Tanizaki Sake Set

Inspired by Japanese novelist Jun'ichirō Tanizaki and his juxtaposition of Western culture and Eastern traditions, Marc Thorpe designed a single serving sake set.

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of OTHR, New York-based architect and designer Marc Thorpe designed a sake set in 3D printed porcelain, named after Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, one of Japan’s most prolific novelists.

Marc Thorpe, Tanizaki Sake Set in 3D printed porcelain for OTHR, 2017

The sake set is a meditation on the novelist’s exploration of his cultural identity – intrigued by Western culture he turned his attention back to Japanese traditions after Tokyo’s devastating earthquake in 1923. Tanizaki commonly juxtaposed themes of “the West” and “Japanese tradition”, and found some sort of harmony.

Marc Thorpe, Tanizaki Sake Set in 3D printed porcelain for OTHR, 2017

The body and cup of the Tanizaki Sake Set are unified by form, light and shadow. The size is perfect for a single serving, so there should be one for each guest on the table. Thorpe’s sake set combines flask and cup into a single, playful object crafted in a numbered edition.

Marc Thorpe, Tanizaki Sake Set in 3D printed porcelain for OTHR, 2017


Tanizaki Sake Set
Design: Marc Thorpe
Manufacturer: OTHR
Year: 2017