Nobody would describe this bench as good looking, yet it has a certain charm, and maybe charm is more important than looks. The bench was outside a railway station restaurant in the Japanese countryside. From a design point of view there’s plenty to admire. It exhibits a determined conceptual rigour, as if it’s maker said to himself “I’ll make this bench from a single log of wood 1.5 metres long, without using any screws, and it will be strong enough for an elephant and heavy enough to survive a typhoon.” The structure has been planned to make the most of a few basic cuts, so the flat sides are used for the seat (for comfort) and the base (for stability). It’s character is cheerful and welcoming and it has obviously earned it’s place between the beer crates and the folding chair. The world could use more of the spirit of do-it-yourself projects like this one.
British designer Jasper Morrison (*1959) is regarded as a pioneer of "New Simplicity", advocating a more humble and serious approach to design. The fundamental principles presented in his 2006 exhibition “Super Normal”, created in collaboration with Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa, attracted a great deal of attention.
