Tachi Sideboard by Yilmaz Dogan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Bronze A' Design Award in Furniture Design Competition Category.
BronzeFurniture· 2025
Tachi Sideboard
by Yilmaz Dogan
Client: QZENS Furniture
Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Furniture Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #168206The Design
About Tachi Sideboard
Tachi is a contemporary sideboard inspired by the deep cuts of Japanese swords, embodying energy and modernism through intersecting lines. Its sculptural surface enhances visual depth with light and shadow, while brass-coated metal legs support the geometric form. Crafted from lacquered wood with Cnc cut precision, it features a custom sliding door mechanism that ensures seamless alignment. To maintain stability, an internal support system counterbalances structural forces, blending functionality with bold aesthetics.
The Recognition
About the Bronze A' Design Award
Tachi Sideboard is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Tachi Sideboard is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Tachi Sideboard splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.
Where to Get It
Luxury Contemporary Furniture Collection
We craft extraordinary furniture where Japanese-inspired artistry meets modern luxury. Our collection transforms spaces with sculptural forms, premium materials, and meticulous craftsmanship. Each piece embodies our passion for creating functional art that tells a story through innovative design and exceptional quality.
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Grand Interview
Your innovative approach to the Tachi Sideboard's sliding door mechanism presents a fascinating engineering challenge - could you elaborate on how you developed the specialized internal support structure to maintain stability while achieving that seamless aesthetic?
The sliding door system of the Tachi Sideboard required a highly engineered internal track and support frame to enable a completely flush, silent glide. Unlike typical sliding doors, ours had to maintain the integrity of the geometric facade. We developed a recessed rail system integrated directly into the carcass, reinforced with hidden aluminum channels for durability. This concealed infrastructure supports the door weight evenly, preventing torsion while preserving the clean, sculptural silhouette. It was essential to achieve effortless movement without disrupting the visual harmony of the piece.
The deep cuts and intersecting lines of the Tachi Sideboard create a striking interplay of light and shadow - what inspired you to translate the powerful symbolism of Japanese swords into this contemporary furniture piece?
The name "Tachi" itself is drawn from a traditional Japanese long sword, known for its precision and ceremonial significance. I was captivated by the idea of transforming a martial object into a meditative surface. The intersecting cuts mimic the cutting traces of traditional tachi swords, while their rhythm suggests controlled movement and latent energy. By translating this symbolism into a functional sideboard, I aimed to explore how ancient strength and discipline can inform contemporary design with both beauty and restraint.
Given the complex geometric patterns and precise CNC cutting required for the Tachi Sideboard, how did you ensure the manufacturing process maintained both the artistic integrity and functional durability of the design?
To preserve the sharp geometry without compromising structural stability, we conducted extensive trials using different CNC tooling speeds and bit types. Each panel was cut from MDF to prevent chipping and maintain edge clarity. We then applied multiple layers of primer and sanding before final lacquering, allowing the geometry to remain crisp. Functional durability was ensured through internal ribbing behind the front panel, preventing warping while maintaining a minimal profile. Our production team in Ankara played a vital role in achieving consistency across every unit.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Tachi is a contemporary sideboard inspired by the deep cuts of Japanese swords. The elegant and dynamic form of intersecting lines reflects energy, movement and modernism from every angle. Its sculptural surface creates a strong visual impact through the play of light and shadow. While the metal legs support the geometric integrity of the design, the deep cuts form a perfect harmony, creating a complex but not overwhelming pattern. Tachi is an object where power and nobility meet design.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width: 240 cm, Height: 78 cm, Depth: 48 cm. With its functional interior space and elegant cut details, Tachi adds a touch of modern sophistication to any setting. The internal compartments are optimized for various storage needs. The integration of the body and legs ensures both aesthetics and durability.
- Tags
- Tachi, Sideboard, Japanese, Samurai, Sword, Elegant, Modern, Geometry, Brass, Art
- Production Technology
- Tachi is made of lacquered wood panels. The sharp lines, created using Cnc cutting, are processed to achieve a smooth surface. A special sliding door mechanism ensures that the doors align without overlapping. This system creates a gap at the junction with the body, requiring rear support for the legs. The metal legs are brass-coated, completing the aesthetic integrity of the structure.
- Design Challenge
- The biggest design challenge of Tachi was ensuring the functionality and aesthetics of the door mechanism. A special sliding door system allows the doors to align without overlapping. This mechanism creates a gap at the junction with the body, altering the support point of the legs. To balance the forward-shifting moment force, a specially engineered internal support structure was developed for static stability.
- Research
- Tachi's design process was built on the fascinating research into the aesthetic and structural features of Japanese swords. The visual impact of deep cuts, mechanical stability, and material harmony was analysed and optimised to create a truly unique design object that merges history with modernity.
- Inspiration
- Tachi is a medieval Japanese sword and the precursor to the katana, used by samurai in battle for deep, powerful cuts. It also symbolized status and power. It also played a role in rituals and ceremonies, reflecting its owner's social standing. Tachi is a modern sideboard inspired by the cut marks of these swords, bringing both aesthetics and meaning to spaces.
- Project Duration
- The project transitioned from concept to prototype in 2023. Designed and manufactured in Ankara. Its production process was completed with meticulous research and craftsmanship in 2024. The launch was carried out on international design platforms.
- Operation Flow
- Tachi creates a sophisticated focal point in a space. Its sharp surfaces refract light from different angles, creating a dynamic visual effect. With its opening doors and spacious interior, it seamlessly combines functionality with aesthetics. The metal legs serve as both structural supports and integral design elements.
- Image Credits
- A. Murat ARIK
Erinç ULUSOY
Giray AYDOS
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