KOKUYO and VUILD's large bench "GGO Biomorphic Lobby Furniture" wins Gold Award at A’ Design Award 2026

VUILD Inc. (Headquarters: Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture / Representative: Koki Akiyoshi, hereinafter VUILD) is pleased to announce that the large bench "GGO Biomorphic Lobby Furniture," designed and engineered in collaboration with KOKUYO Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City / President: Hidenori Kuroda, hereinafter KOKUYO) for the office lobby on the 2nd floor of Grand Green Osaka Park Tower, where KOKUYO's new headquarters "KOKUYO HQ" is located, has won the Gold Award in the Furniture Design category at the international design award "A’ Design Award & Competition 2026" held in Italy in May.

In this project, VUILD was responsible for the detailed design (jointly with KOKUYO) and production, based on the basic design and clay models created by KOKUYO. The organic form, approximately 16 meters in total length, was realized using VUILD's proprietary digital fabrication technology.

Large bench "GGO Biomorphic Lobby Furniture" ©Hayato Kurobe

● Award Overview

Award Name: A’ Design Award & Competition 2026 Furniture Design Category Gold Award

Awarded Work: "GGO Biomorphic Lobby Furniture"

Awardees: VUILD Inc., KOKUYO Co., Ltd.

Award Announcement URL: https://competition.adesignaward.com/180101

● About the Awarded Work "GGO Biomorphic Lobby Furniture"

"GGO Biomorphic Lobby Furniture" is a large bench and planter integrated spatial installation designed to bring a sense of vitality and dynamism, continuous with the natural environment, to the linear and serene office lobby space of Grand Green Osaka.

To pursue an organic shape that people instinctively find comfortable, we adopted an approach that fuses analog and digital methods, starting with a hand-molded clay model to explore the form, then 3D scanning the shape and parametrically optimizing it. The form, approximately 16 meters in total length (composed of two benches, 16m and 8m long, and one planter pod), is made up of 6,120 parts cut from domestic oak laminated timber.

By combining high-precision digital fabrication using VUILD's unique production design technology with hand finishing by artisans, we have achieved a spatial experience that balances precision and warmth. It is intended to function not merely as furniture, but as a spatial device that encourages natural stays, interactions, and circulation, creating a "place" for people.

©Hayato Kurobe

● Technical Background | Digital Fabrication Realizing 6,120 Wooden Parts

The smooth curves spanning approximately 16 meters and the 6,120 custom parts, the most distinctive features of this work, were on a scale that would have been practically impossible with conventional manual design and processing methods. VUILD's design, engineering, and processing/construction teams collaborated closely, re-engineering the process itself to achieve high-precision manufacturing within a limited construction period.

From Clay Model to Design Data – Automation of Processing

This project began with 3D scanning the clay model created by KOKUYO to generate design data. To correct the subtle noise and distortions arising from manual scanning, we developed an algorithm using the programming tool "Grasshopper" to automate the process of extracting and correcting necessary cross-sections from the scan data. This allowed us to organize the vast amount of data, exceeding 6,000 items, into a form that could be modeled in a short time. Furthermore, we developed a proprietary tool that automatically generates approximately 80% of the drawings from the 3D model and outputs them as PDFs, significantly speeding up the client approval process and establishing a flexible process that allows for fine-tuning of the design shape until the last moment.

Optimization of Processing for Hard Oak Wood

Domestic oak laminated timber, used in this project, is a very hard material compared to hinoki or cedar, posing risks of tool breakage and "tear-out" (splintering) during processing. Since adjusting the processing conditions for each of the over 6,000 parts cut from 270 boards would be impractical, we developed a tool that allows for the one-time application of parameters based on material characteristics, templated for mass application. Additionally, by numerically controlling the tool's entry angle and cutting depth for each layer, and making fine adjustments in conjunction with on-site experience, we achieved a smooth and beautiful finish from the cutting stage, without excessive reliance on the finishing process.

High-Speed Nesting

"Nesting," the efficient arrangement of parts onto boards, can typically take about 30 minutes per board, making it a potential bottleneck for this project involving a vast number of boards. VUILD developed a proprietary high-speed tool within Grasshopper, reducing processing time to 5-10 seconds. This established a flexible and reactive design and processing process that allows for adjustments to the layout while balancing aesthetics and cost.

High-Precision Installation through Unitization

The processed parts were assembled into units (47 in total), each 600-900mm in length, at the factory before being transported and installed on-site. At the joints between straight and curved lines, even slight deviations can mar the overall impression, so meticulous attention was paid to the continuity of the lines, with each unit checked for distortion during assembly. To prevent small items from falling through and to further smooth the overall lines, a support material was incorporated into the gaps of the 25mm thick laminated structure. These technical efforts are supported by VUILD's accumulated production design technology.

Technical Process Details:

Digital Process: https://note.com/vuild/n/naf0224ec9862 Processing and Installation: https://note.com/vuild/n/nfbabeadc925b

● About "A’ Design Award & Competition"

"A’ Design Award & Competition" is one of the world's largest international design awards held in Italy. It covers diverse fields such as architecture, products, furniture, graphics, and services, and receives submissions from designers, companies, and architects worldwide. It is widely recognized as an award that internationally honors excellent designs, judged not only on design quality but also on multifaceted aspects such as innovation, social impact, and functionality.

● Credits

Basic Design: KOKUYO Co., Ltd. Detailed Design: VUILD Inc., KOKUYO Co., Ltd. Production: VUILD Inc.

● About VUILD Inc.

VUILD is a design and manufacturing collective aiming to transform the architecture industry through digital technology. With digital fabrication at its core, it possesses a technological foundation and experience capable of meeting a wide range of needs, from the design and production of complex and large-scale wooden structures to handling diverse materials and shapes, and high-precision processing with short delivery times. As a partner that brings designers' free ideas to life, VUILD continues to expand the possibilities of manufacturing.

Company Profile

Company Name: VUILD Inc. Head Office Location: 1-7-24 Shimoyachi, Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture Representative: Koki Akiyoshi, Representative Director Business Activities: Architectural design, construction, wooden product development/manufacturing and processing, CNC router sales, digital human resource development, business development support, IT service development

Contact for Inquiries Regarding This Matter

VUILD Inc. Public Relations E-mail: [email protected]