all photos © Orée | click to enlarge
A pop-up shop in Tokyo’s Ginza district allows visitors to put the finishing touches on handmade wooden tech accessories. This week the French design company Orée introduces their portable wireless keyboard to Japan in their first open workshop of this kind.
Otherwise available for purchase online, the pop-up shop allows customers the opportunity to customize their keyboard with a choice of fonts and engraving, but the real treat is being able to select your piece of wood. Each keyboard is made from a single board, so grain lines that continue across the keys and shell can be striking. According to designer Franck Fontana, customer preferences vary greatly and some visitors spend hours deliberating over their choices. Once the tough decisions are made, however, engraving takes only about 20 minutes.
The company plans to offer other tech products made of natural materials. Wood for these keyboards is sourced in the French Alps, and the accompanying cases are made from recycled pressed leather and natural latex.
Over time the wood keyboards change slightly, becoming glossy and in effect, growing with its user. The only problem is that your keyboard will eventually reveal how often you’re using that delete key.
Orée Popup Workshop LEAGUE Ginza 502 3-11-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061 Until July 7th, 2013More event info in Japanese here.
