Tatamu Folding Stool by Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko

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DESIGN DETAILS
DESIGN NAME:
Tatamu

PRIMARY FUNCTION:
Folding Stool

INSPIRATION:
Small apartments, narrow offices, tiny shops; urban space is a vanishing, precious commodity. By 2050 two thirds of the earth’s population will live in cities. We have to fit increasingly more activities in a shrinking physical space. The main inspiration behind Tatamu are mobile and creative people like us, whose ideas are bigger than their room. We also found that moving in and out of tiny city apartments often involves the disposal of old furniture, since transportation is very costly; we need light, deployable, reusable furniture that is a joy to use.

UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
When we started designing the Tatamu stool, we aimed to create furniture that combines robustness with an ultra-thin and lightweight material, while being intuitive to use. It takes only one twisting movement to deploy the chair. We wanted to keep the design as simple as possible, so there are only two materials: wood and fabric. The hinges made of specially manufactured durable fabric keep it light weight, while the wooden origami faces provide stability. Once pressure is applied to it, the stool only gets stronger as the faces lock in together in perfect mechanical balance.

OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION:
Invite the whole gang over for dinner, board games or just a talk, without being limited by your space. Unfold some stools, and no one needs to be left out. TATAMU will fold down to fit anywhere, and its triangular shape allows it to fit even in the narrowest of apartment arrangements when deployed. When relocating, TATAMU moves with you; reducing the cost, time and stress of moving out. Over 258 million tons of furniture end up in landfills every year, only in the United States.

PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION:
The design of the Tatamu Stool started in June 2019 with paper models and 3d modelling and we finalized the last prototype in January 2020. The furniture was designed entirely in Tokyo, Japan.

FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY:
Furniture Design

PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY:
All Tatamu Stools are made in a traditional Japanese furniture workshop. Every single piece is hand built by dedicated craftsmen from start until finish, paying utmost attention to detail. All of the plywood and fabric pieces are first cut by CNC and laminated together in a hydraulic press, assuring that all parts have the perfectly shaped, and interlocked with precision. Since the chair design is based on elemental geometry, we can optimize quality control and keep production costs low.

SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES:
Weighing less than seven kilograms, the stool is easily transportable. In folded form, its thickness is 4cm, making it possible to stack several of them in extremely narrow spaces and niches, or hang them flat on a wall. When unfolded, Tatamu reaches its optimal seating height of 43cm. It can be stored and shipped in a flat-pack with the dimensions of 700mm x 700mm x 50mm.

TAGS:
furniture, foldable furniture, flexible furniture, furniture design, design, interior design, flexible

RESEARCH ABSTRACT:
We used Grasshopper to simulate the working mechanism of the stool; the main load bearing axes have to work as hinges as well, so our research objective was to determine how to reach a stable state while retaining flexibility. We worked closely with our manufacturer, creating tests and prototypes. The Tatamu Stool is using unique solutions in its details, these joints can be used in the future for later designs. The folded form of the chair is getting more stable as more pressure is applied to it, so we would like to investigate the usage of this mechanism in construction technologies, as well.

CHALLENGE:
The greatest challenge throughout the design and research process, was to find a balance between structural strength and foldability. Modelling the mechanism of the chair in 3D has limited capabilities, so we had to work closely with the manufacturer in order to reach the desired result. After many detail tests and five distinct functional prototypes, we could manage to make the foldable stool easily operable, while retaining its strength.

ADDED DATE:
2020-02-25 12:04:08

TEAM MEMBERS (1) :
Mate Attila Meszaros, Hirotaka Mashiko

IMAGE CREDITS:
Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko, 2019.

Visit the following page to learn more: http://www.tatamustudio.com


CLIENT/STUDIO/BRAND DETAILS
NAME:
Tatamu

PROFILE:
Tatamu is a group of Tokyo-based architects and designers. They have learned to live, work and socialize in tiny, vibrant, multi-functional spaces; their dream is to distill Tokyo urban lifestyle into everyday, functional and beautiful furniture. Furniture that adapts to, reacts to and interacts with our increasingly mobile lives.



NOMINATION DETAILS

Tatamu Folding Stool by Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko is a Nominee in Furniture Design Category.

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AWARD DETAILS

Tatamu Folding Stool by Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko is Winner in Furniture Design Category, 2019 - 2020.



