Architect Bag | Nendo x TODS | Tokyo (JAP) | By Lee Fleming

The IDMC° team have followed the work of Tokyo-based design studio Nendo for some time. Founded by Oki Sato in 2002, Nendo (meaning "clay" in Japanese) designs interior architecture, furniture and graphics. June 2015 saw Nendo collaborate with Tod's to create a morphable Architect Bag, designed with the architect in mind.

n the extended form, the bag holds a full-size A3 drawing as well as samples with quite a bit of length. Folding it into half creates two spaces where you can store A4 size drawings and documents, and the middle part of the flex section houses rolled-up drawings, heavy catalogues or books and samples of construction materials. With the ability to store away the two handles, you can turn it into a clutch bag when you have fewer things to carry.

Visit the Nendo website to read more.

Photography by Akihiro Yoshida.

Hashikura Matsukan Chopsticks by Nendo | Obama (Jap)

At IDMC° we enjoy the creative redesign of everyday objects and Hashikura Matsukan's chopstick set by Oki Sato of Nendo is no exception.

The town of Obama in Japan's Fukui Prefecture has traditionally manufactured lacquered chopsticks for four centuries and is globally recognised as producing the most beautiful and durable Japanese lacquer chopsticks since the 17th century. Using Obama’s traditional manufacturing techniques, Sato designed a collection of chopsticks that include the Rassen and Kamiai styles.

The Rassen is a chopstick design that combines the ordinary chopstick into a single unit. Separated into two for eating, the halves are re-joined into one when not in use. The Kamiai, on the other hand, is an embedded magnet in a square shaped chopstick positioned on the outside of each chopstick to ensure that the pieces don't come together accidently whilst eating.

Photography by Akihiro Yoshida.