100%: Sophisticated Simplicity

18 Oct 2007 Category: Features, Japan, Products

100%: Sophisticated Simplicity

"SAKURASAKU glass" with some sophisticated simplicity: a glass whose base leaves cute cherry blossom patterns on the table.

Founded in 2005, the designer duo 100% from Tokyo got a lot of attention at last year’s 100% Design in London and Tokyo. Oh, not that they are connected name wise - the two guys of 100% are about perfectionism, hence the name. For example, they wanted to abandon the traditional notion of a light bulb - and made a very sophisticated, unusual looking Lamp/Lamp with two sockets, just awarded with a Red Dot this year. In today’s PingMag, we talk with 100% designer Hironao Tsuboi about bringing utmost simplicity to everyday products…

Written by Ryoko
Translated by Rie Ishimi

So far, 100% has produced five products in total. On what did you base your criteria for these?

I dealt with goods from daily life because I hoped that, through a new design, people would pay more attention to them.

For example, I designed the Stand Umbrella when I realised that the time spent carrying a closed umbrella was much longer than the time it takes to open it up. When closed, it is likely to be considered as distraction. So, I tried not to reduce its existent value and thought that the idea of simply “standing it” on its own would be the best solution.

Utmost practical! The “Stand Umbrella” stands anytime and anywhere - and you have your hands free!

However, Lamp/Lamp is what I wanted to create the most. Because a luminous source consists usually of a bulb and a fluorescent filament, and the glass shade surrounding or decorating this source is generally called a “lighting interior”. I wondered if it was possible to give the function of a lighting interior to a luminous source itself. As a result, a bulb with two sockets was produced. Actually, it is not a bulb but lighting equipment that changed my view of a luminous source completely. I enjoy producing an unknown but known thing; something that is familiar and still we haven’t seen it before.

The two-socketed “Lamp/Lamp” as lighting equipment. Stunning!

Wants to add new meaning to the usual bulb we’d throw away eventually: the “Lamp/Lamp.”

So, what would be a good design for you?

Well, the criteria for what is the best is always changing. I think a designer should be sensitive to capture a modern social climate and be able to form its true nature.

A design which I am intuitively attracted to is something people have loved deeply for a long time: The designs by Noguchi Isamu and Souri Yanagi are universally known, even if you are not so much into design. Also, Hans Wegner and Achille Castiglioni show that timeless products won’t get thrown away or get rusty, since they are here to stay. That would be good design.

The “Magnet Tack” stems from the most popular double thumb tack in Japan to which was added a strong magnetism.

Simple and, again, practical! Hang all sorts of stuff on the wall with this strong magnet tack.

And how do you approach making a good design?

I always consider when and on what kind of thought the design would be used. I want to focus on its essence as well as its surface, its colour or shape. For example, the “SAKURASAKU glass” itself is an elementary part of everybody’s household. But I imagined a scene where someone would move this glass a couple of times, not being aware of that its base creates dew drops that show on the table.


Base of the “SAKURASAKU glass” with a beautiful cherry blossom design…

…made from water drops!

One of the attractions of product design is that it can be mass produced, reaching many. I’m always amazed by the fact that someone I don’t know sees my designs. Since a tool needs reasonability and inevitability, I would like to create something which is in each user’s interest and still represents my individuality.

Another functional and simple product: the “Bamboo Line,” a bamboo-shaped fluorescent lamp.


Hironao Tsuboi of 100%.

Lastly, what’s your goal for the future?

I always try to keep potentialities open. However, when I try to get a thing sorted out, I have to concentrate on it, which leaves me with fewer options. Moreover, I am still not familiar with the whole process. And, of course, last year, I could not have imagined our current success. So, I would rather look up all the time and try my best.

Thank you very much for the wonderful chat, Hironao Tsuboi of 100%. We know for sure you’ll be quite successful in the future…

89 Comments

  1. Again, you’ve published an amazing article. I’ve seen most of these designs and they’re ingenious. They’re exactly what form and function is about.

    Posted by: Wee Keat on October 18th, 2007 at 8:09 pm

  2. You’re Great!

    Posted by: marcogirotto on October 18th, 2007 at 10:37 pm

  3. brillant

    Posted by: Trilce on October 19th, 2007 at 2:04 am

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  5. Hey, those are very inspired designs!

    I would personally buy that umbrella : )

    Posted by: Julio Gorgé on October 19th, 2007 at 4:37 am

  6. [...] near miss Lamp/Lamp, has some pretty interesting things to say about design in an interview with PingMag. Among the tastier nuggets are his thoughts about what makes good design: the “timeless [...]

    Posted by: Eco-Cide: Exploring Ecology on October 19th, 2007 at 6:08 am

  7. I personally would buy the Sakurasaku glass! Kawaii! Totally agree with Wee Keat about form and function. ^-^

    Posted by: razori on October 19th, 2007 at 11:21 am

  8. Love the light bulb! How cool is that?!

    Posted by: Chelle on October 19th, 2007 at 12:47 pm

  9. Cool Lamp/Lamp !!

    Posted by: Balakumar Muthu on October 19th, 2007 at 5:34 pm

  10. [...] seen on pingmap Comments [...]

    Posted by: Anees Uddin » Blog Archive » Lamp/Lamp: This is simply sweet on October 19th, 2007 at 7:54 pm

  11. It looks nice, but what additional practical function does a dual-socket bulb serve over an ordinary one? Just don’t think it fits the ‘form and function’ praise…but yes it is beautiful

    Posted by: Idea on October 20th, 2007 at 1:45 am

  12. Wow! The umbrella, the cup and the magnetic tacks are so creative and practical!
    But I didn’t understand the meaning of the lamp lol

    Posted by: Akai on October 20th, 2007 at 1:58 am

  13. When the bulb goes out can you switch sides and use a different filament? That would be superb

    Posted by: Haroun on October 21st, 2007 at 6:14 am

  14. Well done! Beautiful designs!

    Posted by: Bernie on October 23rd, 2007 at 3:28 am

  15. wildly overrated

    Posted by: Anonymous on October 23rd, 2007 at 11:51 am

  16. Simple but Superb Design, why does nobody thing the glass cup before?.

    Posted by: tuqui on October 23rd, 2007 at 12:32 pm

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  18. the glass waterdrop idea, was totally briliant! i still can remember when i 1st saw it on mag!

    Posted by: cal on October 25th, 2007 at 6:24 am

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  21. Wow, some amazing designs!

    Posted by: Harry Roberts on October 27th, 2007 at 10:26 pm

  22. check out YOYOPOP! for a big piece on the whole 100% Design 2007 show, including the lightbulbs!

    http://www.putsonline.co.uk/yoyopop/art-design/022-100-design-2007/

    Posted by: yoyopop! :) on October 28th, 2007 at 10:41 pm

  23. great work

    Posted by: joshuafromparis on November 1st, 2007 at 10:21 am

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  25. [...] Lagos, Kabul oder Ibadan? — Die Japaner haben immer wieder die schönsten Design-Ideen. Hier findet man ein Wasserglas, das nicht einfach schnöde Ränder hinterlässt, sondern [...]

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  27. the Umbrella is very creative and interesting.
    artistic works!

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