Inside Out

TORAFU first became active after working on the interior design of a small hotel guest room. Our work has since been wide-ranging, from small products such as rings, to interiors, stage designs, and architecture. We have been active across a diverse range of fields by taking an interest in, and working constructively on, every type of project put before us.

Architectural planning begins only after having analyzed the conditions particular to the site and its environment. While on the one hand products enjoy the freedom of having no fixed user or location, this caused some uncertainty for us as architects. In the same way that architecture must be closely related to the surrounding environment, we have come to realize that no matter how small the product, we could assign the site ourselves and set its boundaries beyond its actual scale. TORAFU also participates in projects by Ishinomaki Laboratory, which is becoming established as an industry in Ishinomaki by creating local employment and pieces of furniture that act as a small contact point for the community. They continuously experiment with how they can enrich city life through the design of furniture.

"Inside Out", the title of this exhibition, reveals the thought process behind TORAFU. It also embodies our approach, which is not beholden to the hierarchy of Cities > Architecture > Interiors > Furniture > Objects. By presenting fragments from our creative process, whether from past creations or projects currently under development, and arranging them into a coherent tapestry, our aim is to enable the public to have a realistic experience of TORAFU's space of creation.