PROJECT | Kanagawa Prefectural Library - Designed by Sosuke Nakabo
20 OCTOBER, 2022
E&Y has planned and edited the furniture for the main building of the Kanagawa Prefectural Library, which opened in September 2022. The main reading seats and lounge furnitures are important not only for their function but also for their design, thus we developed them originally in collaboration with designers Sousuke Nakabo and Koichi Futatsumata.
In this project, we decided to inherit the history of the original Kanagawa Prefectural Library (now the Kunio Maekawa Pavilion), which Kunio Maekawa designed 70 years ago, and the furniture by Tadaomi Mizunoe, which was manufactured then by Tendo Mokko and used until the library was closed. We also reconsidered the furniture for this new library and also asked Tendo Mokko to collaborate on some of the furniture. This was not a simple collaboration, but rather a decision that was made out of respect for Tendo's heritage and fine work, as well the aim to align with the same design language of 70 years ago, which was in part a matter of necessity. At the same time, our desire was to have a Japanese designer work on the furniture for a Japanese prefectural library, as well as to make sure that the furniture would be loved by the public for many years to come.
Sousuke Nakabo worked mainly on the large reading table, chairs, stools, and the outdoor furniture.
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About the Reading Chairs, Reading Table, Stool, Luggage Rack
"The work by Kunio Maekawa, Tadaomi MIzunoe and Tendo have been deeply invovled in shaping the identity of the Kanagawa Prefectural Library. What I aimed for in collaboration with E&Y was to inherit the history and to pass it down to a new generation. A chair should be comfortable but not too comfortable to make you sleep, and a table should be stable but also gentle to the people who use it. Not too heavy, but not too light.
This was how I thought about the chairs and tables for reading books. I designed them with a sturdy structure of molded plywood and round legs. The chairs are composed of shells and legs, the table that can be connected as long as needed, the stools, and the luggage rack are a series of furniture with a high degree of rationality. It is our hope that the library will become a place of dignity where knowledge gathers, and that the furniture will also become part of the future landscape of this library."
About the Terrace Stools and Tables
"A library for a new generation should offer a variety of ways to read. Relax and read a book on the outdoor terrace during a pleasant season. Or, to take a breath of fresh air while you study. We designed stools and small tables that can be used in such a way."
- Sosuke Nakabo
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Photo : Daisuke Shima
〈 SOSUKE NAKABO 〉
Born in Kyoto in 1972, Sosuke Nakabo graduated in Product Design at Kyoto City University of Arts in 1998 and in Design Products at The Royal College of Art for postgraduate studies in 2002. He worked at Panasonic (Osaka), Muji (Tokyo) and Jasper Morrison's office (London) and he opened an office in Kyoto in 2010.
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[ Architectural design ] Hideaki Ishii (okuno design and associates)
[ Logo mark and sign plan ] Shogo Kishino (6D)
[ Furniture planning/editing ] Tsuyoshi Matsuzawa (E&Y)
[ Furniture design ] Sosuke Nakabo (Sosuke Nakabo Design Office)
Koichi Futatsumata (KOICHI FUTATSUMATA STUDIO)
[ Furniture manufacturing ] E&Y CO., LTD.
TENDO CO.,LTD.
[ supervision ] Yoshitaka Haba (Advisor to the Kanagawa Board of Education/BACH)
Kanagawa Prefectural Library Main Building
address：44 Momijigaoka Nishi-ku,Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 220-0044
Open：Tuesday〜Friday 9:00〜19:00
Saturday・Sunday・Holiday 9:00〜17:00