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“Stage KOPPA”,
a stage that connects stories

 

About a year after the beginning of Traveling KOPPA’s journey, the Stage KOPPA came into existence as a loose collaboration by Team KOPPA. It has evolved from the display furniture that can be carried in a suitcase to a stage to be used at Wacom’s Connected Ink 2020 event in November 2020. Stage KOPPA, which changes its shape and role according to the situation, continues to be used in different locations even after the event, connecting the many stories that take place there.

 

A stage that changes its shape in various ways
Stage KOPPA is made of various pieces in different shapes and sizes such as circles, triangles, and squares. They are stacked together to form one large stage, which changes its shape depending on how the pieces are put together. The freedom of movement and use of space embody the theme "Creative Chaos" from which Connected Ink 2020 emerged. On the day of the event, five sessions were held on Stage KOPPA, and five different forms of the stage were presented to match the diverse themes and speakers.

 

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©Masaharu Okuda

 

Changing roles
Each piece that makes up Stage Koppa can be used not only as a stage, but also changes its role according to the occasion: It can be used as a chair or table to watch a session, or as a bench to take a break between events. The pieces also vary in size and height, so by adjusting the number of pieces stacked, they can become either a high stool or a low stool. Team KOPPA's idea of finding new meanings and roles for pieces of wood has made it possible to use the materials without being limited to its role as a stage.


A story from the past continues into the present and future
What Stage KOPPA has inherited from Traveling KOPPA is the story of where we started and where we are going. A story that connects the past, present, and future like a line. Stage KOPPA reuses not only scrap wood and dismantled materials from construction sites, but also wood from museum exhibitions, like the “Ebisugawa Salone” event in Kyoto. The wood itself circulates, while the stories that the wood has experienced are superimposed, which then appeared in the form of a stage at Connected Ink 2020. We look forward to seeing the new stories the Stage KOPPA will bring to Connected Ink 2021 this coming November.

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©tamotsu ito architecture office

"Stage KOPPA" has evolved from pieces of furniture to a stage. It represents Team KOPPA's hope that the things gathered there will be scattered throughout various places and reconnected in new forms and spaces.

 

 

Team KOPPA Profile

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Tamotsu Ito

Architect/Principal of "tamotsu ito architecture office". He started KOPPA with the aim to work seamlessly across various dimensions and scales, such as urban projects, architecture, furniture, and interior design.

 

Moe Donaka

She’s the KOPPA team’s organizational lead and belongs to the "Arts & Crafts" design office.

 

Shota Nozaki

Carpenter/Artist. From interior design to art events, he has a knack for creating. Shota is also a representative of the architectural group "noma”.


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Kazuaki Uemura

The owner of the bar “inspire” is a carpenter by day, and bartender by night.

 

Syu Ohki

Representative of the Institute of Life Engineering Design and is both a researcher of livelihood and a carpenter.

 

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