Cultural Exchange
IMG LINK
The "Echigo Sugi Table" was made using Japanese Cedar from nearby mountains and a technique called yak-sugi to create the blackened finish.
IMG LINK
Liam worked with locals to create the "Gonbei Bench” which pays homage to the original carpenters of the region.
After graduating from university, industrial designer Liam Mugavin spent four years working in Japan before returning to Sydney to establish his practice in 2013. His studio focuses on highly conceptual and crafted design, and in 2017 was selected out of 86 applicants to undertake a furniture project for the new Australia House (the original collapsed after the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami) in Japan.
Located in Urada, a remote mountain village north of Tokyo, Australia House serves as a centre for art-based cultural exchange, with a focus on environmental sustainability and protection from natural disasters. For this project Liam developed three pieces of bespoke furniture, with each piece representing a unique narrative relating to the cultural heritage of the house and its architecture, location and community.
This article originally appeared in issue 58 of green magazine.
More green updates
