Japanese Principles: Design and Resources

The original exhibition "Japanese Principles: Design and Resources" highlights a range of diverse and innovative solutions for the sustainable design and processing of natural resources.

The exhibition features 16 projects by 14 creators, all focusing on maximizing resources and materials, minimizing waste, and promoting traditional Japanese resources and techniques. The exhibition showcases a wide range of initiatives across various fields, including architecture, design, traditional crafts, textiles, sports equipment, and musical instruments.

Climate change is real

Responding to the urgent needs of a world increasingly aware of climate change, it is rooted in an ancient Japanese principle. The exhibition is inspired by the long-standing tradition of "no waste", part of the Japanese philosophy of mottainai.

Mottainai

This term combines the Buddhist-origin word "mottai", referring to the essence of things, with the particle "nai", which signifies negation in Japanese.

“The Japanese often use this expression when something can still be repurposed in some way. However, this concept goes beyond material waste; it is seen by many as a cultural practice and lifestyle that emphasizes making better use of available resources, including time, while showing great care for interpersonal relationships and nature. 

By presenting these Japanese initiatives, the exhibition aims to inspire Brazilians with creative solutions and technological innovations from Japan, all of which are guided by a deep awareness of the relationship with nature. While presenting cutting-edge examples, we also highlight that this concern has long been rooted in Japan, with special pieces featuring ancient techniques such as bashōfu, aizome, and kaibuki. These are showcased alongside new and revolutionary projects in the exhibition”, as explained by Japan House São Paulo cultural director and exhibition curator Natasha Barzaghi Geenen. 

"Japanese Principles: Design and Resources" brings together three perspectives:

• Ways to eliminate waste; 
• Making the most of resources; 
• Recovery through design.

Rice and its multifunctionalities

Rice, the basis of the Japanese diet, is present in the projects selected by the curators. The artisan Ikuya Sagara, for example, uses the straw from this grain to build roofs, using an ancient Japanese technique called kayabuki. Specifically for the exhibition at JHSP, Sagara created a new work using the same techniques, but with a different plant: Reed. This plant is cultivated by many Japanese-origin families in the city of Registro, São Paulo, offering the potential for new cycles of resource use after the exhibition ends.

Meanwhile, “TYPE - I MM Project,” by A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE, presents fabrics that use Triporous™, a material developed by the Sony Group, whose raw material is rice husk generated during the threshing of the grain. The material's properties were utilized to dye it a unique shade of black, enhanced further by the addition of the brand's signature technique, Steam Stretch, which gives the pleated fabric added movement and lightness.

Designer Kosuke Araki, on the other hand, created stools made from rice, sawdust, and jute, called “RRR,” which stands for Rice-Reinforced Roll. This term refers to the use of rice paste combined with other materials to form a durable yet lightweight design.

Make the most of it

Other projects by the designer will also be showcased: Agar Plasticity, which explores the porous, soft, and lightweight structure of agar-agar (a plant-based gelatin made from seaweed) as an alternative to synthetic plastics used in protective packaging. Additionally, Anima, a line of crockery made from dehydrated food waste combined with urushi, Japanese lacquer, will be on display, showcasing durable and waterproof utensils.

In another proposal, Wasara's disposable tableware is produced from the reuse of bamboo and sugarcane bagasse. Since the pieces are compostable and free from plastic coatings, they do not harm the environment and have a complete life cycle, ultimately returning to nature.

Do you wear what you eat?

Another food whose fiber gains new uses from the Japanese perspective is the banana. Bashōfu, a traditional technique from the Okinawa region, is produced exclusively in Kijoka, a village in Ogimi. This technique transforms plant fibers into lightweight fabrics. At the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to see up close a kimono crafted using this technique, with a design focused on minimizing fabric waste during production.

Blue: a very sustainable color

Also in the textile area, artisans from BUAISOU, renowned indigo dyers, will showcase their work with aizomê, an ancient technique of vegetable dyeing. The artisans have created 100 shades of blue using the indigo plant in a sustainable production process, where the dye solution used for coloring is repurposed as fertilizer for the plantation itself.

