Shinichi/Amano

This is a somewhat unusual collaboration between flower designer Shinichi Sasaki and graphic designer Kazutoshi Amano, a young Japan-based design duo who formed a partnership last year. The two had never previously worked in the field of product design, and the ‘mould chair’ provided an excellent opportunity for Shinichi/ Amano to experiment, both in material and design. Using a recycled pulp mould, the stackable chairs are created from used cardboard boxes that are both biodegradable and recyclable. ‘It all started when we [got hold of] the material,’ says Amano. ‘We wanted to create products that enhance its unique character.’ Being able ‘to design products that conform to the conservation of the environment’ is important for both designers and something they hope to pursue further in the future. ‘We want the things we create to have the power to captivate people, to make them stop and look, but we also want to design something worthwhile. We have no interest in creating unnecessary objects,’ Amano says. Although Shinichi and Amano both attended the same elementary school, it wasn’t until a coincidental meeting ten years later that they began to realise the possibility of working together. ‘Though our activities were not in the same field, we realised we had a common [outlook on] design,’ says Amano. ‘We enjoy working together because we discover new ideas and our different activities stimulate each other.’ After studying, and then teaching, architecture and interior design, Shinichi decided to make the move into flower design. ‘I think it is important to create an item whose concept is clear and easy to understand, and also to create an item from a Japanese viewpoint,’ says Shinichi, who cites the work of master calligrapher Takeko Hirose as a key influence. Amano spent time working in both advertising and graphic design before setting up his own company. As well as working together, both continue to pursue independent projects – Shinichi creating designs with flowers and plants, and Amano in graphics and packaging design. Stand number D97