Salone del mobile: the Origata collection by Nao Tamura for Porro

17 May 2024

Strength and delicacy, color and essentiality meet in a point of balance that Nao Tamura never tires of seeking and defending. The Japanese designer with a studio in New York has chosen to be faithful to her origins, making them richer and stronger thanks to the creative energy she breathes in the Big Apple. On the Salone del Mobile in Milan, Tamura presented a collection for Porro that represents her perfectly, combining poetry and energy, grace and strength.

It is called Origata and, as the designer herself explains, it is not only a harmony of East and West but also an experimental laboratory for waste-free production.

What are the characteristics of your new collection for Porro?

For Porro I present a console and a bench: this line is called Origata, “ori” in Japanese translates as “fold” and “gata” translates as “Shape” therefore in short “folding a shape” and is inspired by Japanese tradition of kimono production. The kimono is famous for its typical “T” shape and is made with roll fabrics that are cut with straight lines and then folded together to create an item of clothing.

The result of this technique is a strong reduction in fabric waste, and I thought that this technique could be applied to the production of furniture. By cutting aluminum sheets with straight lines and then assembling them with a few other tools, obtaining processing waste in very small quantities.

Japan is a source of inspiration for you, how do you mix it with the atmosphere of New York where you are based?

Japan and New York, where I live, are East and West and many things are really expressed in opposite ways. But precisely because it’s East and West, what I try to do is maintain a balance. This is possible because having left Japan I am better able to understand what is good in that culture. At the same time, being Japanese I can clearly focus on what is good in the West.

So, there is an advantage to being “on the outside”. For example, this project is inspired by the Japanese artisan tradition, but I believe that precisely because I live in the West my approach is not strictly Japanese.

It is a slightly bolder approach in this sense, but which retains an oriental essentiality. So, it’s a balance that I hope is expressed by getting the best out of each reality.

How do you experience the Salone del Mobile in Milan?

The Salone del Mobile always brings with it a mix of emotions and always puts our nerves to the test. You are more exposed to the world, there are many experienced people but also many opportunities and it is an opportunity to meet many people.

In general, how do you define your style and the way you approach a project?

As I mentioned, I always seek a balance between East and West, between function and emotion in design, respecting both these aspects. I can design something strictly functional, but my desire is to also introduce an emotion, but we cannot design something purely emotional without function.

I draw my inspiration from nature but also from technology and even in this case they are two opposing elements that I always try to keep in balance.

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