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Ten of the best Nendo designs from the past year

Japanese design studio Nendo has had a prolific year, adding a diverse range of new products to its portfolio, so we've rounded up ten of the best projects featured on Dezeen in the last 12 months.

Taking its name from the Japanese term for modelling clay, Nendo was founded in 2002 by Oki Sato and is best known for designing high-concept furniture, retail stores and exhibition spaces. But in the last year, the studio has added a string of unexpected and playful items to its output that have proven popular with Dezeen readers.

Draftsman 01-Scale

Draftsman 01-Scale 36mm (white/black)

Draftsmen 01-Scale mimics measuring tools used by the professionals who create architectural drawings by hand, and is the first in a series of watches that replicate graphics from ruler increments.

"We hoped our design would function like a tool to help wearers measure time as they would measure length," explained the studio.

Hour markers are printed directly onto the lenses of the 36mm men's and 28mm women's editions, and each watch comes with a calf-leather strap.

Pooh Tables

Pooh Table collection for Walt Disney Japan

As part of a collaboration with Walt Disney Japan, Nendo created a series of tables based on characters from the Winnie-the-Pooh stories.

The Pooh Table collection comes in a variety of sizes and silhouettes that are intended to reference defining features of characters from the books and cartoons.

"To reflect the stories' setting in the Hundred Acre Wood, the tables use natural-feel maple extensively, and come in sizes and silhouettes intended to recall the stories' characters," said the studio. Find out more »

Pooh Glassware

Pooh Glassware

Several months later, the studio created a series of Winnie-the-Pooh glassware for Walt Disney Japan as a follow-up to the Pooh-tables.

The studio designed yellow silicon bases and tops that depict the cartoon bear in action, which fit together with glass jars and cups.

"Rather than focus our design attention on the glassware, we chose to redesign the coasters and lids," said Nendo. Find out more »

Heads or Tails

Heads or Tails

Proving that they can also design for real animals, Nendo created a three-piece collection of transformable dog accessories.

The range includes a double-sided ceramic bowl, malleable toy bones made from silicon and an artificial leather bed that pops up to become a little hut or can be used as a cushion. Find out more »

Semi-Wrinkle Washi

Semi-Wrinkle Washi

Using a traditional Japanese paper-making technique, the studio produced a collection of egg-shaped lamps that are smooth at one end and lightly wrinkled at the other.

Because of the specialised process used the make the paper, the lamps are so smooth that they "can be confused with white glass or plastic," suggested the studio.

In order to create the unusual shape Nendo joined forces with Taniguchi Aoya Washi, a company in western Japan that specialises in making three-dimensional objects using the same technique. Find out more »

SU stool

SU stool by Nendo for Emeco with a reclaimed oak seat

The SU stool is based on American furniture company Emeco's iconic Navy Chair and features aluminium legs as well as interchangeable seats, made from recycled and reclaimed materials.

SU stool by Nendo for Emeco with eco-concrete seat and aluminium legs

"Emeco is about providing tools for architects and interior designers and I think SU is really in line with that," Sato told Dezeen. Find out more »

Chopsticks

Hanataba chopsticks

The Tokyo-based studio collaborated with a traditional manufacturer of lacquered chopsticks from the town of Obama in Japan's Fukui Prefecture, to release a series of contemporary chopstick designs.

Rassen chopsticks

Nendo devised six styles of chopstick including Kamiai, which uses a magnet to bind a pair together, and the flower-inspired Hanataba. Find out more »

Magne-hinge glasses

Magne-hinge glasses

This year also saw the studio design a wide range of eyewear including the Magne-hinge glasses, which use magnets in place of traditional screw hinges, making the glasses more flexible and durable.

"The temples release smoothly when pulled from the side, so that users can create different looks by purchasing temples in different colours and materials," suggested the studio. Find out more »

Eclipse

Eclipse by Nendo and Camper

Nendo and Spanish shoe brand Camper teamed up to make Eclipse, a range of tinted sunglasses that combine the hues of two translucent polycarbonate lenses over each eye.

"The lenses slide perfectly together without any space between them, thus avoiding any risk of air bubbles," Nendo explained. Find out more »

Envelope

Envelope boat shoe for Tod's by Nendo

A further venture into fashion design saw Oki Sato's team create Envelope, a collection of suede and leather boat shoes for luxury brand Tod's.

The shoes are fastened using a string system based on a postal envelope closure and feature a rubber sole, near-invisible stitching and a breathable mesh interior. Find out more »

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