Ariake
Named after the Ariake Sea, Ariake is a design brand from Japan founded by Legnatec and Hirata Chair, two furniture factories from Morodomi in Saga prefecture. Together with graphic designer Martina Perrin, we built the brand from the ground up. This involved studying the background of the company and its surrounding region, naming the brand, developing a recognisable visual identity in terms of its communication, photography and products.
Workshops and Visits
A key part of the process is the Ariake Design Workshops, where we invited selected international and Japanese designers to Ariake’s factory in Japan to work with us intensely for a week on new products. During the workshops, the designers worked with the craftsmen on prototyping their ideas, sharing meals and conversations. The collective energy and friendship between the designers and Ariake’s production team is the driving force behind the brand, resulting in its growth and subsequent international recognition.
