Connecting with society through creativity: Talking with Mr. Kida, Brand Director of ``Elle Deco'', what is the first step towards sustainability?

SCRAPTURE is upcycled furniture that connects to the future. Exhibiting at Japan's largest design & art festival "DESIGNART TOKYO 2023"

"DESIGNART TOKYO 2023" was held from October 20th to 29th, 2023. NOMURA Co., Ltd. exhibited its conceptual art furniture ``SCRAPTURE'' at ``GYRE.FOOD'' in Omotesando, Tokyo, under the title ``To our future - SCRAP MATERIAL UPCYCLE PROJECT - SCRAPTURE''. "SCRAPTURE" is a coined word created by combining "SCRAP" and "FURNITURE." We are aiming for a circular design in which the ``SCRAP'' produced by building materials and interior materials that are closely related to our company will be supplemented and exhibited as ``FURNITURE,'' and the waste materials that have finished their display role will be upcycled as display decoration materials.

This traveling exhibition features four "SCRAPTURE" machines in a highly artistic production. This is the first opportunity for the general public to sit in and experience the beauty and message of waste wood. We aimed to provide an opportunity for people to think together about a better future and a sustainable society, transcending the boundaries of industry and position. On October 23rd, we invited customers to "GYRE.FOOD" and held a reception event. In this article, we will share the voices of the members involved in the project, as well as our cross-talk with Elle Deco brand director Takako Kida and the events during the exhibition.

As customers took their seats on the tiered chairs with drinks and finger foods in hand, Shinpei Takeda, the designer of SCRAPTURE, appeared in front of three SCRAPTUREs that at first glance looked like balloons.

Takeda
Last year, NOMURA Co., Ltd. celebrated its 130th anniversary. As part of the commemorative project, we decided to create design products that connect with society, and this project was started. The finished product is ``SCRAPTURE,'' which is a combination of scrap wood and furniture. In the future, we wonder if we can play a role as a hub for successfully upcycling waste materials. The design incorporates this idea. I would be happy if this event and "SCRAPTURE" served as an opportunity to think about the future.

Taking action to change the future with 8 partners

Next, project member Nao Kameda introduced the details of the efforts she is working on with eight partner companies.

Kameda
The materials enclosed in this product are provided by companies that we regularly work with.
(In no particular order, titles omitted).

・ Sangetsu Co., Ltd.
"Sangetsu was the first person I called and asked, ``Do you have any trash?'' They provided us with scraps of curtains, nylon screws to fasten the backs of catalogs, sample books recycled into raw materials for cement, etc. I did.”

・ Refineverse Co., Ltd.
``We are a company that uses waste as a resource to create new products.This time, we will use recycled materials such as car parts such as airbags and intake manifolds, waste fishing nets from Japan, and carpet tiles separated by material. We have provided you with

・ AGC Co., Ltd.
``We were given crushed glass screens from smartphones.In fact, they were conducting an experiment in which they crushed them so finely that you could walk around them barefoot and scattered them on the sandy beaches of the sea, which seems to indicate that they are actively working on sustainability. "I'm here"

・ GOOD DEAL COMPANY Co., Ltd.
"We are running the Tokyo Cork Project, which collects used cork and recycles it into new cork. This time, we received cat-shaped cork coasters and enclosed them in SCRAPTURE. It was very popular with our customers, who said, ``It's cute!''

・ K-Mew Co., Ltd.
``This is a company that makes a building material called <SOLIDO>, which has been heard a lot recently as an interior material.It is a recycled building material that takes advantage of the texture of cement, which is collected through its own collection network of waste materials discharged at the site during construction. So, they provided us with the raw materials.”

・ REMARE Co., Ltd.
``We process marine plastic waste in-house and use it as building material, and ``SCRAPTURE'' includes pulverized plastic bottle caps that have been found in the ocean, separated by color, and made into fine pieces. It's enclosed. It's very colorful and beautiful."

・ Asada Mesh Co., Ltd.
"We are a leading manufacturer of metal mesh. We manufacture meshes using ultra-fine metal wires that are thinner than a human hair, and are mainly used for printing electrodes on electronic components and as industrial sieves and filters. We were provided with poodle hair as the material.The degree of curl, width and length, and thickness of the metal wire vary, so no two are the same.''

・ Okawara Lumber Co., Ltd.
``This is a company that mainly processes cedar and cypress from Saitama and Tokyo.When processing the wood with a finishing machine called Planar, Fine planer shavings It seems like there will be a lot of it, and this time we were provided with cypress and cedar shavings, which have a very nice scent.''

