Tsuyoshi Hayashi: Kawara

Eindhoven designer Tsuyoshi Hayashi presented at Imm Cologne 2014, within D3 Contest, a series of stools and benches made with discarded Japanese roof tiles mounted inside a wooden structure.

Kawara, Japanese roof tiles, are discarded to the landfill because of cracks or chippage which happens during every production, that is more than 65,000 pieces per year.

However, these wastes still have unique values such as colours, texture, durability and smooth curve, which invite people to sit on.

By just cutting off only the damaged part and mounting them inside a wooden structure, “useless wastes” can be rendered “useful matter” once again.

The wooden frames can be constructed as single pieces or combined to create long benches with legs of different heights.

Japanese roof tiles are fired in more than 1200 degrees (Celsius), which makes them harder than the ones in Europe, which are mostly fired at around 800 degrees. A single chair can support a person weighing up to 120 kilograms.