The beauty of simple and rough things inspires Yukio Kimura. The self-taught Japanese architect and interior designer established his design label kräfte in Osaka in 2005. As expressed by the word German kräfte, Kimura’s approach to design is dynamic yet sensitive. His minimalist aesthetic is feminine and masculine at once and conveys a sense of fragility imbued with powerful strength. The world that surrounds Yukio Kimura is his main source of inspiration. Visual suggestions such as pictures of wild landscapes, industrial settings and the signs of time on men’s creations stimulate his artistic mind to design essential interiors, furniture pieces and objects. Like in nature, functionality and grace go together and shape kräfte‘s sharp organization of spaces. All the unnecessary details are gently rejected to celebrate the great majesty of emptiness.
Yukio Kimura chose three exclusive projects to presents his work through LE PARADOX.
Tabakoya Kohi – Coffee shop, Artisanal Roastery and Tobacconist in Osaka (2009).
A coffee lounge conceived with the feeling of being in the middle of a park. Kimura has been asked to design a smoking-friendly coffee place. As smoking in indoor spaces is often perceived by customers as deeply annoying, the designer tried to sweep away this unpleasant feeling by including natural elements within the place’ architecture. Tabakoya Kohi features green details and wooden columns, which simulate the experience of being outside. The limits imposed by the coffee shop’s narrow dimensions are wonderfully overcome through the unexpected disposition of furniture elements. Long windows fill the place of daylight like if it had no walls.
KK bench – A bench which is like a living human being.
The KK bench represents a human being to Yukio Kimura’s eyes. The 85mm sofa is covered with multiple layers of fabric that evoke the human skin and supported by one white leg. Like men’s character, the sofa has many different sides and it seems to change shape according to the viewer’s position. Its indefinable color and multi-faces surface recall the vagueness of human minds while the white leg embody the pure strength of its determination.
KK Apartment – Renovation of an apartment in reinforced concrete.
Yukio Kimura tried to create a welcoming environment while working with cold materials such as metal and concrete. The touch of lightwood balances the harshness of the other main construction elements. He mainly used an original mortar beam for the walls and laminated wood for the flooring to reduce costs. In order to kill the claustrophobic atmosphere conveyed by the old building’s low ceiling, Yukio opted for a radical minimalism and open-space solutions. Furthermore he also furnished the apartment with his own designs, the KK chairs and table, exclusively made for the space.
