Framy Ihe Nkewa Ọnụ Ụlọ Enwere Ike Ịhazi

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Completely customizable from any combination of 7 panels, this is a new type of room divider for effective use of limited space. It can fit in every room in your home to suit your needs. Framy could be used as a clothing rack or a helpful organizer. It could also serve as a room divider for several people working from home. Framy can easily be folded up and stored when not in use. This unique piece of furniture adjusts to you and your lifestyle with infinite possibilities.

Dimensions & Packaging

Width 450mm x Depth 24mm x Height 1,700mm, Weight 2.9kg

Tags

home furniture, organizer, room divider, folding, SOF, wood products, panels, product, interior, multifunctional, craft of furniture making,

Production Technology

With Japan being one of the most heavily forested countries in the world, we specialize in manufacturing furniture from Japanese sources. We make positive use of the wood produced in forest thinning, which is usually discarded. This use is significant for us to actively participate in protecting the land and nature. We use a type of plywood called, Eco Shira Plywood to build Framy. All wood used to produce this plywood stems from forests thinned in Hokkaido Japan; it is characterized by high strength and a beautiful cross section. The plywood is well balanced between design and eco-friendliness.

Design Challenge

Applying the hook and loop fasteners used to connect the panels was the biggest challenge for us. It is essential that users are able to quickly set up the piece for Framy being easily customizable and adaptable. There were some options for the joint part such as metal or string hinges; however, we use the hook and loop fasteners which is unprecedented, hence it was required a large amount of time to verify the durability, number, and length. For smooth opening and closing of the divider, different panel widths and the round and chamfer types were tested.

Research

To research consumer needs, refine aspects, target customer base (age, family structure), various dividers with potential combinations were presented through web survey (June 2021) with 113 participants. The age ranged 30s to 40s, families of 3 or more accounted for 70% of the answers. The popular use is as a clothes rack, types & combinations are intended to use for teleworking, indicating dividers for small spaces with easily customizable and adaptable. The hook & loop fasteners allow users quickly set up the piece and attach accessories, offering a high degree of flexibility.

Inspiration

With the recent shifts toward new ways of working and the increase in teleworking, the lines between work and homelife have blurred, and it became difficult to separate work and homelife, ignoring the temptations of Netflix, and staying focused on work in the atmosphere of home. I strongly felt that these issues stemmed from this new working and lifestyle, and that notion inspired me to create this unique piece of furniture, Framy, which can help solve these issues.

Project Duration

The project started in March 2021 in Tokyo and finished in July 2021, and was first sold through a Japanese crowdfunding website in August 2021, and won the Japan Wood Design Award 2021 in October 2021.

Operation Flow

There are 7 types of panels that can be integrated into Framy: Hanger, Ladder, Whiteboard, Canvas pockets, Mirror, Sound absorption board, and Peg board. Customers can choose any combination of panels based on the intended use of the piece. e.g.) it can be used as; a ladder rack with 1 panel leaning against the wall, a hanger rack by connecting 2 to 4 frames, or a room divider with storage capacity when creating a dedicated workspace. Sound absorption panels might help to diminish distracting noise. Your lifestyle options will benefit from the flexibility of this furniture.

Patents

Design Right. Number: 1707325. Shinnosuke Hosoda. 2022. The register of Japan patent office.

Image Credits

Image #1: Kotaro Imai, 2021. Image #2, #3, #4 : Kotaro Imai, 2021.