Origata has received the Honourable Mention at the XXIX Compasso d’Oro ADI. I am truly honoured — and this recognition belongs as much to the Porro team as it does to the work itself. Their commitment, craft, and trust made Origata possible.
Origata becomes part of the ADI Compasso d’Oro Historical Collection, a heritage of exceptional artistic and historical significance dedicated to Italian design.
Thank you very much!
Shiro Kuramata was a relative of mine. I never worked with him, but his furniture has been in my life for as long as I can remember.
When AXIS once asked me what “Japanese design” meant to me, the piece I named was Miss Blanche. All a chair really needs is that someone can sit on it. Kuramata went the other way—roses held in acrylic, a chair that seems to have no weight, no presence. I think he designed the air around the object, not the object itself. That has stayed with me, and I suspect it is somewhere in everything I make with glass and light.
My father/ Gallery Tamura Joe has kept Kuramata’s furniture in production with the same workshop in Japan, and now there is a place to see it. The project is supervised by Mieko Kuramata and Kuramata Design Office.
A panel discussion presented as part of Italian Design Day 2026, exploring the theme “Re-Design. Regenerating Spaces, Objects, Ideas, and Relationships.”
Bringing together architects, designers, and industry leaders to reflect on the evolving role of design today.
I’m returning to the jury of the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD for the fourth year. Since 2002 its award has been an international competition for product design, with winning entries developed into real products—more than twenty so far. This year’s theme is “Dialogue”—the space between maker and user, object and place. Entries open until October 7.
For Milano Design Week 2026, Archiproducts invited eight designers and studios to appear on the covers of this year’s guide, La Guida. Salone/Fuorisalone. Finding myself among them—faces I have long admired—is an honor I am still a little embarrassed by.
Inside is a conversation with Rossana Vinci, “Designing Slowness in an Age of Overproduction,” about what it means to design today—slowly, and with more questions than answers. The full interview is on archiproducts.com, and the pages are in Press.
The posters found me at the Rho Fiera station, along that endlessly long moving walkway. Sixteen years ago, showing Seasons at SaloneSatellite, I walked this corridor again and again—nervous, excited, knowing nothing. I didn’t even know you could borrow a ladder at the fair. I needed one to hang my installation, so I found one in the city and rode the train back holding it, while the best-dressed people in Milan quietly stared at the Asian girl with a ladder. (The ladder was stolen at the venue not long after.)
So what I felt, passing by of my own face, wasn’t quite pride. This walkway brings me back to where I started. It seems it always will.
Thank you, Rossana Vinci and the Archiproducts team, for the generous conversation—and for the surprise.
Hi, I’m honoured to join the judging panel for Dezeen Awards 2026!
PORRO – PREVIEW SALONE DEL MOBILE.MILANO
REIMAGINING BEAUTY
“Pure design, exquisite finishes, and enduring elegance guide the continual evolution of Porro’s landscapes, conceived for both residential settings and international projects, for today and beyond.
Porro continues to redefine its research through new creative collaborations with international partners, such as Nao Tamura, Dordoni Studio and Yabu Pushelberg, building on a long-standing dialogue with Piero Lissoni, Porro’s art director for the past 30 years.
On the one hand, the purity and allure of Porro’s furnishings increasingly push research toward the boundary between industrial object and sculpture, between design and gallery. On the other hand, the brand broadens its scope by looking at the contract world, thanks to its production flexibility and bespoke manufacturing expertise.” Porro
ESTABLISHED & SONS – SALONE DEL MOBILE.MILANO 2026
REIMAGINING DIALOGUE
“Established & Sons returns to Milan Design Week with a dedicated booth at Salone del Mobile 2026, presenting new products alongside reinterpreted iconic pieces, creating a dialogue between heritage and a forward-looking vision.
The collection reflects a balance of long-standing and new creative collaborations, including Raw Edges, Sebastian Wrong, Nao Tamura, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Luiza Guidi, and Nathan Martell. Through refined aesthetics, experimental materials, and technical precision, the works explore design that is both expressive and adaptable.
Alongside these developments, the brand continues to evolve under a renewed structure, strengthening its global creative network across Europe, Asia, and the United States, and reinforcing a vision that connects design, production, and strategy into a unified approach.” Established&Sons
VOSCO, a portable lamp designed for Ambientec, has received the iF DESIGN AWARD 2026.
