Designer
nendo
nendo is a Japanese design studio founded in 2002 in Tokyo by the architect Oki Sato, who was born in Toronto in 1977 and graduated that year with a master's degree in architecture from Waseda University. A second office opened in Milan in…
Biography
Background
nendo is a Japanese design studio founded in 2002 in Tokyo by the architect Oki Sato, who was born in Toronto in 1977 and graduated that year with a master's degree in architecture from Waseda University. A second office opened in Milan in 2005. The name means "clay" in Japanese — a shape-shifting material that reflects the studio's playful, flexible approach. Sato has said that meeting Issey Miyake strongly influenced his work.
Signature Style
nendo is known for simple, minimalist design with subtle Japanese influences, and for a large output: by 2015 its designers produced more than 100 products a year for 19 brands, across architecture, interiors, furniture, industrial products and graphic design.
Notable Works
- Torii seating family for Minotti (2020), inspired by Shinto shrine gates
- N02 Recycle chair for Fritz Hansen (2019)
- The Tokyo 2020 Olympic cauldron
- Escher x nendo | Between Two Worlds, National Gallery of Victoria (2018)
Legacy
Sato was named Designer of the Year by Wallpaper* (2012) and has received the Good Design Award, German Design Award and ELLE DECO International Design Awards.
