The design philosophy of KOYORI’s newly appointed designer, Michael Anastassiades, is recognized for the honest use of materials, familiarity of form and clarity of function. He is best known for his minimalist and clean aesthetic for his lighting designs with FLOS and with his eponymous brand. In creating wooden furniture with KOYORI, Anastassiades’ design process "was to try to do a slightly different typology than the current KOYORI collection. An easy chair that can live in every home, with its level of comfort, perceived comfort, and inviting comfort.”
Makuri lounge chair is a chair about the iconic curves. Comprising two curves along with squares and rectangles, each element embodies a familiar shape, seamlessly and naturally integrating into our visual experience. The chair also reflects the linearity Anastassiades is well known for, along with subtle elements of spheres, translated into Makuri’s curves. Despite its ample size, the chair possesses a certain airiness and represents ultimate simplicity.
Additionally, as Anastassiades explains, his motivation and challenge were “to make the chair simple, but at the same time, to invite you to occupy it.” The chair has a certain spaciousness and inviting quality. This particular size is connected to a memory from Anastassiades’ childhood―a feeling of pride and happiness when sitting in a large chair, evoking the comforting sensation experienced as a child.
This emphasis on curves and simplicity led to the search for a name that could capture these qualities. The name “Makuri” comes from the term “Yuki Makuri,” a fascinating phenomenon caused by wind and snow. The wind collects snow into piles that form curls, similar to the curls of shaved wood. From the beginning, he envisioned a simple easy chair. He wanted to convey a feeling as though it weren’t designed at all, echoing the natural curls of shaved wood that come off when carving with a plane or knife. Initially, Anastassiades sought a phrase to describe the shape created by a plane shaving wood, but no such word existed in Japanese.
In response, KOYORI proposed naming it after this rare phenomenon seen in the region where the manufacturer is located, known for its heavy winter snowfall. Anastassiades remarked that giving the chair this name felt like completing the poem he had envisioned through the design.
Anastassiades' design philosophy centers on the “honest use of material,” a concept that is clearly reflected in the Makuri series. This approach involves allowing materials to remain untreated and respecting their natural aging process. It applies both to the combination of plywood and solid wood elements and to his choice of elmovegeta, an untreated leather that develops a beautiful patina over time. By embracing the natural characteristics of these materials, Anastassiades emphasizes authenticity in both form and function.
In terms of construction, the careful integration of plywood and solid wood highlights Anastassiades’ meticulous attention to detail and focus on processability and productivity. Through discussions with the manufacturer, the joinery between these materials was refined, and by eliminating the beam under the seat, the chair achieves a greater sense of simplicity and airiness.
Paired with its ottoman, the lounge chair offers not only a comfortable place to rest but also the added versatility of an independent stool, enhancing its functional charm.
Despite its substantial build, the Makuri Lounge Chair remains lightweight and portable, making it convenient for everyday use. Its simplicity also enhances its versatility, allowing it to blend seamlessly into any setting while subtly enhancing the ambiance of the room, whether in a modern minimalist space or a more traditional environment.
