Spiral of Life ガラス製テーブルウェア by Keiji Ishikawa

Spiral of Life ガラス製テーブルウェア by Keiji Ishikawa is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 金賞 in ベイクウェア・テーブルウェア・ドリンクウェア・クックウェアデザイン Competition Category.

金キッチン用品· 2026

Spiral of Life ガラス製テーブルウェア

by Keiji Ishikawa

Client: KJ studio

A' Design Award 金賞 Winner in キッチン用品 Category

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The Design

About Spiral of Life ガラス製テーブルウェア

数学的構造と動的アートの融合により、「Spiral of Life（生命の螺旋）」プロジェクトは切子ガラス製品の新たな方向性を提示します。この作品は、ガラスという媒体の中に自然界の有機的な揺らぎを捉えています。この開発は、デザイナーとペイントダンサーのReeとのコラボレーションから生まれました。フィボナッチ数列を動きへと変換することで、Reeはデザインの概念的枠組みを提供しました。8対13、13対21という螺旋比率を通じて、職人は伝統工芸と生物数学を結びつけます。そこから生まれる調和は、世界の自然な鼓動を映し出すリズミカルな体験を提供します。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 金賞

Spiral of Life ガラス製テーブルウェアは、まさに素晴らしく傑出した第一級のデザインに授与される、計り知れないほど権威ある評価である A' Design Award 金賞の受賞作品です。金賞の受賞作品は、きわめて革新的で、先見性に富み、きらびやかに輝く創造物であり、デザイナーの天才性、叡智、卓越した技量を映し出しています。Spiral of Life ガラス製テーブルウェアは、最も称賛される、流行を牽引する記念碑的な発明であり、前例のない価値をもたらすことが期待されます。この A' Design Award 金賞を受賞したデザインは、壮観で尊敬されるプロジェクトであり、芸術・科学・デザイン・技術の境界に大きく寄与し、それを前進させます。Spiral of Life ガラス製テーブルウェアは、強い欲求を生み出し、情熱を呼び覚まし、創造性を促し、私たちを引きつけます。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Fibonacci spirals follow strict mathematical laws yet appear organic and asymmetrical, resisting simple geometric repetition. Traditional Kiriko requires precise vertical and horizontal guidelines before cutting; however, standard grids cannot capture this natural fluctuation while ensuring reproducibility. To solve this, I developed a hybrid approach: maintaining the Fibonacci count with guidelines while manually adjusting each cut to ensure a smooth, living trajectory.
Dimensions & Packaging: The product dimensions are as follows: The rock glass is 77mm in diameter and 92mm in height, as shown in the main image. In optional image #1, the wine glass is 58mm in diameter and 150mm in height. In optional image #2, the soba cups are 81mm in diameter and 62mm in height. In optional image #3, the sake cup is 60mm in diameter and 60mm in height. Finally, the top views of the sake cup and soba cup filled with water are shown in optional image #4.
Tags: kiriko, cutglass, japaneseglassware, glassart
Production Technology: The double-layered glassware is carefully ground and polished by hand using Japanese Kiriko cut glass technology.
Design Challenge: Through rigorous prototyping, I established a specialized system. Smaller vessels like sake cups use an 8 to 13 spiral ratio, while larger items like wine and rock glasses employ a 13 to 21 ratio to maintain proportion. For vessels with decorative bases, such as a soba cup, I meticulously integrated an 8 to 13 spiral on the bottom to enhance aesthetic coherence. This precise scaling was essential to capturing the Spiral of Life across the entire collection.
Research: A true Fibonacci spiral requires clockwise and counterclockwise counts to be adjacent numbers in the sequence. To ensure visual balance and mathematical integrity, I conducted extensive research to determine the optimal pairings, such as 8 to 13 or 13 to 21, based on specific glass diameters and curvatures. This study ensured that the mathematical beauty remains consistent.
Inspiration: I initially struggled to translate the relationship between the sun and the sunflower into glass. The breakthrough came via my daughter Ree, an artist and paint dancer, who shared my fascination with the sunflower Fibonacci spiral. This pattern blends mathematical law with organic asymmetry. Ree physicalized this sequence by synchronizing her leg drawn spiral counts with Fibonacci numbers. Witnessing this kinetic manifestation inspired me to transpose these complex spirals onto Kiriko glass.
Project Duration: The project started in December 2025 in Tokushima, Japan, and finished in February 2026.
Operation Flow: The streamline motifs are executed with wide-angle V cuts. When viewed from the side, patterns on the far surface refract through the front, creating complex layered intersections that evoke the mystery of life. From a top-down perspective, the precise Fibonacci sequence achieves a profound, harmonious balance. The design invokes a rhythmic and engaging experience, mimicking a living pulse. This interaction between light and geometry brings dynamic vitality to the glassware.
Patents: The design is being applied for design registration and will receive copyright protection for registered designs in December 2026 in Japan.
Image Credits: Video Credits:
To demonstrate the rhythmic harmony and life-like pulse of the design, the video showcases the glassware in rotation. This highlights how the patterns shift and intersect dynamically as the perspective changes, illustrating the Spiral of Life concept through the interaction of light, shadow, and the intricate Kiriko hand cuts.