New potentialities for House Building
with Made-to-Order precious wood
2021.12.20
Interior design be loved even a hundred years from now.
Woodworks Co., Ltd (hereafter Woodworks) was established in 1926. Originally, Woodworks manufactured and sold fittings for sliding doors that were an integral part of Japanese living spaces. Reflecting the needs of the times, however, we shifted our focus to western-style homes, and our products changed to reflect this shift. Now we manufacture and sell products for apartment buildings and other residents, focusing mainly on doors. Though our products have changed, our love and respect for wood remains ever true.
“We use lumber that has been growing in the forests for a hundred years. Humans who fell trees for their own purposes have a responsibility to utilize the materials to their full extent. Our mission is to make products that can be used for a hundred years,” says Woodworks president and CEO Yoritsugu Kawai.
〝ARTECT the prime collection doors〟 make the most of the appeal of materials.
By bringing fittings that grow more beautiful with age into the world, we can contribute to an endearing love for one’s living space. Woodworks has proposed a new concept, “FURNITECTURE”, to lead to a freer yet specialized form of house building. Our goal is to create products that up until now have fallen under the category of architecture. At the same time, we strive to create commodities that respond to the sensitivities of residents, similar to the ways in which furniture does just that.
Resonating with this idea, six companies have come together to create a collaborative brand called “Aria & Aura”. Woodworks is not taking part simply as a door maker, but has taken up management of the entire brand. All products are made-to-order. Orders can be made for fittings constructed from single planks, such as doors, wooden window frames, glass partitions, and built-in furniture ranging from kitchen cabinets to stairways and shelves, using sawed solid veneer. The brand responds to both the attention to detail clients desire, and the precise exactitude demanded of by architects.
Kitchen room coordinated with 〝Aria & Aura 〟
An exquisite presence to rule over the entryway of a living space. One is sure to experience this sensation passing through a space with an Aria & Aura door. Aria & Aura made-to-order pieces have an infinite variety. Doors whose presence brings together the harmony of the floor, walls and furniture truly elevate the tone of a space.
One need only touch an Aria & Aura door to realize how different they are from any ordinary door. We only use natural broadleaf trees from the forest that master woodworkers have selected as superb examples of their species. The contours of the wood felt when touching such lumber is just like the sensation of touching a living tree.
〝Aria & Aura〟door with a strong presence.
What gives Aria & Aura is limitless design potential is sawed solid veneer. After being treated, all wood warps, distorts and sometimes cracks to some degree so that it can breathe. Usually, a 0.3mm slice from the surface, called a sliced veneer is used. However, at Aria & Aura, we use specialized techniques to create 2mm thick sawed solid veneer. Using this materials is perhaps unheard of anywhere in the world.
Remember that you have a choice when it comes to doors. Doors are not simply part of the interior design; they form an integral part of the framework of a living space.
When building a house, doors and other built-in features are often forgotten, with their selection being left to the construction companies. With the concept of FURNITECTURE in mind, Woodworks has created new products with the “ARTECT the prime collection” line that seek to reconfigure this paradigm through doors, thereby widening the options available to homeowners.
〝ARTECT the prime collection Series 〟
Our abundantly expressive lineup, perfect for bringing a living space together includes doors whose surfaces are reminiscent of nature, like feeling the waves and wind, doors with a bold collage of sapwood veneer designs, and even doors made from the veneer of a carbonized oak that sat at the bottom of a lake for 4,000 years.
A special painting technique is employed in the creation of our ARTECT the prime collection. It involves a thoroughly numerical control mechanism fused with sophisticated techniques of master artisans. A high level of quality is obtained by quantifying configurations and conditions such as humidity levels and coating amounts. Furthermore, the delicate sensitivities of artisans are exquisitely mixed in to bring a superb richness to the product. “When coming into contact with nature, humans somehow feel a sense of security and a certain warmth. By leaving traces of humanness in the manufacturing process, we can create products that homeowners can love for years to come.” Woodworks’ love for wood and our conviction towards our products is palpable.
Mr. Yoritsugu Kawai, Presiden/CEO Woodworks Co.,Ltd.
After World War II, Japan engaged in a continuous process of scrap and build. It was common sense that new housing materials were best, and that they would degrade over time. “European buildings are breathtakingly beautiful. Structures built 400 or 500 years ago are still being used today. Something about old buildings create a sense of stability and charm that new things simply can’t produce. There is something we can learn from this awareness” says Kawai.
Woodworks Co., Ltd. has a profound respect for wood that we employ to transform living spaces. We sincerely strive to create products and spaces that will be loved a hundred years from now.
