Kengo Kuma creates a stunning $80k tea set for Georg Jensen


Bearing Georg Jensen’s silverware heritage in mind and delivering beyond it is celebrated Architect- Designer, Kengo Kuma who recently created a priced tea set for the brand which is an intricate wonder of sorts. The exquisite and ornate looking tea service called Kusa (the Japanese word for grass) is the designer’s contemporary take on traditional tea sets.

kusa-kengo-kuma-georg-jensen-tea-set-1
While tea and transitively tea sets are synonymous with Japan’s culture, an imaginative take on it like this is a well-thought tribute. Mainly intended to be used for the sado tea ceremony in the country, the set comes packed with a cha-ire (tea cady), chasen (whisk), chashaku (tea scoop), chawan (tea bowl), as well as a tray. While Kuma has used bamboo (Asia’s beloved traditional staple) to create the stirrer, the circular tray is made out of hammered silver. The cup and the pot like its base counterpart are also made from silver with a contrasting mirror finish on the inside and a dark oxidized silver latticework on the outside.
kusa-kengo-kuma-georg-jensen-tea-set-3
Taking his job quite seriously, brand CEO- David Chu has been ardently collaborating with designers to reshape Georg Jensen’s “dusty” image through artistic and imaginative brainstorming. Having associated with names like Patricia Urquiola as well as the late architect Zaha Hadid in the past, Kuma who has additionally been selected to design Japan’s main stadium for the 2020 Olympics, is the first Asian designer to have joined hands with the brand. While his fancy tea service priced at $80k (and available in 11 limited editions) may well be an arty stalwart, whether it’s the right fit for Japan’s modest tea traditions stays debated!

Also read -  Alexander McQueen serves his ‘armadillo heels’ for Afternoon Tea at Prêt-a-Portea, The Berkeley London

[ Via : Dezeen ]

Tags from the story
Written By
A lawyer with a zeal for writing, Ekta has a deep love for linguistics, travel, and philosophy. Not an adrenalin junkie but likes going on occasional hikes to beat the weekday blues. Her bucket list includes escapades to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Morocco.