KYO Project was created to introduce Japanese makers to opportunities outside of their local audience, reinterpret traditional Japanese crafts and extend their reach to a larger international audience.
12 craft makers from the Kanto region in Japan and four award-winning Singapore designers – Chris Lee (Asylum), Ministry of Design, WOHA and Takenouchi Webb – were invited to the KYO (共, which means ‘today’ and ‘co-‘ in Kanji) Project to collaborate in conceptualising and co-creating a series of furniture and lifestyle products that expand on the possibilities and applications of traditional Japanese crafts.
By infusing the appeal and mastery of traditional crafts with modern interpretations, consumers and clients get access to traditional Japanese craft products that have been made relevant to their daily lives and the current market. This collaboration highlights but stays true to the core values of each creative community, and represents the start of a process to foster advancement for Japanese craft traditions.
