well with interiors and colors that match the image of paper. By reducing the gloss, we have achieved a design that is not gadget-like and does not draw attention to the design.

Size: Battery body W86 x D86 x H142mm
Charger W383×D86×H35mm
Product weight: 990g
Color: black, gray, brown, green
Release date: Monday, December 25, 2023
Price: Open price

[Click here for product details]
https://www.itoki.jp/company/news/2023/2311_wood/
*“vertebra ⁰³ WOOD” will also be sold to general consumers. "hako" is a product for offices, and sales to general consumers have not yet been decided.

Interior stylist. After studying under Michiko Iwatate, she became independent in 1996. Mainly magazines, advertisements, catalogs, TV-CMs,
Focusing on styling for exhibitions, shop displays, film art, etc., she has been active in a wide range of areas, including directing new corporate projects, and is active on the front lines as an interior stylist in Japan. Her unique styling, which utilizes her flexible sensibilities and mixes various tastes, is well-received by both men and women. For his project "mountain morning," he also develops original items with photographers, shops, brands, and artists he has close relationships with. It also holds irregular exhibitions and markets that embody its worldview.

The origins of Karimoku Furniture date back to 1940, when founder Shohei Kato took over a long-standing lumber shop and started a small woodworking shop in Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture. They honed their skills by producing a variety of wooden products, and in the 1960s began selling their own wooden furniture. Advocating a manufacturing concept of "high-tech & high-touch" that combines advanced mechanical technology and craftsmanship, the company built a foundation in the wood production field and grew to become one of Japan's leading wooden furniture manufacturers.