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COMMENTS
Giulia Esposito Comment #11333 on December 27, 2022, 2:35 am
I am in awe of the clever design of Tatamu Folding Stool by Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko. The ingenious folding mechanism and the stylish construction make this stool both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional. It is a perfect example of elegant form meeting practicality. I am highly impressed by the thoughtful attention to detail in this piece, which makes it stand out among other furniture designs. I am thrilled that such an amazing design has been recognized with the A' Design Award. Congratulations to Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko for their fantastic achievement!
Paul Williams Comment #54630 on January 3, 2023, 7:30 pm
I am absolutely thrilled by Tatamu: the Folding Stool by Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko! This award-winning design is a feat of engineering and design mastery, combining robustness with an ultra-thin and lightweight material that requires only one twisting movement to deploy. Every detail of Tatamu is carefully considered, from the specially manufactured durable fabric hinges to the wooden origami faces that provide stability and strength when pressure is applied. This ingenious design is the perfect solution for urbanites and those with small spaces, providing an elegant, deployable and reusable piece of furniture that is a joy to use. The makers' dedication to creating the perfect design is evident in the traditional Japanese furniture workshop production methods, where each piece is hand-built with utmost attention to detail. This award-winning design is a testament to the creative brilliance of its makers and a shining example of excellent design.
Paul Phillips Comment #63507 on January 3, 2023, 11:42 pm
The Tatamu Folding Stool is a revolutionary piece of furniture that embodies the perfect balance of form and function. Its ingenious design uses two simple materials, wood and fabric, to create a lightweight yet robust structure that is incredibly easy to use. With just one twist, this unique piece of furniture is ready to provide comfortable seating for any situation. The clever hinge design utilizing durable fabric keeps it light and the wooden origami faces provide stability. Once pressure is applied to it, the stool only gets stronger as the faces lock in together in perfect mechanical balance. It's no wonder why this work has been rewarded with the A' Design Award, and it is truly an example of how innovation in design can lead to amazing results.
Elena Petrenko Comment #67220 on January 4, 2023, 1:22 am
This award-winning folding stool is a simple yet innovative design that combines lightweight materials with robustness, making it an intuitive and practical piece of furniture.
Adam Harris Comment #72389 on January 4, 2023, 3:50 am
This is truly an extraordinary piece of furniture design. The Tatamu folding stool is a brilliant combination of robustness, lightweight material and intuitive use. The cleverly designed hinges and wooden origami faces make it a pleasure to use and the fact it only gets stronger when pressure is applied is simply genius. This is a great example of how design can be used to make the most of limited spaces and to create furniture that can be moved and reused with ease. Congratulations to the designer for this wonderful achievement.
Chloe Turner Comment #81641 on January 4, 2023, 8:52 am
I am absolutely in awe of the Tatamu Folding Stool for its innovation and creativity! This piece of furniture is a perfect example of how a compact design can be used to address the challenges of living in a limited urban space. The fact that it is both lightweight and deployable makes it an amazing tool for those of us who often need to move from one place to another. I love how it can be easily used over and over again, reducing the need for disposal of furniture. The Tatamu Folding Stool is truly a remarkable design that deserves all the recognition it has received!
Mark Allen Comment #83384 on January 4, 2023, 10:11 am
This folding stool has been designed with a clever combination of materials and mechanics that make it lightweight, intuitive to use, and incredibly stable. It is a fantastic example of how simple design can provide a practical solution to the challenge of fitting more activities into a shrinking physical space. Congratulations to the designer for creating such an innovative piece of furniture!
Elisabeth Clark Comment #84687 on January 4, 2023, 11:16 am
Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko have created something truly remarkable with their award-winning work, Tatamu. This folding stool is a perfect example of great design that is both intuitive and durable. Its simple design, made of only two materials, wood and fabric, makes it both lightweight and robust. The hinges made of specially manufactured durable fabric create a perfect balance and stability, while the wooden origami faces provide strength and support. I am especially impressed with their research and testing process as they used Grasshopper to simulate the working mechanism of the stool. The folded form of the stool gets more stable as more pressure is applied, and I am excited to see how this mechanism can be used in future designs and construction technologies. Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko have created a work that is both functional and beautiful. This folding stool is a great example of how design can be used to create something that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. I am truly inspired by their dedication to creating something that is both intuitive and made from robust materials. Congratulations to Mate Meszaros and Hirotaka Mashiko for their award-winning work, Tatamu!

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