Watanabe
Riki

JAPAN

		1911 Tokyo
After having graduated from the Woodcraft Department at Tokyo Higher School of Arts and Design (nowadays: Chiba University), he joined architect Bruno Taut's office in Gunma in 1936. In 1949, Watanabe established his own designing studio. He got famous by the low-cost String Chair in 1952. Watanabe's Torii Stool and Circular Center Table won the Gold Medal at Triennale di Milano in 1957. Besides interior and furniture design, Watanabe has also designed clocks and watches. His 1972 design, Hibiya Dai-Ichi Life Insurance Company's pole clock is defined as one of Watanabe's major works. Watanabe is considered to be one of the pioneers of after-war Japanese design.

Courtesy Metrocs

'C.F.S. Kids Set'

D E S I G N E R
Riki Watanabe

P R O D U C E R
Metrocs, Japan
1965

M A T E R I A L
cardboard


The production of a cardboard table and set of two stools started from a project of making safe children's furniture. The cardboard is only folded and no adhesives are used. In 1967, CFS Kids Set won the Mainichi Design Prize. Metrocs has produced the series since 2006.

Courtesy Metrocs

D E S I G N E R
Riki Watanabe

P R O D U C E R
Metrocs, Japan
1965

M A T E R I A L
cardboard


The Carton Furniture Series is made of recyclable material, cardboard, which is also very durable. When the CFS Stool was launched, it was said that if an elephant stood on four stools, they would not break. The series has been in production since 2006.

Courtesy Seiko

D E S I G N E R
Riki Watanabe

P R O D U C E R
Seiko, Japan
2006

M A T E R I A L A N D D I M E N S I O N S
chromed metal + leather
diameter: 3,5 cm

Courtesy Lemnos

D E S I G N E R
Riki Watanabe

P R O D U C E R
Lemnos, Japan
2003

M A T E R I A L A N D D I M E N S I O N S
ABS + steel
diameter: 12,2 cm

Courtesy Metrocs

D E S I G N E R
Riki Watanabe

P R O D U C E R
Metrocs, Japan
1954

M A T E R I A L
steel + wood


Riki Watanabe designed this stool for a house by architect Kiyoshi Seike. The stool is very comfortable to sit but also very easy to carry around. The original chair was redesigned half a century later in 2005 and Metrocs started reproduction in 2005.