Products born from interactive exchanges across the border between Japan and Hong Kong ~Union Co., Ltd. & Oft Interior Ltd.~
2024.12.01
DESIGN INSPIRE, a showcase of seven Japanese manufacturing companies, will be held at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre from December 5-7, 2024. The companies exhibiting at the JapanPavilion Booth have collaborated with Hong Kong designers on products. They will be exhibited at the venue on the day of the event.
Union co., Ltd. worked with Mr. Jao, co-chairman of the Hong Kong-based design firm Oft Interiors Ltd. on a “door handle unlike any other”. We interviewed Mr. Jao and Mr. Junzo Tatsuno, Representative Director of Union, about their thoughts on the project.
CM,Jao
●CM,Jao／Oft Interiors Ltd.
The pulse of life keeps repeating, around us, within us, without our awareness. As the atmosphereand implied meaning of some built environment is already forgotten by those who are in it often,Oft Interiors is insisted to picking up what has been left in our daily surroundings, for those who habitually use these spaces.Oft crew devotes its full efforts and passions to developing innovative designs on work.Oft expects their works can recall the realimplication of the space and the original sensation, as well as bring a new zest to the HK design industry.
●UNION Co., Ltd.
A trading company specializing in architectural hardware, mainly door handles and lever handles. We consider all of our products as “artware” and boast the largest share of the door handle market in Japan at more than 90%.
The process of creating “unprecedented designs
A Japanese door handle manufacturer and a Hong Kong design company aimed for an organic design. With the enthusiasm to “create something never seen before,” the two companies communicated their design images to each other as they worked to create the product.
Mr. Jao’s first idea was to see if he could express the smoothness of metal. Yes, the same condition as when you stretch out a sticky candy cane. Mr. Jao put his idea into a concrete design and converted it into data, and the union that received the data made a metal mold using a 3D printer and mailed it to him. The prototype was then repeatedly exchanged prototypes through online and in-person meetings, the materials were determined, and the prototype was completed.
Idea data as imagined by Mr. Jao
Union used 3D data to verify various
We spoke with Mr. Jao, who said this is the first time he has collaborated with a Japanese company. “Although there are different cultures, I feel that everyone shares a common pursuit of design. We are aligned in our shared vision.” He felt positive about his first challenge.
As the prototype was being completed, there was one person watching with great interest. It was Mr. Junzo Tateno, president of Union, who had high hopes for this project. The Union name became known to the public at the Tokyo Olympics (1940) and the Osaka Expo (1975). Tatsuno says that the Union brand became well known in the architectural industry because many of the products were used by the architects who were active in those events. Tatsuno is also enthusiastic about the Osaka Expo to be held in 2025.
That’s Mr. Junzo Tateno, president of Union on the left.
He continues on his expectations for this collaboration, saying, “Many in the building materials industry are doing well right now, partly because of the Osaka Expo in 2025. The building materials industry is currently enjoying strong sales due in part to the Osaka Expo in 2025, but after the Expo and IR, we believe that sales will begin to decline. In such an environment, only those companies that succeed in global expansion, not just in the domestic market, will be able to develop. However, overseas expansion is an extremely challenging endeavor. It is very meaningful for a company like DESIGN INSPIRE to form an alliance and go overseas as a team. I hope that this is a good opportunity for us to make use of the technology we have in the world.”
Interactive manufacturing for the future
Looking again at this collaboration from the perspective of manufacturing, what do you think? Rather than a one-way relationship of simply making what was ordered, there was an active exchange of opinions through the use of online communication. We have already entered an era in which we can communicate and create products interactively across national borders.
What should be done to connect Japanese craftsmanship and global design to the future? Mr. Tatsuno explains, “In order to connect Japanese craftsmanship to the future, we need to improve the treatment of craftspeople. I think the challenge is to create a system that fuses world-class Japanese craftsmanship with design and to ensure that craftspeople receive appropriate compensation for their work. Union hopes to contribute to the promotion of the manufacturing industry by adopting traditional Japanese manufacturing methods for building materials.”
Mr. Jao then added, “Both Japan and Hong Kong have their own attractive cultures and characteristics. I believe that design is expressed through communication, so I hope to see more exchanges and collaborations between the design industries in the future,” he said.
Japanese manufacturing is highly regarded overseas. If a profitable system can be established, traditional industries may be revived and lead to continuous development. DESIGN INSPIRE will be an excellent opportunity to explore new possibilities for Japan and Hong Kong, and we look forward to seeing what products will be completed through this process.
Outline of the event
DESIGN INSPIRE
Date & Time:December 5-7, 2024
Location: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
organizing: Hong Kong Trade Development Council
cooperation: Japan Building Materials Association、Kansai Bureau of Economy
website: https://designinspire.hktdc.com/
