A Hinoki Stool Created with a Minimum of Production Steps

This Sauna Stool is by Japanese furniture designer Wataru Kumano. It’s made out of a cross-section from a Hinoki (Japanese Cypress) tree, and its production was limited to the bare minimum:(Animation by Funayama Creative Studio.) “By removing the pith, dividing the Hinoki log into four sections, and rejoining them, the natural character of the log is preserved while minimizing the risk of cracking,” Kumano writes. “Designed with as few processes as possible, the material is left close to its original state. The strength, texture, and presence of the log remain intact, allowing its beauty to endure over time.” I’m digging the chunk cut out of the bottom to provide heel space.It’s not a production piece; the stool was designed for Bread & Butter, an itinerant design exhibition that was at last week’s 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen. (Their website was down at press time, otherwise I’d link to it.)