"Connecting with society through creativity" - Crosstalk with "Elle Deco" Brand Director Takako Kida

This time, our special guest was Takako Kida, brand director of the interior and design magazine ``Elle Deco'' (Hearst Digital Japan). This is a cross talk between Mr. Kida, who transmits information about design and lifestyle from around the world, Ryusuke Nomura, the creative director of this project, and Shinpei Takeda, the designer. Please enjoy some of the conversations from the day below. The theme is "Connecting with society through creativity." In addition, at Mr. Kida's request, the talk was held sitting on a "SCRAPTURE" instead of a chair at the venue.

Nomura
How about you actually sitting in SCRAPTURE?

Mr. Kida
I guess it's hard to sit down (lol)

Nomura, Takeda
(laughs) Thank you for your honest feedback.

Kida
At first, they prepared a regular chair for me, but since everyone had put so much thought into making it, I decided to sit on it too. As I said, it's difficult to sit on, but the scrap wood has become part of the furniture and even an installation. You can sit or lie down on it, and I can imagine the kids will have a lot of fun with it. The fact that the site is designed to be both visually interesting and experiential is a sign of its commitment to sharing environmental issues with a wide range of people. I felt that this was a very typical NOMURA Co., Ltd. attempt.

Nomura
The first question we asked was whether we could do something to commemorate the 130th anniversary, and as the members held repeated discussions, the topic came up that Japan produces a lot of industrial waste. Is it possible to create furniture to make these social issues more accessible to the general public? Even things that people perceive as ``garbage'' can become new value by being packaged neatly. That's what I thought. During the exhibition, I had a chance to talk with the general public who visited, and as Mr. Kida said, the children really enjoyed themselves freely. ``It's so fluffy,'' he says excitedly, and uses it in ways that even adults would never imagine.

Don't follow trends, keep asking questions. Where is sustainability now?

Takeda
This time, as a designer, I had to express the idea of ``throwing away → connecting'', but I wanted to create something far removed from the image of waste materials. I thought it would be good to have a round, round, charming, and friendly appearance. Not many people actually see waste materials in their daily lives. Therefore, we should start by actually showing it and letting people know about it by including it in ``SCRAPTURE''. I hope that everyone living on earth, regardless of their industry, will have an opportunity to think about sustainability, and I would be happy if the big message of ``For our future'' gets across.

Mountains of waste and messages overlap like ink paintings on the streets of Omotesando, where high-end brands line the streets. ``SCRAPTURE'' appealed intuitively, and an exhibition space was conceived with an awareness of ``space'' that would make us reconsider ourselves.

Kida
The world is now thinking seriously about sustainability. Therefore, it is a very good idea to start by visualizing ``this is the kind of problem that exists'' like NOMURA Co., Ltd. did this time, and I would like to see ``visualization'' evolve every year if possible.

Nomura
Sustainability has become a natural trend in the world. However, when I make furniture again and send it out like this time, I'm like, ``Is it too late now?'' ” “Have you never done this before?” I was a little worried that people might think, 'But...

Kida
No, it's not a matter of "now", it's a matter of "from now on". Sustainability is an issue that will continue to weigh on us. People like to follow trends, but it's not a problem that you can just dismiss and say, ``Sustainability was the trend last year, but it's different this year.''

It is necessary to share knowledge across industries regarding sustainability.

Nomura
I think it's important to ``experiment and continue'' when it comes to sustainability. This is also the time when NOMURA Co., Ltd. started various experiments.

Kida
In the lead up to the completion of ``SCRAPTURE'', were there any moments when you felt like ``I can't move forward with what I know so far?'' When it comes to sustainability, it seems like everyone in every industry has moments like this when they hit a wall. ``This is not a problem that can be answered using traditional methods. "This is a big deal," he says. I believe that designers, architects, journalists, and people who create spaces all have no choice but to conduct their own research projects. And it is necessary to share the results across industries. I think it should be shared rapidly and in various ways of expression.

Takeda
I agree. Some of the companies that provided the scrap wood are already planning to do something with it. We will skillfully connect these people and upcycle waste materials. I think this is something that only NOMURA Co., Ltd. can do. Since I've been involved in this project, I've started to think that what will be important in the future when it comes to sustainability and SDGs is ``co-creation and coexistence.'' There are many problems that we cannot solve on our own, so as Mr. Kida said, I think it is important to aggregate knowledge across industry boundaries.

Kida
NOMURA Co., Ltd. is in a great place to become a hub. I'm sure new materials will be developed from these experiments in the future, and new materials will be born from recycled materials...I think it would be wonderful to think of a system that can be recycled forever.

Takeda
On the other hand, if you can create a universal design, wouldn't it be possible for people to continue to love it? I wonder if the act of throwing it away will never occur? I'm also thinking about something like this. If we can imbue something with a kind of eternal life through the power of design, then I think that could also be an answer from a sustainability perspective.

