Sagatsune concealed hinge design (1)

No still images can do justice to just how clever, functional and elegant these hinge designs by Sugatsune are. You’re going to have to watch the video to see them in action. ‘Hinges,’ you say? ‘What can possibly be so interesting about such a common piece of hardware?

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Some of these surprisingly cool hinges just work faster, smoother and better than normal hinges while others allow you to save space and open things in entirely new and different ways, moving doors into hidden pockets or pulling them out and sliding them smoothly and seamlessly past one another.

As Core77 reports, “Catches, latches, slides, hinges, and more: Japanese manufacturer Sugatsune specializes in making cabinets open in ways no one else can. Vertical lift doors, horizontal bi-folding doors, and their unbelievable ‘Multiple Motion Sliding Door System‘ were all designed for space-tight Japan, where swinging even a cabinet door open in the regular way can cause problems.”

Hardware is often under-considered by designers, an after-the-fact accessory to be chosen by builders rather than integrated into a design. The tragedy is: doors and cabinets are critical objects of everyday use we touch, open and close. Innovative hardware designers like these are a good reminder that everything can be the object of good industrial design in terms of both form and function.

Sagatsune hinges

More about the company, Sugatsune:

“Since 1982, Sugatsune America has been serving architects, custom builders and industrial engineers with unique door, cabinet and concealed hinges. Specialty hinges engineered from stainless steel provide long-lasting quality solutions that can be used in a variety of environments.”

“Our line-up includes friction hinges, glass hinges, and damper hinges offer unique qualities such as free-stop motion, click motion and power assist which are great for industrial applications providing a safe and quiet working environment. Incorporate these stylish and functional products to spaces in any home or office with options that can complement nearly any style.”