2026 On-site report
Working spaces need more than furniture
Bringing warmth to Japanese offices with Made in Japan furniture
The Karimoku Furniture booth was memorable for its proposal to expand the possibilities of wood to office environments. By deliberately stacking wooden boxes reminiscent of apple crates, the company suggested that more adaptable office spaces can be created. Rather than relying on fixed elements, the message was that workplaces can be made more flexible through stacking, moving and reconfiguring elements as needed.
Wooden boxes appear simplistic. Yet that very simplicity gave this office environment a greater sense of freedom. Instead of a perfectly finished space, there was room for change according to how people moved and how the space was used. The warmth of wood was naturally connected with the adaptability increasingly demanded of contemporary offices.
In recent years, Karimoku has steadily built a strong design presence at international exhibitions as well. That experience was clearly reflected in this booth. Wooden furniture is often associated with residential settings or formal reception areas, but here it was presented in a lighter and more contemporary manner, as a material that can be used effectively within today’s workplaces. The Karimoku booth was awarded the Second Prize.
The booth presented by Hida Sangyo, the wooden furniture manufacturer from the Hida region in Central Japan, was also highly impressive. Produced by FLOOT, the display brought together a range of chairs alongside new furniture by Wataru Kumano. This provided an opportunity to reflect on how the woodworking expertise of the Hida region can connect with the workspaces and public spaces of the future. Japanese wooden furniture still has considerable potential for use not just in homes, traditional inns and stores, but also in offices, lounges and shared spaces.