Kida
Use it for a long time, don't throw it away. Sustainability can start from within your own home. If we expand this further and become aware of this in hospitality spaces and offices, it is likely that new effects will emerge.

Think about “personal matters” within a 3 meter radius.

Nomura
Beautiful and cool are like stereotypes that people have created, and we've been stereotyped into thinking that ``this is the right way to make things.'' Just turn to the right. However, these values are changing with the times, and the idea that natural products are better is increasing. In fact, we are currently sitting on garbage (waste materials). There are many people who are doing activities with a focus on sustainability, so I would like to collaborate on something with new values in the future. I think the most important thing is to continue our activities.

Kida
Educational activities are really important in order to create opportunities for more people to become aware of the importance of this issue. NOMURA Co., Ltd. 's awareness campaign starts today. I would like it to continue every year, and I don't think it would be meaningful if it didn't continue.

Nomura
When this project began, a young designer at our company named Ogawa said, ``I can't think of big social issues, so I started by thinking about things within a 3m radius of myself.'' I thought that story was very interesting. Solving the problems that are familiar to you little by little will eventually lead to solving the problems of society as a whole. I think he gradually came to think that way and started working on the design.

Kida
That's a good story.

Nomura
So I recently asked him, ``What started as a 3m radius has grown to this feeling?'' When I asked him, ``The radius is now about 10 meters.'' I think it's important for everyone to take matters into their own hands, including changes in their feelings...and that's how everyone takes matters into their own hands and tackles social issues. If that happens, environmental problems will become even better. That's how I felt when I heard his story.

Designer Naoto Ogawa is currently proactively incorporating sustainable design proposals into the spaces he works with for clients.

Kida
Being within a 3m radius is very nice. ``Social issues should only be tackled by people who are really interested. If you're not interested, it's fine if you don't work on it and can enjoy your life.'' There may have been a time when people thought that way, but we have gone beyond that level. When I looked around, I saw that plastic was slowly growing around me, and I thought, ``What should I do?'' ” and sends a message. I want you to realize that everything is already your fault.

Mr. Kida sent me a message at the end. There were some people in the audience who were taking notes while listening, and by discussing the current state of sustainability with Mr. Kida, we were able to realize the importance of each person viewing sustainability as their own work and working together while co-creating it.

To the next action through “SCRAPTURE”

Lastly, we would like to introduce the voices of those who experienced "SCRAPTURE" at receptions and during the exhibition period. It will be on display at the entrance of NOMURA Co., Ltd. 's head office during February 2024, so please come and experience it when you stop by.

Comments from visitors: ``It's natural to use sustainable materials, but it's interesting to see the raw materials that came before that, and it makes me think about what garbage is.''

There were also opinions that it could be used in daily life and as a starting point for communication, such as, ``Having it in the office would be a refreshing change of pace, and it's surprisingly comfortable to sit in.'' ``Having this would be a good starting point for conversation about sustainability.''

Nearly half of the visitors during the exhibition were from overseas, including Taiwan, China, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, Germany, and Dubai. ``It's very unique. I like the cool yet charming shape.'' ``I want it to lead to the next step in recycling waste materials.'' ``Dubai is also very active in scrapping and building! I can empathize with it and I hope we can collaborate.'' Please share your experience and impressions.

 

"SCRAPTURE" has been exhibited at our company's office and toured to international conferences, and this time it was exhibited in a daily life at a cafe in a commercial facility for the first time. This is an outreach activity in which we ourselves go out into the city and promote our message through spatial production, and project members make presentations and interact directly with each other every day. It was a 10-day period where we discussed the future with the general public and considered sustainable actions with companies. Several projects are currently underway.

"SCRAPTURE" began as the first step in NOMURA Co., Ltd. 's efforts to open up to society. We will continue to explore and challenge various people for our future.

 

Responsible person Akane Yamaguchi, creative direction Ryusuke Nomura, project management Reiko Ibe, design direction/exhibition composition Shinpei Takeda, exhibition graphics Yuzo Kosaka, waste materials direction/pamphlet production: Nao Kameda, art furniture/brochure video production Naoto Ogawa, video direction Shinsuke Uesugi, Product Direction Manager Junpei Hino, Product Direction Kaede Nose, Public Relations Yukiko Okamura

Text: Shoko Minamoto
Photo: Ryo Usami/Emon Osaki (Nakasa & Partners)
Planning: Yukiko Okamura (Brand Communication Department), Reiko Ibe (Future Creation Research Institute)
Editing: Satoko Yokota (nomlog Editorial Department)

If you are interested in providing materials, traveling exhibitions, collaborations, etc., please contact SCRAPTURE@nomura-g.jp.
Related links: Exhibition release/teaser movie