—The project between you and Maruni Wood Industry began with nextmaruni in 2005. Has your relationship with the furniture craftsmen evolved since then?

The craftsmen didn't say much, but it took me a while to realize they were dealing with complex challenges. I initially thought anything was possible. However, upon closer consideration, the overall balance and structure of a chair are far from simple. Now, with accumulated knowledge, I understand the inherent difficulties. Once you grasp the complexity, you avoid shortcuts. While unconventional approaches can be novel, they often prove unsatisfying later. A chair's fundamental purpose is to support the human body, something a designer cannot easily achieve alone. Therefore, this collection was made possible by the tradition and craftsmanship nurtured by Maruni Wood Industry.

—Takeshi Yamanaka, Maruni Wood Industry's General Manager of Development, mentioned a desire to create a chair that surpasses the Y Chair. While the HIROSHIMA dining chair has a wooden seat, unlike the Y Chair, it gives a surprisingly soft impression of comfort.

The Y Chair's woven seat accommodates various sitting postures, offering excellent support and being kind to the body. I believe the soft comfort of the HIROSHIMA dining chair comes from its subtly rounded seat and precise construction. Rather than surpassing the Y Chair, any designer would aspire to create something as universally loved as the Y Chair.

Naoto Fukasawa
Product Designer

Born in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, in 1956. Graduated from Tama Art University's Product Design Department in 1980. Moved to the US in 1989 and worked for the design consultancy IDEO (San Francisco) for eight years before returning to Japan to establish IDEO's Tokyo office. Went independent in 2003 to found Naoto Fukasawa Design. Has designed numerous products for major domestic and international manufacturers, including B&B Italia, Driade, Magis, Artemide, Danese, Boffi, and Vitra, as well as companies in Germany and Scandinavia. His "MUJI" wall-mounted CD player, "±0" humidifier, and "au/KDDI" INFOBAR and neon are part of the permanent collection at MoMA in New York. In 2006, he co-founded "Super Normal" with Jasper Morrison. In 2007, he was awarded the title of Royal Designer for Industry by the Royal Society of Arts in the UK. His numerous awards, exceeding 50, include the US IDEA Gold Award, Germany's iF Gold Award, the UK's D&AD Gold Award, and the Mainichi Design Award. He serves on the design advisory board for Muji and is a director of 21_21 Design Sight. He is a professor at Musashino Art University and a visiting professor at Tama Art University. His books include "The Outline of Design" (TOTO Publishing), co-authored works "Ecology of Design" (Tokyo Shoseki) and "Archetype of Design" (Rikuyosha), and the monograph "NAOTO FUKASAWA" (Phaidon).