Karimoku Case Study

Emerged from shared design values, Karimoku Case Study is a contemporary lifestyle brand, based in Japan and born out of admiration and love for serene beauty, material richness and timeless appeal. The Case Study collections are brought to life by world-renowned architects through individual cases, and the story of each collection is told through its native setting.

With a holistic approach to architecture and design, the studio behind each collection creates a coherent style and setting, working their way from the architectural framework into the interiors and objects within the space, designing for specific needs and structures, rather than merely considering the aesthetic experience. With Karimoku Case Study we wish to introduce a thoughtful brand that serves as a guardian for the natural and timeless, using materials that possess an inherent richness and gain beauty with time and age.

As Japan’s leading manufacturer of wooden furniture, Karimoku proudly uphold a steady focus on quality. Their knowledge and genuine love for wood is reflected in their uncompromising production methods and remarkable attention to detail. Through the unique skills and production capabilities of Karimoku, the collaborating studios are encouraged to use the best possible materials for their case collections, ultimately creating design that last, maintaining the highest possible standards throughout.

Yearly or project-based, we invite architects to come to the Karimoku facility in Aichi, Japan to participate in workshops focused on familiarizing the collaborating studios with the history and production capabilities of Karimoku. By spending time together on-site, investigating each case and its context, we strive to achieve a shared understanding of the future goals of the Karimoku Case Study brand.

Karimoku Case Study was born out of mutual admiration. In both Denmark and Japan there’s a connection to nature evident in our respective design traditions. Now, more than ever, we see a need amongst urban dwellers for haptic qualities in our homes — a longing to reconnect with nature through surround- ings composed of natural materials and living surfaces. We believe that introducing quality design into our homes is a simple and efficient way of enhancing our quality of life.

As a contemporary design brand, our approach is aimed at creating wholesome, human-centric design that, first and foremost, serves its user and context. It’s a subtle rebellion against the trend-driven, inspired by the durable ways of nature, and composed entirely of materials that patinate and possess timeless beauty.

Inspired by the Case Study Houses, Karimoku Case Study draws on the visionary works of the architects for the iconic, modernist program. In the 1940s, Arts & Architecture magazine commissioned young and successful architects, such as Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames, to design inexpensive and easily rep- licable model homes to accommodate the residential housing boom in the US at the time. Based on new ideas for residential living, the commissioned architects essentially redefined the modern home, and the houses that were built are today considered iconic, modernist masterpieces.