Oki Sato “Nendo” – M&O PARIS designer of the year, January 2015

Oki Sato, born in 1977 in Toronto, Canada, studied architecture at Waseda University in Tokyo.
He obtained his Master’s degree in 2002. In the same year, the nendo studio was born in Tokyo.
Now he has taken up the international stage, with offices in Tokyo and Milan.

Nendo, meaning ‘modelling clay’, expresses his desire of having certain flexibility and the ability to reinvent oneself. The designer takes his inspiration from Japanese uncluttered style to create a language of his time.
The philosophy of Oki Sato is reflected in his designs, thanks to which he transforms the interactions of people with the objects surrounding them by creating a parenthesis in their life.
This desire is found in the uncluttered and characteristic shapes of his designs, to which he always adds a touch of humour and conviviality.

Visitors could purchase the nendo-designed chocolates and enjoy them in the lounge!

The amount of work that nendo is producing, as well as the diversity of the projects that he takes on, makes the japanese designer one of the most prolific of our time. so, it is no surprise that he has been named maison&objet’s 2015 ‘designer of the year’, for which he was invited to conceive a special installation on the occasion of the fair in paris from january 23-27th.

Steering away from presenting a conventional display of pieces from his portfolio, nendo wanted to create an all encompassing experience that tapped into all five senses, offering an alternative way in which to ‘consume’ his designs. this started out with the creation of nine textural chocolate morsels, each developed with a particular texture in mind that would affect the taste of the confectionary. he then wanted to offer a place in which visitors could enjoy the sweets. he asked companies whom he has collaborated with to produce a selection of the furniture pieces he has produced with them in a chocolate hue. with this he had the desire to project a space in which one felt as if they were immersed in the world of chocolately-goodness.

The result is ‘chocolatexture lounge’ — a zone that is wrapped by the installation of 2000 8mm thick aluminium rods, each hand-painted with a chocolate gradient, collectively evoking the feeling as if one is sitting within a pot of melted chocolate.

‘chocolate covered’ furniture.