Chitagun, Aichi, Japan
“The bespoke pieces feature the flowing lines of skeletal timber frames and soft upholstery,” explains Norman Foster.
“Refined by Karimoku’s particular quality of craftsmanship, each element features blended shapes and subtle grain transitions.”
When American design award winner Norman Foster designed the recent Foster Retreat in Martha’s Vineyard as a vacation home for his friends and those of the Norman Foster Foundation, he commissioned Japan-based Karimoku Furniture Company and Denmark-based Norm Architects to produce the one-off Wooden range furniture that fits into the context of the house as a complement to the overall architecture.
Frederik Alexander Werner, designer and partner at Norm Architects, led the design collaboration and creatively led the new collection.
“The furniture is soft and playful. While the architecture is strong and sharp, the furniture has a really soft design language. It relates more to human touch and human proportions. That’s the perfect balance,” says Werner.
Karimoku’s attention to detail, high level of craftsmanship and proven experience in creating beautiful wooden furniture made them a natural choice for this project.
The company understood the importance of storytelling through design and the delicate relationship between furniture and architectural space.
The furniture collection designed by architects that tells the story of the environment for which they were created.
The new seven-piece NF collection includes:
The Dining Chair (NF-DC01) was designed through a continuous research into form and ergonomics, seeking a balance between the two. The striking frame and the organic transitions give the dining room chair a sophisticated complexity.
The backless stool (NF-BS01) shows the soft transition of the NF collection with its mixed wood connections. The simple composition and proportions of the stool are balanced and timeless.
The High Back Stool (NF-BS02) is designed to provide extra support and comfort while maintaining the distinctive design language of the NF Collection.
The stool features an upholstered backrest and tapered wooden base that gives it an elegant stance.
The Lounge Chair (NF-LC01) is designed with softness and comfort at heart. The inner padding is inviting and offers comprehensive cushioning.
The lounge chair’s low seat combined with its soft, rounded upholstery and handcrafted wood details create a chair that is sophisticated yet friendly.
The sofa (NF-S01) has a distinctive silhouette that evolved from the lounge chair.
However, with its deeper seat and thicker backrest, the sofa is more spacious and luxurious.
The expressive wooden frame ties the sofa to the NF collection and showcases Karimoku’s exceptional craftsmanship.
The dining table (NF-DT01) has a simple silhouette and sophisticated geometry that are characteristic of the NF collection.
The soft corners pick up the language of the NF-DC01, whose sloping armrests fit neatly into the appropriate angle on the underside of the table.
“Wood was the obvious choice not only for sustainability reasons, but also as a direct reference to the traditional buildings that characterize the island,” explains Foster.
Referring to the Foster-designed residence, the home was formed from a series of angled steel beams connected by wooden beams with smooth wooden louvers enclosing an outdoor patio area.
The shape of the home was inspired by North American barn structures, with large amounts of wood selected to reference Martha’s Vineyard’s traditional wood paneling structures and its sustainability credentials.
“The retreat is inspired by the lavish wooden barn structures of North America and combines that tradition of timber construction with a small amount of steel in the form of thin portal frames that lightly touch the ground,” explains Foster.
“Wood was the obvious choice not only for sustainability reasons, but also as a direct reference to the traditional buildings that characterize the island.”
Inside the building, the holiday home has white walls with light wood panels and floors.
The complete NF collection designed by Foster will be launched later.
Project: NF Collection
Architects: Foster + Partners and Norm Architects
Manufacturer: Karimoku Furniture Company
Photographers: Chuck Choi, Courtesy Norman Foster Foundation