The PORTER bag brand, in collaboration with Toray Industries Inc., has developed the world’s first 100 percent plant-based nylon, made from castor beans and corn. The brand has renewed models from its most iconic line, called TANKER, using this innovative material.

New life cycles in nature

Offering innovative approaches to creating more environmentally friendly furniture, "Japanese Principles: Design and Resources" showcases the Cabbage Chair, designed by the studio nendo. The chair is made from waste paper used in the production of the pleated fabric that defines the ISSEY MIYAKE brand.

Another example is architect Shigeru Ban, who uses paper tubes in his projects to create everything from furniture to larger structures, such as houses. At the exhibition, visitors will have the chance to see the LETTER bench, a backless design made from cardboard tubes, which is perfectly suited for use in public installations.

The "My Football Kit" project, developed by Molten in collaboration with the design studio nendo, aims to popularize football among children and make the sport accessible, even in regions where it is not widely practiced. Instead of a conventional inflatable ball made of plastic and rubber materials, the proposal is a structure of fittings, made with synthetic resin based on recycled polypropylene and elastane, reusing resources that would otherwise be discarded.

Recycling is also the foundation of Shellmet, a helmet made from seashell waste generated during the production of Hokkaido scallops. To address the issue of soil contamination caused by these residues, a new material called "shellstic" was developed. It combines calcium carbonate extracted from the shells with recycled plastics.

In Japan, there is also technology that transforms food scraps into durable building materials, offering a way to reuse materials that would otherwise become waste. Fabula, a startup founded by researchers from the University of Tokyo, is working on the social implementation of this technology, which involves dehydrating food, converting it into powder, and shaping it through thermal compression. The technique produces materials with varying strengths, textures, and aromas, which can be used for a wide range of purposes, giving waste new functions and life cycles.

Wood, one of the materials most widely used by humanity, also has a dedicated space in the exhibition, showcasing the vision of two creators from different fields. Craftsman Takuya Tsutsumi and shaper Rodrigo Matsuda create surfboards and skateboards from the wood of trees whose bark has been damaged by bears. These trees lose their original value and are often sold at low prices or discarded. The surfboards and skateboards on display at JHSP are coated with urushi, a Japanese lacquer derived from the tree of the same name, which makes them hydrophobic and waterproof. By combining the urushi and kumahagi wood (wood damaged by bears), the product brings reflections on the cycles that involve nature, animals and human activities.

Finally, the striking mottled wood trunks of the Mpingo tree are featured in the Yamaha "Designed by Nature Clarinet" series, showcasing their unique characteristics in the design of the clarinet. The Kintsugi model displayed at JHSP is an example of how wood, typically not used in the traditional production of musical instruments, can be repurposed for such creations. Inspired by kintsugi, a technique that uses gold powder to repair ceramics, this wood not only gives each clarinet a unique appearance but also imparts a distinct sound.

Waste-free exhibition

To emphasize the exhibition's theme, JHSP invited the architecture firm RADDAR, led by architect Sol Camacho, to design the space. The exhibition’s furniture and scenography will incorporate the spirit of sustainability, with elements covered in recycled currency paper made in Brazil. Throughout the exhibition, JHSP will also host lectures, seminars, articles, and workshops, inviting participants to explore topics related to sustainability, material reuse, and initiatives aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, alongside the projects featured in "Japanese Principles: Design and Resources."

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Exhibition // Japanese Principles: Design and Resources

#PrincípiosJaponeses #MottainaiNaJHSP

Period: December 3, 2024, to May 4, 2025 
Fee: free admission

Early online booking (optional)

Japan House São Paulo | ground floor 
Location: Avenida Paulista, 52 – Bela Vista, São Paulo

Opening hours: 
Tuesday to Friday, from 10 am to 6 pm;
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, from 10 am to 7 pm.