In this project, the most noteworthy sustainability strategy is following two. Using only original parts from broken vintage J39 chairs that, for various reasons, would never be restored.
the complete reuse of vintage original parts, including those that are broken
Parts that are too damaged to use as new chair components, are chipped, pulped, made into original paper referred from Japanese Traditional WASHI paper , and then twisted into paper cord to be part of the chair again. This approach can be applied to other chairs as well, and we hope to create a system for circular relationships with furniture.
J39.5 is a series of chairs made up of reassembled parts of the broken vintage J39 chair designed by Borge Mogensen.
It all started when we came across a vintage J39 in a vintage furniture warehouse, with a missing leg and a cracked backrest left unrepaired due to issues of cost, time, and effort. We decided to take them back to create new value for them as well as a circular relationship with furniture based on three concepts; Circular Design, Circular Material, Circular Culture.
1. Circular Design
With respect to Mogensen who redesigned the Shaker chair to create J39, we redesigned it to reflect times, not adding new materials but reassembling only the remaining parts and adding 0.5 design as a change of mindset. Even if it is damaged in use, the circularity of the design will continue as the parts are reassembled.
2. Circular Material
The broken leg or back are crushed into powder, which is then strained into original paper and twisted into paper cord. The legs are turned into the seat – material changed the form, but still make up the same chair.
3. Circular Culture
The chair designed in Europe was imported to Japan, then redesigned and returned to Europe. By repeating the design approach across regions and cultures, this may provide an opportunity to deepen understanding of each other.
In this project, the most noteworthy sustainability strategy is following two.
using only original parts from broken vintage J39 chairs that, for various reasons, would never be restored.
the complete reuse of vintage original parts, including those that are broken
It took time to source such materials (It took four years to make ten pieces of chair and it tells the difficulty of finding highly damaged and un-repairable chair), , but by assembling only what was available at any given moment, we were able to explore a variety of forms—such as chairs with multiple backrests, or chairs created by combining two chairs, each missing different parts.
Through the process of reassembling parts, we came to appreciate the sturdiness of this chair’s structure, and strength and precision of the materials. This reaffirmed for us the importance of reusing such materials.
Parts that are too damaged to use as new chair components, are chipped, pulped, made into original paper, and then twisted into paper cord. This process was difficult to implement on current mass-production recycled paper lines, so it was carried out with reference to traditional Japanese washi paper techniques and the cooperation of artisans who preserve these traditional crafts. In the future, we hope to collaborate with a variety of partners to further refine paper production and create “paper with a story, made from furniture,” which we believe will open up new possibilities. Overflowing with objects and facing various environmental issues, this project carries a message about the importance of cherishing a single object and engaging deeply with materials.
This approach can be applied to other chairs as well, and we hope to create a system in which, even if the furniture breaks again, the same approach can be used repeatedly—allowing the pieces to be repaired and reused indefinitely, without ever having to discard them.
By aiming to realize three forms of circularity has given rise to new ideas. Through circular relationships with furniture, we would like to think about mutual understanding among people, objects, materials, culture, environment, and era, and aim for inclusive design.
