Kengo Kuma + Gärsnäs = HidaHida

Japanese architecture and Swedish wood craftsmanship meet in the new HidaHida easy chair. It is the result of a collaboration between the world-renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and Gärsnäs, in Österlen, Sweden.

Our focus on craftsmanship and material-based design has a strong connection to the art of Japanese furniture making. And it is precisely craftsmanship and local building traditions that are of special interest for the firm Kengo Kuma & Associates, who give history a contemporary update through innovative architecture. Kengo Kuma himself, for many years, has great respect for Åke Axelsson’s furniture.

HidaHida has a vibe like an haute couture garment draped over a stable yet light frame of beech or oak. The word “hida” means to drape and the chair’s personality comes from this contrast between the architecturally precise and the spontaneous. The chair’s back has an embracing shape.

“It suits us at Gärsnäs to work with pure wooden shapes and upholstery components. We have a lot of experience with felting materials and sophisticated sewing,” says Dag Klockby at Gärsnäs. The upholstery felt in the easy chair was of special interest and allure to Kengo Kuma.

The design for HidaHida was sketched out in Japan and developed technically at Gärsnäs, in close collaboration with our model carpenters, upholsterers and the designer. Craftsmanship gives rise to new ideas that are executed in conjunction with modern technology. We collaborated with Swedish fashion designer Stina Rand to work out the visual impression of the clothing pieces. The pronounced seams give the chair its character. HidaHida is a comfortable and elegant easy chair, as well as something greater: a symbol of the kinship between Japanese and Swedish design philosophy.

HidaHida is available in beech or oak. Upholstered in fabric or leather.

HidaHida is in collaboration with Kengo Kuma Associates, Coad & Materials, and Gärsnäs.