It wasn’t always evident that chief designer and Nendo cofounder Oki Sato would spend his life finding subtle surprises in tables, floor lamps and chairs. He was born in Toronto, where his father worked for Pioneer Electronics, and moved with his family to Tokyo when he was 11. He studied architecture at Waseda University but found the program a little too narrow and rigid for his liking.
After graduating, in 2002, Sato traveled with friends to the Salone del Mobile in Milan and stumbled into the biggest aha moment of his life: He realized that architects could do more than design buildings — they could also design furniture, lighting and other objects. And the architects at the fair appeared to be enjoying plenty of creative freedom while doing so.
Upon returning to Tokyo, Sato founded Nendo, whose name means “flexible clay” in Japanese, with his classmate Akihiro Ito, the firm’s managing director. In 2005, they established a second office, in Milan. Within a few years, Nendo had become an omnipresent name at the fair that had inspired them.
Nendo is remarkable in its ability to blend these two seemingly disparate qualities in objects that are simultaneously provocative and beautiful in their simplicity. And this ability has made the Tokyo- and Milan-based studio one of the most sought-after design firms of the moment.
Nendo is best known for its expansive portfolio of furniture and accessories designed for such luxury makers as Baccarat, Bisazza, Boffi, Cappellini, De Padova, Emeco, FLOS, Foscarini, Fritz Hansen, Kartell, Lasvit, Louis Poulsen, Moroso and Swarovski, as well as for the one-off and limited-edition pieces presented by galleries like New York’s Friedman Benda. But its range is much broader.
Nendo’s full oeuvre runs the gamut from product packaging for such brands as Coca-Cola and Kenzo to large-scale urban-planning and architecture projects, including Tenri Station Plaza CoFuFun, which populated the space in front of a Japanese rail terminal with a series of conical pavilions, turning it into a sort of urban playground for people of all ages.
Whatever the undertaking, the studio’s approach remains the same: embodying lighthearted insights into the human experience in minimalist forms and details.
Nendo’s wares have been acquired by such institutions as New York’s Museum of Modern Art and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; London’s Victoria and Albert; and Paris’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs and Centre Pompidou.Find Oki Sato lighting, including lamps he designed for Louis Poulsen, on 1stDibs.
Nendo 'Tomoshi' Dark Brown Portable Lantern by Oki Sato for Louis Poulsen
By Nendo, Oki Sato, Louis Poulsen
Located in Glendale, CA
Nendo 'Tomoshi' Dark Brown Portable Lantern by Oki Sato for Louis Poulsen Designed by the acclaimed Nendo Studio in Japan, the 'Tomoshi' (Japanese for "light") is a new offering in ...
Leather, Plastic
Nendo 'Tomoshi' White Portable Lantern by Oki Sato for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Nendo, Oki Sato
Located in Glendale, CA
Nendo 'Tomoshi' White Portable Lantern by Oki Sato for Louis Poulsen Designed by the acclaimed Nendo Studio in Japan, the 'Tomoshi' (Japanese for "light") is a new offering in Louis...
Leather, Plastic
18th Century Brass Barn Portable Lantern Candlelight
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Early Danish 18th Century Brass Barn Portable Lantern.
Brass
Louis XV Bronze Hall Lanterns
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a classic "near pair" of Louis XV-style hall lanterns. These bronze lanterns are both in very good condition. They differ slightly in that one of the lanterns is in gilt bron...
Bronze
Panthella Portable Metal by Louis Poulsen
By Verner Panton, Louis Poulsen
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Panthella Portable Metal by Louis Poulsen Width x height x length (mm) 160 x 230 x 160 Max. 0.5 kg White, Black, Orange or Light Pink, powder coated...
Aluminum
$2,900 / item
H 47 in Dm 9 in
Bespoke Italian Brass & Cream White Alabaster Glass Cylinder Pendant / Lantern
Located in New York, NY
A contemporary custom jar lantern/pendant chandelier of a modern geometric series, entirely handcrafted in Italy, the organic cylindrical body in an innovative blown Murano glass to resemble alabaster with the benefit to be lighter and to remain over time of the same translucent variegated cream white color is decorated with an elegant finial consisting of a succession of elements in brass and diamond cut crystal clear Murano glass accents. Overall height can be adjusted, shortened or lengthened. Measures: Height of body is 12 in. - Height of finial is 8.5 in. Fitted with 2 candelabra sockets, bulbs not provided. Ideal over a kitchen island or as spotlights over nightstands. Can be accompanied as on picture for a multi pendant chandelier...
Brass
French Louis XVI Style Glass Hanging Lantern
Located in Kastrup, DK
French glass hanging lamp from the late 19th century, executed in the Louis XVI style. The mouth-blown glass shade is decorated with fine vertical fluting. It is supported by a bron...
Brass, Bronze
French Louis XVI Style Bronze Lantern
Located in Houston, TX
French Louis XVI Style Bronze Lantern. Offered is a superb large scale antique French Louis XVI style bronze lantern with curved glass panels and three interior lights (candelabra so...
Bronze
$1,400 / item
H 13.39 in Dm 19.69 in
Mid-Century Modern Louis Poulsen Industrial Lights, Denmark, 1985
By Louis Poulsen
Located in Antwerp, BE
Pair of Louis Polsen industrial lights. In one plastic cap is a crack. There are traces of rust on the lamp. Total height 90 cm.
Metal
Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Hexagonal Hall Lantern
Located in Rome, IT
A Louis XV style gilt bronze hexagonal hall lantern with three lights.
Bronze
Dark orange Flowerpot pendant lamp by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Verner Panton
Located in Steenwijk, NL
The Flowerpot pendant lamp was designed by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen in 1968. A beautiful design classic that is still in production. This lamp is an early version and has a da...
Metal
$1,820 / item
H 9.41 in W 13.23 in D 11.15 in
Louis Poulsen, Outdoor Wall Lamp in Black by Poul Henningsen
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Louis Poulsen, outdoor wall lamp in black by Poul Henningsen Measures: Width x height x length (mm) 283 x 239 x 336, 2.4 kg Material: Shades and arm in black lacquered stainless stee...
Metal
$9,920
H 11.03 in Dm 8.67 in
Early Dark Brown Oxford Table Lamp by Arne Jacobsen for Louis Poulsen 1960s
By Hans-Agne Jakobsson, Hans J. Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, Poul Henningsen, Louis Poulsen
Located in München, BY
Extremely rare early edition and elegant Mid-Century Modern 'Oxford' table lamp or desk light in dark brown color. Designed by the famous Danish Architect and Designer Arne Jacobsen ...
Metal
Louis Poulsen, Outdoor Lamp in Black by Poul Henningsen
By Poul Henningsen, Louis Poulsen
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Louis Poulsen, outdoor lamp in black by Poul Henningsen. Measures: Width x height x length (mm) 283 x 909 x 283, 3.6 kg Material: Black-lacquered stainless steel. Ground anchor: If y...
Metal