The title of the collection references the decision to only produce 100 of each item, thus owners will possess ‘1%’ of the production run. The decision is an attempt to distance the collection both from singular items, in essence ‘works of art’, and mass-produced items replicated seemingly endlessly.
It is a subtle point, and perhaps somewhat academic, but it is powerfully relevant to the future of high-quality design products, which inevitably must find the balance between the two extremes.
Twin
This three-piece set consists of a cup, saucer and coffee filter holder whose form mimics that of the cup and saucer. With its stabilizing form when placed on top of the cup to pour coffee, and a volume of precisely one cup of coffee, the filter holder provides maximum function with minimal fuss. The saucer doubles as a tray for the filter holder after coffee has been brewed, and the entire set can be stacked for storage at half its height by placing the filter holder between the saucer and cup.
Top
A teapot and cup set. The thick wooden lid provides good insulation to keep the tea warm, and its pointed center condenses steam into liquid and directs it back into the teapot, rather than dripping down the sides. The lid becomes a top, and can be spun on the tabletop for amusement while drinking tea.
Block
A set of small bud vases that can be stacked together like building blocks. The vase comes in four different sizes, carefully measured to fit together without disturbing the vase on the bottom. With careful stacking, the cases can accommodate a tall flower by running it through the vase on the top.
Stack
A sake set consisting of pitcher and cups, in the form of stacks of cups. The different sizes correspond to different types of drinks: one cup is a choko small glass, two cups stacked a slightly larger one, and four cups stacked a tumbler. The stack of five cups is actually a pitcher for sake. Because all of the cups have the same shape, they can be stacked together when not in use, and the one-cup choko doubles as a lid for the pitcher. When the pitcher is heated, for drinking warm sake, the cups can be warmed simultaneously, too.
Shrink
A design that takes advantage of porcelain’s characteristics. When ceramics are fired, extreme differences in the thickness of the clay make the other side of the clay shrink away. Potters usually try to prevent this through a variety of techniques such as controlling the thickness of the clay and using curved rather than flat surfaces. The shrink-plate, on the other hand, makes what’s usually seen as a problem into a design feature. By increasing the thickness of the decorative elements and making the slab of the plate particularly flat and thin, the plate’s decoration stands out in relief.