Inspired by the quiet presence of tools and the natural character of wood, VOSCO explores a balance between material honesty, technical precision, and the emotional quality of light. The project was recognized for its form, differentiation, and approach to sustainability, including the use of short-length timber and a repairable structure.
Thank you to iF Design Award and the Ambientec team.
Origata for Porro has been honored with a selection in the ADI Design Index 2025 — the first step toward the Compasso d’Oro ADI Award 2026.
Inspired by the zero-waste tailoring of kimonos, the Origata bench and console translate Japanese tradition into contemporary design through geometric precision and vibrant finishes.
Curated by the ADI Permanent Design Observatory, this year’s selection celebrates excellence in Italian design.The Origata series will be exhibited at the ADI Design Museum in Milan (October 16–30, 2025) and at the Palacongressi in Agrigento (November 12–28, 2025).
As a designer, being recognized by the ADI Design Index — one of the most prestigious honors in the design world — is truly a privilege and an inspiration to continue creating with purpose and passion.
I am honored to share that DUNNE has received the NY BEST OF YEAR Award from Interior Design Magazine.
Designed as an exploration of the relationship between semi-industrial processes and organic forms found in nature, DUNNE is made from 100% recycled aluminum. The collection is composed of just three extruded components, hand-assembled and welded to achieve zero material waste.
“DUNNE is the Flow of Sand and Sea. I began by asking how the essence of nature could be captured in a form that feels timeless—how softness and structure might coexist. With DUNNE, I wanted to create something organic yet precise, tactile yet minimal.”
Both DUNNE for Gandia Blasco (Winner — Outdoor Category)
and VOSCO for Ambientec (Winner — Lighting Category)
have been honored as winners of the 2025 Archiproducts Design Awards, curated by a jury including Giulio Cappellini, Michele De Lucchi, and Formafantasma — among the great designers I deeply admire — celebrating creativity, innovation, and design excellence in Milan.
“A talk organized by Columbia GSAPP and curated jointly with PIN–UP Magazine.The event brings together designers active in New York — including Luam Melake, Margot DeMarco, Sam Stewart, and Nao Tamura — to discuss how the city shapes their work and creative practice.
Moderated by Felix Burrichter, PIN–UP’s editorial director, the conversation takes place at Columbia GSAPP’s Wood Auditorium.”
If you happen to be in New York, join us this Friday, May 16 for a special evening at the new @porro_newyork flagship. I’ll be in conversation with Maria Porro and @dezeen’s Ben Dreith at 5:30pm, followed by cocktails from 6:30.
Come celebrate 100 years of Porro and NYCxDesign!
RSVP: rsvp@porro-ny.com
It was an honour to sit on the jury for the SaloneSatellite Award 2025, “New Craftsmanship: A New World,” chaired by Paola Antonelli. Fifteen years after I stood on the other side of the table with SEASONS.
As Established & Sons celebrates its 20th anniversary, TIKI returns as a cordless lamp—marking its own 10th anniversary.
TIKI was inspired by a fleeting moment: when a small bird lands nearby, bringing with it a quiet sense of joy.
Now, ten years later, TIKI is free to move with you—just like the bird that inspired it. Rotate its body gently to adjust the light, inviting a subtle sense of play and interaction.
I hope you’ll find TIKI somewhere in Milan.
The Flow of Sand and Sea
DUNNE is a new outdoor collection for GANDIABLASCO, inspired by the organic forms shaped by wind and waves. Soft curves emerge from layers of perfect circles, creating a design that gently follows the body’s contours while maintaining structural clarity.
Made from 100% recyclable aluminum with almost zero waste, DUNNE embodies the idea that durability can be sustainable. Its precisely engineered components, realized through Gandia Blasco’s mastery of hand-cut tongue and groove, merge softness with structure to bring quiet comfort to outdoor life.
Presented within a space designed by Kengo Kuma at Salone del Mobile.Milano 2025, DUNNE reflects the ongoing dialogue between design, nature, and architecture.
VOSCO is a new portable lamp developed with Ambientec.
