Hasta La Ideas

Ninth-generation Japanese shipwright handcrafts lightweight mahogany bicycles

A ninth-generation shipwright, Sueshiro Sano has been making exquisite wooden products since he was in elementary school. But in 2008, drawing inspiration and technique from a lifetime of shipbuilding, the woodworker produced his first bike constructed entirely of mahogany, including frame, fork, seat, seat post, handlebars/stem combination and even rims.

Using mahogany lends flex and responsiveness in a way no metal frame can, which in turn gives riders an elevated sense of control and increases pacing possibilities. A number of Sano’s prototypes have been raced professionally, excelling in both ideal and inclement weather. In the three years since starting the project, Sano has handcrafted 11 of these fully wooden bicycles, making improvements that shave the average weight of his full builds down from 11 kilograms to around eight.

Through this evolution, the original mahogany seat was eventually upgraded to include a slimmer profile and mahogany mounting rails. By replacing the original metal rails and joints with stronger and lighter mahogany, Sano reduced the total weight of the saddle and mounting rails from 230 grams to 160 grams.

This year Sano began experimenting with more influential design improvements, most notably the implementation of a fully-integrated seat post. The development combines the seat post and seat tube into one continuous piece running from the bottom bracket to the seat, eliminating seat height adjustability—but offering an unmatched 100% tailored fit. The advancement also makes the bike lightweight, aerodynamic and responsive. Superbly conceived and executed craftsmanship like this extends to handlebar size and seat proportions as well, further proof of Sano’s superlative ability and skill.

Sano also makes unbelievably gorgeous boats and furniture, putting attention to detail and passion equally into each project. To keep tabs on the constant evolution of Sano’s organic creations and his twelfth bicycle (now in the works) check out Sanomagic. If you dig what Sano is doing check out Renovo‘s take on the wooden bicycle.

Japanese folklore, Buddhism and vector graphics in an emerging NYC artist’s latest work

Before receiving a degree in Industrial Design from RISD, the artist known as Mr. Kiji began his art training with an apprenticeship in Nepal studying Tibetan Buddhist Thangka painting. While Kiji says the method is still relevant and informs his current work, he claims there’s no “obvious correlation in terms of composition and aesthetics.” Instead, the Japanese native cites “Japanese folklore and Buddhism” as current influences. Either way, we won’t argue. The results—fantastical scenes layering vivid color, images, symbols, patterns and abstractions—if nothing else accomplish the feat of bringing a barrage of subjects into harmony for paintings as equally kinetic as they are unified.

The NYC-based painter’s latest works, four of which are on display in the group show “Spectrum” at NYC’s Mallick Williams Gallery, are part of Kiji’s ongoing series called “My Drifting Life in a Floating World.” He describes them as a study on the “current and past events both public and personal in the context of traditional Ukioy-e woodblock-based style also commonly known as ‘Floating World’ prints.”

Specifically, Kiji references Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s 1859 woodblock print “Events in the Ansei Period” as the initial inspiration for his recent work. His colorful interpretations keep to Kuniyoshi’s theme, depicting a large fish blamed for causing an earthquake with its intense thrashing—an image that later came to symbolize both the forces of destruction and rebirth. But, positioning himself firmly within contemporary practices, Kiji’s lines show his background as an illustrator, with geometric shapes hinting at vector graphics.

The young artist’s versatility has already landed him gigs for the New York Times’ Op-Ed section, making textile designs for snowboard garb, executing large-scale paintings for hotel rooms at the Ace NYC and designing charity footballs for Maxim’s Superbowl party. (Check out these and more in the gallery, as well as his work on the Electric Windows project in our 2008 video.)

“Spectrum” opens today at Mallick Williams Gallery and runs through 1 June 2011.

Casual leather sandals that aren’t your grandma’s comfort shoes

Bi-continental shoe company Nom&Ada is named after its two founders: The “nomadic” Rie Sawai in Tokyo and the “adaptable” Kimy Andrade in Portland, OR. The two met while studying design at Parsons in NYC and remained close friends after graduating in 2004. Five years later they met halfway between their two homes in Hawaii, and when inspiration struck over iced Kona coffee they decided to embark on a joint venture.

The duo recently launched their website and e-Boutique with their debut shoe, the “holoholo” moccasin. In Hawaiian, holoholo translates to “leisurely journey”—an apt name for the comfortable, casual riff on the classic T-strap sandal. Constantly on the move, Sawai and Andrade say they’re inspired by their travels and nostalgia, and the crepe-soled sandals are perfect for airline travel, with a pair of tights, or for impromptu hikes on a sunny weekend after brunch.

Despite the great distance between the two business partners, Sawai and Andrade do their best to collaborate as much as possible. “The time difference definitely kills,” they said—they even answer e-mails jointly—”but it makes the times that we do get to work together in the same location that much more special.”

There are also advantages to having a close friend halfway around the world, saying “It adds different perspectives to our technical and creative process, and gives us an excuse to travel!” They chronicle their finds and inspirations on their blog, which they also write together. “Even though the majority of our conversation is business nowadays, we find a moment or two to catch up on girl talk,” they said.

The crepe-soled leather sandals are handmade in Japan and come in black, white and camel—with the camel available with both white and flamingo stitching. They sell online for $260.

A retrospective book of Masamichi Katayama’s beautiful design “experiences”

From A.P.C.’s bungalow-style boutique in Tokyo to Hong Kong’s freezer-like Ice Cream store, Wonderwall, the interior design firm founded in 2000 by Masamichi Katayama, has made its name by creating a diverse range of spaces throughout Asia, the U.S. and Europe. A monograph of the studio’s work to date, Wonderwall Archives 01, is now available from Parco Publishing.

Containing some 50 examples of Wonderwall’s commercial projects, from Uniqlo shops in New York and Paris to Nike’s Harajuku, Tokyo outpost (check out our 2009 video on the project here), the volume showcases Katayama’s fresh take on contemporary architecture and design. The featured spaces represent his vision of places that foster an exchange between the consumer and their respective brands, based on his notion that such locations are “only complete with people and products inside.” With no set expectations on that which a final product should consist or a standard process for his design, Katayama takes each project individually, with “no rules that bind him.”

“Interior design,” Katayama says, “needs to be something that can be communicated without words.” As such, he bears responsibility for producing an experience—rather than just a physical atmosphere—in his designs, ranging from retail spaces to restaurants/bars to offices and building complexes. He finds inspiration in his own experience as a consumer, and tends to blend traditional and modern styles as well as luxury and “cheap chic.”

Wonderwall Archives 01, which includes descriptions of Katayama’s projects in both English and Japanese, is available now from Colette or in Japan from Wonderwall’s online store.

Plan week by week with this Francophile notebook

Combining their love of French tendance with clean and playful design, Tokyo stationery brand Mark’s Inc. aptly call their striking weekly planner “Le programme de ma semaine.” Each page features a blank calendar with the days divided into two sections, while the unprinted reverse side provides ample room for jotting down notes. The spiral-bound style helps both for laying it open on a desk or for times like Fashion Week when you’ve got to stay on task but your adorably tiny purse won’t allow for the full notebook.

I happen to love this vibrant raspberry color, but the planner comes in a variety of colors from their online shop Mark’s Tokyo Edge (¥420) as well as from Papernation (£5) in the U.K. If you’re in Barcelona or Madrid, you might find it where I did (thanks Maite!) at the great bookstore
La Central.