Fukunaga Paper Works was founded in 1963 in Tachikawa, Tokyo. The company is specialised in spot color printing, cardboard printing, punching and pasting, and laser cutting, and has accumulated many achievements. Since 2006, as an initiative to explore the possibilities of paper, they have been collaborating with many creators to plan, develop, manufacture, and sell original products that utilize factory technology.
Fukunaga Paper Works has been awarded with many prizes for their good design. For example, "Terada Mokei" and "Air Vessel" selected as "100 New and Contemporary Japanese Designs" sponsored by the Japan Foundation in 2014, "Transcendence" Selected as an exhibitor at the "Japan of Craftsmanship" exhibition (overseas tour) and so on.
In this article, we want to introduce some projects of Fukunaga Paper Works.
1. Airvase - 空気の器
Airvase is a collaborative project with Traf Architectural Design Office. Since the announcement of "Airvase" Yellow x Blue in 2010, the project is continued with numerous series, artist collaborations, and corporate collaborations.
Airvase - Yellow X Blue
Airvase - 24 colors
2. Kaminokousakujo - かみの工作所
Established in 2006 with the theme of using a piece of paper as a tool. A project that pursues the possibilities of paper by combining factory manufacturing technology and the innovative ideas of designers. Through repeated trial and error, the workshop continued to carefully manufacture unprecedented paper products. This project works with a total of 35 designers.
A game "Mikado" that is enjoyed all over the world by stacking many sheets of paper. The colorful gradation created by the layers of paper colors the desk. From the 41 sticks that are scattered and overlapped, take one by one without moving the surrounding sticks, and the person who takes the most sticks wins.
The slim package is a game that you can easily carry as a daily item and play with anyone, anytime, anywhere.
It is a mobile of Kaigetsu (Kurage) that floats in the sea. Place it on your desk or around you, such as a laptop computer, and enjoy the flow of wind and the feeling of floating. Designed by Tsutomu Nagaoka.
A paper message bottle with a cool texture like glass. It tells you that your feelings are something special that can reach you over time and distance. The three-dimensional theme, such as how to seal and how to fold cards, gave the details a breath of life. Designed by Hidetoshi Yatani / Tomoko Yatani.
3. TERADA MOKEI
Inaugurated in 2011. A collaborative project with architect Naoki Terada. Since announcing the "1/100 Architectural Model Scenic Set" series for architectural firms, we have made a series of items such as the world's cities, sports, and trees. We continue to announce new products every month. In 2015, Terada Mokei Pictures was launched.
No.20 Stalls
No.31 Elementary school edition
No.38 Basketball Edition
No.39 Chushingura / Matsu no Corridor
4. Gu Pa
Inaugurated in 2014. A collaborative project with paper craft artist Kyosuke Wada. It is a product brand of "assembly kit" that you can enjoy the change from flat to three-dimensional paper. "Head box", "FACE POP UP CARD" and "TOP TO TAIL" are being developed in series.
Top toe tail - Panda
Top toe tail is a paper model kit that realistically pursues the form from the head to the tail of an animal with paper.
The material is paper with a texture similar to that of animal skin and fur. Since a part of the body is movable, you can change the pose with rich expressions.
Please enjoy the charm of animals such as feel, movement, and form from various angles. (youtube - https://youtu.be/N0acbBhaDM8)
5. Mabataki Note
Inaugurated in 2013. A collaborative project with artist Yasuhiro Suzuki. the office announced paper products that awaken people's memories with the theme of rediscovering familiar paper products such as "Parapara House," "Paper Leaf," and "Mabataki Note." In 2017, they released the art piece "Notes on Sunbeams".
Paper leaf. The paper leaves are embossed with a mold extracted from the veins of cherry blossoms in nature. Born between leaves and paper. It is a product that you can freely discover how to use in various situations of your life such as letters, memos, and shiori.
Sunbeams notes.
An art piece by artist Yasuhiro Suzuki. Each delicate leaf is embossed on all pages by hand.
*All from https://www.fukunaga-print.co.jp/