This project reflects some of the questions I’ve been asking myself as a designer:
— Can we bring new value to materials that have long been overlooked?
— Can we create not just decorative objects, but tools that genuinely serve daily life?
— What kind of light do we want to live with for years to come?
In the forest, only the tall and straight trees are typically chosen for furniture. But what about the others? Wood with knots, curves, or irregular shapes often goes unused. With VOSCO, these forgotten materials find new purpose—as honest, functional tools that quietly illuminate everyday life.
You can find VOSCO at Salone del Mobile.Milano, EUROLUCE!
PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE / ROPPONGI
“The new store design was created by Nao Tamura, a designer based in New York. Reflecting on the project, Tamura commented:
“A single piece of cloth passes through a machine with gradual movement, slowly transforming into three-dimensional pleats. Witnessing this process was truly thrilling.”
A diagonal line drawn at a 25° angle from the entrance guides visitors through the store. Along this line, four distinct spaces unfold, each offering moments of surprise and anticipation, showcasing the ongoing research and development of PLEATS PLEASE. One space presents experimental new concepts, while another displays materialized products. A third area showcases concepts that transcend traditional clothing forms, and a final space invites visitors to engage with these ideas directly.
The store design draws inspiration from the factories where pleats are meticulously developed, reflecting the careful craftsmanship and innovative processes behind each creation.”
We’re thrilled to announce that the Origata console by Porro has been named the winner of the Interior Design 2024 Best of Year Awards in the Residential Table category. Additionally, the Driftwood table collection by Leland has been selected as a finalist in the Commercial Furniture category. Many thanks to everyone involved in these projects!
We’re delighted to announce that ORIGATA by Porro has been named a Winner of the 2024 Archiproducts Design Awards! Thank you ADA!
Experience the debut of the Driftwood table at Neocon in Chicago, a design inspired by childhood memories of Michigan’s sandy shores, where gentle waves and time shaped each piece of driftwood into soft, rounded forms. Crafted in collaboration with the Michigan-based furniture brand Leland, Driftwood embodies a link to both nature and nostalgia.
Special thanks to the Leland team and to Lievore + Altherr Désile Park for the introduction, bringing this meaningful piece to life.
At the 2024 edition of 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen, my lamps with among other family lamps for Ambientec were featured in Enter the Salon, a curated group exhibition at the Conary townhouse. Curated by designer Signe Hytte, this event brought together global brands such as Ambientec, August Sandgren, Carpe Diem Beds, Karimoku Case, Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, and Origin Made, celebrating a blend of art and design, tradition and modernity.
Special thanks to Norm Architects and the Karimoku Case team for their support. Media partner Dezeen helped spotlight Enter the Salon from June 12–14, 2024, at The Conary.
I am pleased to introduce our new items a collaboration with PORRO during Salone Del Mobile in Milan.
ORIGATA
“Kimonos are traditional Japanese garments known for their distinctive T-shaped, straight lines and geometric simplicity. What sets them apart is their flat, rectangular construction.
The fabric is cut in straight lines and then sewn together, with little to no waste. What if we applied the methods of flat, rectangular construction, cutting a sheet of metal into straight lines, and then assembling it together with a few screws to make a bench, resulting in little to no waste?”
Please stop by if you are planning to come to Milan!
I’m delighted to be a part of an exclusive round table discussion on April 18, led by The Times design editor Katrina Burroughs and joined by the inspiring Marva Griffin, director of SaloneSatellite, as part of its 25th-anniversary celebrations. This discussion will explore the history, impact, and future of SaloneSatellite as a platform for emerging designers, and I am honored to share my journey and insights alongside such distinguished voices in design. Congratulations to Marva for her extraordinary contributions!
In addition to the round table held at Fiera, there will be an exhibition at Triennale Milano from April 15 to 28, 2024.
It’s an honor to have my projects Seasons, Flow[T], and Sage featured in ‘Origin of Simplicity/20 Visions of Japanese Design,’ curated by Rossella Menegazzo at the ADI DESIGN MUSEUM among many other talented designers.
