Musubi Nofoa Puupuu by Mizuki Chinen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Ario in Mamanu Meafale Competition Category.

ArioMeafale· 2025

Musubi Nofoa Puupuu

by Mizuki Chinen

Client: Chinen Mizuki

A' Design Award Ario Winner in Meafale Category

148,688

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #169688

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Musubi Nofoa Puupuu

O lenei nofoa puupuu na fa'aosofia mai le upu o Musubi. O Musubi o se talitonuga tuai a Shinto Iapani, ma o le manatu lea e fausia ai mea ma le olaga e ala i le feso'ota'iga o mea eseese. O le foliga o lenei nofoa e fa'atatau i le fa'ailoga o le fusi filo Mizuhiki. A va'aia mai luma, o le mamanu e laina sa'o, ae a va'aia mai se tulimanu, e foliga mai ai se pioi malu o le nofoa. A le o fa'aogaina, e mafai ona gauia mo le teuina fa'apuupuu. E faigofie ona fa'apipi'i e ala na'o le tu'uina i totonu o vaega e aunoa ma le fa'aogaina o fao po'o vili.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Ario

O le A' Design Award Ario na manumalo ai Musubi Nofoa Puupuu, o se faamaoniga matuā mamalu e tuuina atu i mamanu sili ona lelei, matagofie ma mataʻutia. O ē manumalo i le Ario o galuega susulu tele ma fatufatuaʻi e faaalia ai le poto, le taleni ma le atamai o tagata mamanu. E faamoemoeina Musubi Nofoa Puupuu e avea ma galuega matagofie, o se fesuiaiga mo isi, e iloga i le tomai faapolofesa ma mea fou loloto. O lenei mamanu na manumalo i le A' Design Award Ario o se mea e iloga, ua mataʻina e aogā ma tuleia atu tapulaʻa o le faatufugaga, saienisi, mamanu ma tekonolosi. Musubi Nofoa Puupuu o se mea e fiafia i ai le toatele, e fafagu ai manaʻoga, aumaia ai lagona lelei ma tupu ai le ofo.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: The shape of this stool is based on the motif of a bow-knotted mizuhiki. Mizuhiki is a decorative cord used in Japanese culture to wrap gifts for celebrations. Among them, the bow-knotted mizuhiki is a way of tying that is used for joyful celebrations no matter how many times it is used. Additionally, when viewed from the front, the stool appears to have a linear design, but from an angle, the seat reveals a gentle curve.
Dimensions & Packaging: 410mm x 230 mm x 430 mm
Tags: Design, Chair, Furniture, Furniture Design
Production Technology: A technique called paper hinge is used to join the boards together. Paper hinge is a technique used in traditional Japanese folding screens.
Also, this stool is made of cedar wood. Cedar is soft, lightweight, and strong. Moreover, it is a material that does not easily deteriorate even in humid places, making it suitable for the hot and humid climate of Japan.
Design Challenge: I had a hard time figuring out how to make it strong with just wood and paper, and how to prevent it from breaking. We have reviewed the design many times in order to achieve both durability as a stool and the convenience of disassembling it.
Research: We researched how to incorporate traditional Japanese techniques and materials into the design.
Inspiration: This stool was inspired by the word Musubi. Musubi is one of the traditional Japanese Shinto concepts, and it is the idea that things and life are formed by connecting various things. It was created with the hope that the person who uses this stool will be connected to good things.
Project Duration: The project started in January 2025 in Okinawa.
Operation Flow: This stool is divided into two parts and can be folded to make it compact when not in use. It can be easily assembled by simply inserting the parts without using nails or screws.