柳宗理 ・ Sori Yanagi

Sori Yanagi / 柳宗理 / was my favorite Japanese design thinker. 

After the war, during a visit to Eames workshop, he saw the Eames chair and became interested in wood bending. 

When he returned to Japan he heated and bent wood into various shapes and forms but struggled to find a specific object.

Through trial and error over several years the Butterfly Stool took shape. 

In his book “The Philosophy of Design” Yanagi posits that the ultimate purpose of design is to serve mankind.

His writings on design, kogei, Japanese forms, mingei and modern design are worth reading. 

読んで　下さい！