A special exhibition, “The Paper Log: Shell and Core—An ISSEY MIYAKE project in collaboration with Ensamble Studio”, is being held at Gallery 3 of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT from Thursday, 13 August through Sunday, 13 September.

This exhibition is based on the eponymous project conceived by Satoshi Kondo of MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO to explore new value in the Paper Log—a byproduct from the manufacturing process of ISSEY MIYAKE’s pleated garments—developed by the ISSEY MIYAKE project team in collaboration with the Spanish architecture office Ensamble Studio. It showcases a site-specific edition of the installation premiered during Milan Design Week this April, featuring two series of works derived from contrasting approaches described as Shell and Core, rearranged for the first public presentation in Japan.

The “Paper Log” is a compressed roll of wafer-thin, pleated paper sheets, the byproduct of the house of ISSEY MIYAKE’s original garment pleating* technology. The sheets sandwich the fabric to protect it as it is fed through the pleating machine, after which they are compressed into rolls for efficient transportation and disposal/recycling. Named after a tree trunk, the Paper Log has circular marbling that resembles growth rings, drawing an analogy of the passing of time between a plant’s growth and the pleating. Much like a log, it is a raw material that can be shaped and transformed through different means of processing. Being absorbent, it can also be treated with solutions and finishes to substantially alter its texture and materiality.

The work by Ensamble Studio, described as Shell, features a series of “objects of memory” created by sculpting with sheets peeled from the Paper Log—whether formed freely or enveloping existing objects—and treating the sheets with hardening agents to crystallise every pleat, wrinkle, and crease. The work by the ISSEY MIYAKE project team, described as Core, consists of “furniture prototypes” such as a stool, chair, and table, treated and processed to explore the Paper Log’s materiality—through methods like soaking in wax, painting with glue, and tying into bundles. The exhibition presents these works in a dialogue between Shell and Core, along with a documentary film introducing the background of the creative process.

The practice of Ensamble Studio is founded upon extensive research and a deep understanding of materials. By grappling with a medium thoroughly, they seize its essence hidden behind convention and preconception to develop a direct approach that integrates design, craft, and construction. Both Ensamble Studio and the house of ISSEY MIYAKE believe that process takes precedence in creative work. It is from the process—the trial and error—that ideas and insights are derived, aiding further future development.

*garment pleating
An ISSEY MIYAKE original technology in which fabrics are first cut and sewn into garment forms and then pleated, integrating pleating into the design and making of the garments, as opposed to conventional methods that cut and sew pre-pleated fabrics.

About Ensamble Studio
Ensamble Studio is a cross-functional architectural practice founded in 2000 and led by Antón García-Abril and Débora Mesa. Working at the intersection of art and science, the studio operates as a laboratory for research and prototyping, treating design and construction as inseparable processes. Their work advances architecture through experimentation across typologies, materials, and fabrication methods. Through their startup WoHo, the practice focuses on improving architectural quality, affordability, and sustainability by integrating industrialised logics with craft-based intelligence. Alongside practice, they are deeply engaged in academia: she is Professor of Architecture, Art, and Technology at ETH Zürich, and he is Professor of Architecture at MIT.

About MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO and ISSEY MIYAKE
Designer Issey Miyake founded MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO (MDS) in 1970. Since then, starting with ISSEY MIYAKE women’s line, MDS engages in brand concepts, design, and R&D of its brands, based on Miyake’s unwavering concept of clothes-making, “a piece of cloth”. Its work also includes providing creative and technological guidance to group companies, as well as collaborating with external partners on concept planning and product development. ISSEY MIYAKE was founded in 1971 by the namesake designer. The company operates through an integrated process encompassing manufacturing and retail operations of clothing and related items. Guided by the philosophy of “bringing unprecedented originality for ease in everyday life,” ISSEY MIYAKE practices this commitment through products conceived with society and the future in mind, thus ensuring a lasting culture of innovative design and making.