ORIGIN of SIMPLICITY
20 Visions of Japanese Design
ADI Design Museum unveils a brand-new cultural interpretation of Japanese design, highlighting its uniqueness between tradition and research
The essentiality of shapes, the utmost attention to detail and the uniqueness of each piece in the legacy of tradition, combined with current technological and engineering research that develops new and recycled materials, are the distinctive features that make Japanese design an international icon.
I am happy to introduce a new water bottle called “Meno” for IITTALA! It has been a long journey, but it was a pleasure working with the IITTALA team.
The Meno Water Bottle is inspired by IITTALA’s long history of craftsmanship and Finland’s natural beauty. Now on sale!
SALON ART + DESIGN 2023
From 9–13 November in New York City, Venetian master-glassmakers, WonderGlass, bring the region’s latest innovative works of collectible art and design to the United States.
In this international collective exhibition featuring contemporary works by Andrea Anastasio, J&PEG, Rio Kobayashi, studiopluz, Nao Tamura, Moritz Waldemeyer, Richard Woods and Dan Yeffet, WonderGlass displays exciting visions for the future of artisanal glassmaking, highlighting the individual artistic expression of these makers.
Marking the return of the biennial exhibition, the great Aurore arena at Euroluce, designed by Formafantasma, will be hosting a packed palimpsest of talks on light and on sustainability, held by some of the most brilliant figures on the contemporary lighting design scene, but that’s by no means all.
The fresh round of Talks at the Salone del Mobile. Milano provides an opportunity for crosscutting insight into how planning, design and architecture can embrace the present and imagine the future, open up new avenues, come up with solutions, and explore the realms of the “possible,” triggering reflection and imagination. The packed program has been curated by Annalisa Rosso.
“Blending poetry, abstraction and the use of innovative technologies, Nao Tamura, a former SaloneSatellite debutante and winner of the 1st SaloneSatellite Award, is one of the most interesting designers on the international scene. Her multidisciplinary approach, environmental awareness and interest in workmanship combine to make her a particularly representative exponent of our day. In Interconnection, in conversation with Felix Burrichter, Creative Director of America’s PIN–UP magazine, informed by her fascination with lighting – whether it be lamps, installations or site-specific projects – she will illustrate the ways in which design is a method of communication and how it steers the creative process, lighting the way towards a better and more sustainably planned future.”
Interview
Salone del Mobile. Milano
I am honored to be a part of the exhibition “Visionaries: Making Another Perspective” at at Kyoto city Kyosera Museum of Art curated by Noriko_Kawakami.
“Since 2013, I have been working on the “Moment” series since along with glass manufacture WonderGlass. A name that has the subtext of “capture the moment”, based on the theme of “Water”. My first work in this series is FLOW[T], which captures a slice of the horizon line that forms the border between the land on which we live and the sea.
Each of these pieces has been made by a glassblower and workshop in Venice; a city surrounded by water where the constantly changing natural world can be experienced firsthand. Glass is a living material and if the maker does not listen to it and follow its inherent natural flow, it will break. As humans, our natural tendency is to master and control all that surrounds us. Glass lives a life of its own and the master must bow to its needs. I see the glass as a metaphor for man’s need to relinquish his mastery of the medium and learn to bend alongside of it, work with it and not against it.”
京都市京セラ美術館にて3月9日より開催する「跳躍するつくり手たち：人と自然の未来を見つめるアート、デザイン、テクノロジー」に参加させて頂きます。
WonderGlassと2013年から制作を続ける「瞬間を切り取る」という意味合いがある「MOMENT」シリーズ。その第一弾となったFLOWTを初めて日本で発表させて頂きます。企画・監修の川上典李⼦さん、米山佳子さん、設営・アニメーションを担当してくれたYutaka Endoさん、また関係者の皆さま、どうもありがとうございました。
歴史のある場所で他の素晴らしいクリエーターの方々と一緒に作品を見せれる事を光栄に思います。
Very honored to be part of the jury for the ADC 102nd Annual Awards! I will be judging the product design category along with other amazing creatives :)
“The ADC Annual Awards, part of The One Club for Creativity, is the oldest continuously running industry award show in the world. Now heading into its incredible 102nd year, these awards celebrate the very best in advertising, digital media, graphic and publication design, packaging and product design, motion, gaming, experiential and architecture, photography, illustration and fashion design all with a focus on artistry and craftsmanship.”