Musubi Armchair by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec

The design of Musubi Armchair emphasizes the beautifully yet efficiently sculptured parts of wood. The backrest, arms, and the seat are all like sculptures, assembled as one in a unique curved shape.

The manufacturer of the Musubi Armchair specializes in solid wood bending techniques and is one of Japan’s oldest and most well-known furniture manufacturers. They have a legacy of over hundred years of creating wooden furniture. The rich organic shaped back and armrests are connected in a unique way that resemble knots. Hence the name Musubi, which means “tie” or “knot”. These joint technique with high precision, also contributes to maintaining the chair’s durability.

“The chair was inspired by the sensation I felt when I first touched the arm of the Yanagi Chair by Sori Yanagi. I wanted to express the beauty and sensual quality, in which a chair is pleasant not only when you sit in it, but also when you touch it. It is not just a good-looking chair; it also makes you happy when you touch it."

“Maybe, Musubi has also taken some inspiration from Scandinavian designs. We certainly cannot forget chairs like Wegner that have existed in the Scandinavian countries. These too are very tactile chairs that delight you when you touch them. This tactile aspect was critical for Musubi Armchair as well”, says Ronan Bouroullec.

Musubi Armchair’s broad back is shaped using wood-bending technique, which is the manufacturer’s specialty. This technique realizes the backrest with a seamless wood grain, also consciously uses less material.

The backrest and armrests are carved out of solid wood using 5-axis NC cutting techniques to achieve sculptural, three-dimensional shapes. The curves gently support the body, creating a comfortable fit.

The seat is connected to the four legs with a high-precision technique that creates a structure that needs no support beam under the seat, creating a sublime silhouette.

Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec designs for KOYORI are well-thought-out and physically robust enough to last for centuries.
“It is important how things are conceived and built. The interesting thing about these chairs is that they are novel but at the same time they seem to be deep rooted in tradition. They could have been designed long time ago, or in recent 20 years. I believe, it is a language that transcends time.”

“Products should not represent only short-lived fashions, nor should they be inspired by what is happening around us today. When you use wood, you need an expression to show that it’s well designed enough to stay in your room for a long time without you getting bored of it”, says Ronan Bouroullec.

Musubi Armchair is available in oak wood in natural finish or beech wood in matte black finish.