CondeHouse company News and Trends items

Be the first penguin, an innovator, at least an early adopter, or whatever. I hope most of you no longer worship such courage or recklessness. When doing my MBA, I had very often seen unreserved admiration for best practices by courageous or reckless leaders, but now I think it’s too naïve. In fact, the first penguins may be victims as a result of jostling each other on ...

Have you ever eaten mochi? If yes and you’re still alive, you’re blessed. Do you know how many people have lost their lives by choking on mochi in Japan? It’s 300 averagely every year. We probably should prohibit or at least impose a heavy tax on mochi like narcotics and alcohol, but there has been no such momentum so far. People even in the center of power seem to be ca...

Sou Fujimoto grew up in Higasikagura where is close to nature and a neighbor town of Asahikawa, Hokkaido. He speaks the importance of coexistence with nature and Japanese aesthetics is a key that directs Japanese manufacturing to the future. Find more about his philosophy. Career-- Sou Fujimoto is a Japanese architect. Born in Hokkaido in 1971, he graduated from t...

This sales copy made me pay for the highest-grade Dyson vacuum cleaner, though I’m not interested at all in home electronics and so much in cleaning itself. Sales copies seem to control our behaviors like this. Anyway, how do I like it? I’m completely satisfied with the product and take off my hat to their innovations. Mind you; it’s not about technical innovations. To b...

Watch the best instruction by a video without speaking. This video shows the easiest and tidiest way to extend and store the leaves. There's no finger catching nor floor scratching, either.

Are you going to visit Hokkaido? By any chance, do you come to Asahikawa city? If so, how about joining our Hokkaido Shreds blog. This is a project by CondeHouse in Asahikawa, where you are free to post your thoughts and views about your trip in Hokkaido. Aim of this Hokkaido Shreds project Our industory, furniture manufacturing in Asahikawa, is little-known to overseas...

It’s a virtual condominium designed by the architect, Sou Fujimoto. The order from us to him was so simple: “Please just design what you like, something to make people feel WOW, the building you want to have in our hometown to revive it (because he is originally from here, Asahikawa, Hokkaido). There’re no legal and budgetary constraints because it’s virtual.” Sou Fujim...

The history of architecture is filled with alternative histories. I'm not talking plans that, for one reason or another, never became realised projects. Rather, I mean resolutely speculative, often fantastical, building schemes, which, slipping the bonds of reality – with all its pesky engineering, political and budgetary parameters – allow for unbridled creative and ide...

Simply put, it’s a science fiction depicting the contact with aliens. I know it may sound same old, but it’s completely different. The movie depicts the close encounters from the view point of linguistics. What is most interesting to me is the design of the letters the aliens use. It is 3D! The scriptwriter must be a genius. I just imagine he set the story like this. The...

Did you know Haagen-Dazs was originated in the US? I thought it came from somewhere in North Europe, which, I assume, would be exactly what the brand founder intended. Let me tell you another example. In Japan, canned coffee is one of the profitable items in the canned-drink market. A Japanese beverage company launched a canned coffee named with “WEST” about 20 years ago...

When the nobility used to use a horse carriage, the coachman seat was upholstered with leather; the passenger seat inside the coach with fabric. In the modern period when the main means of transportation was replaced by cars, the situation changed 180 degrees. Genuine leather is thought to be standard for luxury car seats across the world. I think the only option alterna...

More than 30 years ago, Japanese main railway operations were run by the government. Since the full privatization, many rail lines have been abandoned especially in rural areas like here in Hokkaido. If we only pursue efficiency, we probably should gather and live only in city areas. I’m going to hate to lose diverse regional cultures, though. Neoliberalism still tries t...

“Could you engrave the names of all sever family members on the back of the tabletop?” This inquiry well expresses the character of IPPONGI, one of our table collections. People who order this collection seem to want something more for furniture than what mass-produced products can offer. IPPONGI is a wooden table made with trees that have lived for over a hundred years;...