[I-005]MY DEAR CHUNKY

  • 2018
  • Tokyo
    Roppongi

We have designed “MY DEAR CHUNKY”, Christmas installation in Roppongi Hills, a high-end shopping mall located in Tokyo, Japan. We developed a Christmas tree and other holiday objects out of extra-large, chunky knitted material for this project.

The 250mm diameter knitting tubes are comprised of chunky foam and a stretchable textile in Christmas colors. Approximately 800m of this material was knitted manually and formed into various shapes such as an enormous Christmas tree, bonbons, garlands and so on. The knitting pattern was developed through a digital program which can calculate a 2D knitting pattern from a 3D form.

To fit with the atmosphere of surrounding high-end fashion boutiques, we selected a smooth, rich and warm textile texture. The foam inside each fabric tube is strong enough to sustain any rough seating, yet at the same time, the foam is cozy and comfortable enough so that one can relax among the coils of material.

The unique feature of our 8m high/9m diameter Christmas Tree is that it is purposely designed so that anyone can touch, sit, or even lay down on it, allowing it to become a type of furniture. The haptic value of this tree provides an experience which people cannot simply be shared in just a photo or a video – we summarize this in the following phrase: “Not just to see but to touch.”

The tree sits at a busy intersection of one the shopping floors, which after the Christmas tree-shaped sofa was installed, shoppers and passengers changed their habits to their time to stop and rest a bit.  We are proud to hear that visitors are using the location for various purposes: a place to meet friends, a place to drink coffee and relax, and even a place where parents let their kids play.

Category:Christmas Tree
Clients : MORI BUILDING CO., LTD.
Architects:DOMINO ARCHITECTS
Cooperation:MoY architects
Textile : TEXT
Lighting : Tokyo Lighting Design
Sound : Frasco
Contractor:Tokyo Takara Shokai 
Photographs:Gottingham

#japan, #installation, #knit, #playful, #technology