The final award winner that I’d like to mention from the 2008 Good Design Awards is “Dancing Trees, Singing Birds,” the 6-unit  townhouse rentals designed by Hiroshi Nakamura. I first saw these a couple weeks ago over on whatwedoissecret, and was blown away to find out that this tree house-looking structure is located in the heart of Tokyo.

The units went on the market earlier this year. I don’t know about availability but according to the website the Library House, on the low end of the scale, is going for 600,000 yen (about 6K usd) per month while the Tea House, on the upper end, is going for 2.7 million yen (about 27k usd) per month.

Hako Ie (box house) also won a 2008 Good Design Award. Hako Ie is a ceremonial room that can be collapsed or constructed by just about anyone who needs to host a tea ceremony but doesn’t have the right ambiance. It was produced by eyes-japan, maker of all things traditional, and costs 2.3 million yen (about 23K usd).

You start out with something like this…

bypass a few steps…

and voila!

In-line with a Noguchi-like philosophy, the structure doesn’t call for a single nail or screw.

This is the first of a few posts highlighting some of the…um…highlights from the 2008 Good Design Awards, which were announced last week. The awards are given each year and are divided into categories ranging from technology to transportation and lifestyle.

First of all, MUJI. Following up with their prefabricated ki no ie (house of wood), which won a good design award in 2006, mado no ie (house of windows) has gone home with a 2008 award. It costs about 20 million yen (or about 200K usd). What a beaut. Where do I sign?

The pamphlet is downloadable HERE (PDF). It’s all in Japanese but offers some great images.

The concept of the piece was to start with a lifestyle, namely one that is prosperous, and design a home around that. For a people that treasure nature and the 4 seasons as much as the Japanese, the window, which allows light to enter into the home, becomes the key to a rich lifestyle.

I just spent way too much time going through the new catalog from Hiromatsu Furniture. Everything is amazing! Such fine craftsmanship. If you’ll excuse me now I have a sudden urge to surround myself in wood.

Huey would love this little desk and chair!

Why are they so good???

………(bucolic sigh)