No.052 MUSTERMODELL
Branding for the ‘MUSTERMODELL’ project by Daich , a revival of designs from the ‘Kogei Shidosho (The National Research Institute of Industrial Arts),’ which is considered the beginning of Japanese industrial design.
Kogei Shidosho, established in Sendai City in 1928, conducted design research, provision, and education for businesses and craftsmen until 1969. German architect Bruno Taut was invited in 1933 to teach modern design methods at this institute, leading to the emergence of many designers who would later drive Japanese industrial design.
Today, few people are aware of this historic institute, and Daich Komatsu, who is from Sendai, decided to revive it through research, studies, and prototyping. The techniques from that time are quite fascinating, such as artificially replicating wood grain and developing non-circular lathe processing machines (techniques that have disappeared due to safety and stability concerns).
Website design
‘Mustermodell’ is a German word meaning ‘prototype,’ ‘sample,’ or ‘model.’ The project’s name pays respect to the German architect Bruno Taut, who established the design foundation at Kogei Shidosho and introduced the concept of ‘normative prototypes.’ In reviving these products, Daichi Komatsu honours the legacy, and in designing the logo, I also have paid respect to the original Kogei Shidosho logo by updating it to reflect its heritage.
No.052 MUSTERMODELL
Client: TORCH
Branding, Website
2024