Book Vase Sprouts a Living, Growing Surprise
As your guests inevitably scan your favorite volumes, they note with alarm (then a laugh) that one of them seems to be inexplicably sprouting a plant.
YOY Design Studio (images by Yasuko Furukawa) introduces this small surprise subtly, letting you slot a vase right along side other books on the shelf.
Upon inspection, a simple and plain white volume (with a barely-invisible embossed title) opens to reveal a transparent container so you can pop it off the shelf ‘read’ what is happening between the covers as desired.
“A book shaped flower pot. It can be used both [in isolation] and with books lined in order. It is made of PMMA and PVC for waterproofing. By opening the cover page it stands stably and you can see the soil inside. The title of the book is ‘THE LIFE OF PLANTS.'”
YOY designs all kinds of cool and clever products, all with a similar aesthetic, and it’s fun to imagine building a room that contains them all. They include a minimalist floating shelf that looks like a magic trick, a lamp silhouetting a seemingly invisible object, a speaker that displays illuminated lyrics across its face, what must be the world’s most minimalist sundial, a lamp disguised as paint on a canvas, a squishy inflated lace pillow and more objects you’re definitely going to want to check out on their website. These designs often employ optical illusions and visual tricks for an almost magical effect.
“YOY is a Tokyo-based design studio founded in 2011 by Naoki Ono and Yuki Yamamoto. They set “between space and object” as their design theme to design furniture, lighting and interior spaces. Their works have been sold all over the world including MoMA. YOY has been recognized across the globe with numerous international awards. Appointed as part-time lecturer at Musashino Art University since 2015.”
