Function triumphs over form in the effortless and unassuming designs of Naoto Fukasawa. For the last 25 years the Japanese designer’s utilitarian ethos has prioritised intuitive use and such seamless integration into daily routine as to feel virtually invisible. In the softly undulating curves of his Papilo armchairs for B&B Italia, or the playfulness of a pull string for his MUJI wall-mounted CD player, Fukusawa distills everyday domestic objects to their most essential purpose and instinctive operation.
In the case of the latter, they have become certified design classics of the new millennium. In 2004, Fukasawa’s CD player was added to MoMA’s permanent collection along with his mobile phones created for Japanese telecom company KDDI, and the gleaming white donut humidifier made for ±0, the electrical design company he founded alongside his eponymous studio in 2003.
