I’m an architect who currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. ‘Folding’ has been my modus operandi ever since I began my design education at RISD, and the technique has served numerous possibilities in my works. Hence, this has inspired me to create an online archive on design that utilizes folding as well as innovative material applications, and so Pleat Farm was born.

Pleat Farm is an informational and inspirational online platform, and a design pasture for all things apparel, textiles, architecture, furniture, paper art and product design-related – with a twist and a fold. Pleat Farm is about more than origami. The site is focused entirely on innovations in material applications involving bending, knotting.

Thanks to Dana for the honor of guest-posting on her beautiful blog!

 

 

‘Retail villages’ have been an emerging occurrence in Tokyo as of recently, and Yoyogi Village is one such concept which integrates a green, slow space/ sanctuary with an exclusive retail experience for the sophisticated urban crowd. The urban oasis is the brainchild of two high-profile music creatives Takeshi Kobayashi and Shinichi Osawa, and the two visionaries branded themselves as “Kurkku’ for this venture. Helming the overall architecture is interior designer Masamichi Katayama of Wonderwall in collaboration with ‘plant hunter’ and landscape designer Seijun Nishihata.

As you enter the compound through a gateway of steel and glass, you’ll be greeted with a “village” of specialty shops and cafes nestled in converted shipping containers. A landscaped pathway would take you to the main attraction – code kurkku – which comprises of a lounge area, a music bar, and an eatery with a focus on Kyoto-Italian organic cuisine. The choice of natural wood floors and ceilings harks back to the wood architecture of rural Japan, and it is further enhanced by Nishihata’s lush massive green living wall which is breathtaking when viewed on every angle.

So the next time you jet off to Tokyo and feel the need to slow down, hope on the JR line heading for Yoyogi and step into the Village!

– Pleat Farm.

[via spoon and tamago. Photography by Nacasa & Partners.]



About The Author

Founder & Editor

With a disarming blend of authority and approachability, Dana is a former refugee-turned-global design visionary. Through her multi-faceted work as a creative director, keynote speaker, editor, curator, interior designer and digital publisher, Dana empowers others to appreciate and engage with design in transformative ways, making the sometimes intimidating world of design accessible to everyone, regardless of their familiarity with the subject. Dana's been catapulted to the status of a stalwart global influencer, with recognition from industry heavyweights such as AD Germany, Vogue Living, Elle Décor Italia and Danish RUM Interiør Design, who have named as one of the Top True Global Influencers of the Design World and counted her among the most visionary female creatives on the planet. Her TEDx talk—"Design Can Change the Way You See the World"— will challenge and transform your understanding of design's omnipresent and profound influence. Through her vast experience in interiors, architecture and design, Dana challenges the prevailing rapid image culture, highlighting the importance of originality, sustainability, connecting with your values and learning to "see" design beyond the aesthetic.

3 Responses

  1. Lauren

    OMG! I want to go there right now!!! Masamichi Katayama is my absolute favorite. What an amazing space, the greenwall is beautiful, I love it all – thank you for sharing this.

    Reply
  2. Oliver @ Sabi Style

    Now this is real retail therapy. I love the whole notion, in our hectic, fast paced lives of being encouraged to slow down and take some time for ourselves.

    Really smitten by the big vertical garden wall.

    Reply

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