Inspired by traditional japanese joinery, or sashimono, built to be moved with the convenience of flat-pack design and assembled with just a singular screw.
Meticulously hand-crafted, each component reflects the timeless artistry of Japanese craftsmanship. The desk unites heritage and innovation, offering a workspace that bridges the gap between tradition and modernity.
Japan Desk – A fusion of Japanese woodworking and modern flat-pack design
Taking inspiration from the renowned flat-pack concept popularized by IKEA, I embarked on the challenge of engineering a desk that assembles effortlessly. Through self-drafted interlocking mechanisms, the Japan Desk surprises with it’s ease of assembly, offering an intuitive experience that blends practicality with aesthetic appeal.
The Japan Desk blends four distinct woods into one harmonious design: Strong oiled American Walnut forms the thin legs, Wenge and Padauk combine elegantly into a drawer, while exquisite Maple graces the top. This composition creates a striking visual contrast, as the dark base stands in opposition to the lightness of the seemingly floating top surface.
To achieve a harmonious look and feel everything was designed on a 2.5cm grid. Each element of the desk is infused with hidden details ensuring a captivating final design with surprises waiting to be discovered.
Creating space and stability: Using the power of triangles to counter and prevent sideways movement
Wanting to maximize the space beneath the desk, I devised a slender leg featuring an intricate interlocking mechanism. This design is reinforced by two triangles cut from a single piece of wood, creating a stable foundation. A singular screw tightly locks all pieces together and facilitates effortless assembly and disassembly.
The work in numbers
