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Upholstered in textured charcoal gray fabric suggesting the tactile warmth of wool flannel or dense felt, Saya Takamine's Cube Sofa Includes Table presents a striking study in geometric duality and fu
Saya Takamine's Cube Sofa Includes Table presents a sophisticated exploration of geometric purity and functional integration, manifesting as a precisely rendered cubic volume captured in three-quarter
Verdant moss-like textile erupts organically between geometric planes of muted taupe upholstery, creating a composition where the soft biomorphic substance mediates between the rigid cubic forms, whil
Saya Takamine's Cube Sofa Includes Table presents a masterfully integrated furniture composition that demonstrates exceptional sophistication in modular spatial design, emerging from a rigorous geomet
Saya Takamine's Cube Sofa Includes Table presents a study in material convergence where the built environment meets natural growth, captured through a tightly focused perspective that compresses foreg

Saya Takamine

Iron Furniture Design · 2026

Cube Sofa Includes Table

by Saya Takamine

  • A' Design Award 2026 Iron Winner in Furniture Design
  • Awarded April 15, 2026
  • CLIENT: Saya Takamine
  • Estimated Number of Design Views: 5,225
  • Verification code DCBA7EA721 · Verify this award
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About Cube Sofa Includes Table

This piece draws inspiration from the contrast between concrete and greenery found in everyday urban environments. Natural organic elements are translated into a geometric design language. The surface evokes rain soaked concrete while fabrics express material roughness and irregularity. Cool grey accents and a uniform desk mat emphasize texture and tonal relationships. Blended faux moss introduces a restrained yet perceptible organic presence. Through careful control of footprint and height the piece achieves visual balance within its environment.

Saya Takamine's Cube Sofa Includes Table represents a compelling synthesis within contemporary furniture design, where functional necessity meets material poetry through the unexpected marriage of geometric precision and organic vitality. The work emerges from design traditions that honor both Scandinavian modernism's commitment to material honesty and functional clarity, and more recent biophilic design movements that recognize human psychological need for connection with natural elements even within built environments. The compositional achievement demonstrates sophisticated understanding of volumetric relationships, as two distinct geometric forms—one serving seating comfort through soft upholstered construction, the other providing work or display surface through rigid planar geometry—achieve visual and functional unity through their proportional calibration and shared spatial envelope. The chromatic restraint, limiting the palette to warm neutral gray, cool brilliant white, and singular verdant accent, allows material character and geometric relationship to communicate without chromatic competition, suggesting the designer's confidence in form and texture as primary expressive vehicles. Particularly noteworthy proves the moss element tracing the boundary between upholstered and rigid components, transforming what might conventionally appear as simple material junction into living detail that invites closer inspection and tactile curiosity. This green ribbon operates simultaneously as visual accent preventing monotony, as textural relief providing scale reference and haptic intrigue, and as conceptual bridge suggesting that manufactured environments need not exist in opposition to natural processes but might incorporate organic presence as integral design feature rather than apologetic addition. The technical execution reveals careful attention to edge resolution, surface finish consistency, and tonal transition handling, with the upholstery displaying even textile tension across broader planes while accommodating gentle radius curves at volumetric corners, and the white component maintaining flawless matte uniformity that reads as almost ethereal in its pristine presentation. The work seems to explore questions central to contemporary dwelling: how might furniture serve multiple simultaneous functions without formal chaos, how can natural elements participate authentically in designed objects without resorting to mere ornamental application, and how does material contrast generate visual interest while maintaining compositional coherence and spatial calm. One might observe how the design negotiates between opposing qualities—soft and hard, organic and geometric, neutral and chromatic, singular and compound—achieving integration that respects each element's distinct character while subordinating individual components to holistic formal success. The viewer encountering this work might contemplate how such synthesis of function, material, and biophilic detail could transform domestic or professional environments, inviting both practical use and aesthetic contemplation, serving body's need for comfortable seating and work surface while simultaneously engaging eye and imagination through unexpected material relationships and geometric refinement that reward sustained attention and suggest possibilities for rethinking conventional furniture typologies.

Press Kit

Unique Properties
Cube is a modular furniture piece that integrates seating and surface functions within a unified, sculptural form.
The texture of concrete is expressed through a curated combination of different fabrics which is achieving a solid appearance with tactile softness.
Inspired by Karesansui, faux moss representing plants is arranged in a natural and restrained yet noticeable balance. The three blocks have different aspect ratios, translating the accidental beauty found in natural concrete cracks into geometric design. The inverted trapezoidal form provides a wide, comfortable seat while minimizing floor contact, allowing the piece to harmonize with the surrounding space.
Dimensions & Packaging
Depth 600 mm x Width 650 mm x Seat Height 370 mm
Tags
Sofa, Table, Concrete, Greenery, Plants, Moss, Contrast, Artificial, Urban Landscape
Production Technology
The internal structure is primarily made of plywood, achieving a lightweight form while maintaining the appearance of concrete. The two sofa cubes incorporate cushioning materials and soft, tactile fabrics, creating seating surfaces that visually resemble concrete yet remain comfortable and inviting.
Design Challenge
Determining the taper angle of the base and achieving a realistic visual balance were major challenges. Even a one degree difference in the taper significantly affected the overall impression and proportions, requiring the examination of numerous 3D models. In pursuit of realism, extensive experimentation was conducted to identify the optimal fabric combinations and paint color adjustments to express the texture of concrete.
Project Duration
The project started in June 2025 and finished September 2025 in Okinawa, Japan
Operation Flow
Of the three cubes, two function as cushioned sofas and one as a wooden table. The table can hold drinks or books, encouraging communication with others, while also allowing a single user to relax comfortably with ample space. While the concept is fully expressed when all three cubes are combined, each cube can also be used independently, allowing flexible arrangements depending on the occasion and environment.
Research
In the process of translating the concept into a product, existing furniture was researched and evaluated based on real world usability. This informed a balance between visual appeal and functional comfort. From the structural framework to the upholstery, the piece was repeatedly examined and refined from a makers perspective, leading to continuous improvements throughout the production process.
Inspiration
This project draws inspiration from the contrast between the inorganic, artificial concrete that fills urban environments and the greenery that sprouts powerfully from its crevices. It aims to transform the relationship between artificial outdoor elements and the modest yet vigorous vitality of the plants thriving within them into an indoor object at a scale suitable for everyday living spaces.
Image Credits
Image #1-5: Saya Takamine, Hiroto Nakamura

Colors of Cube Sofa Includes Table

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