For most of us, a dropped ceramic mug or plate might mean a one-way ticket for the broken vessel to the trash bin. For Tokyo-based designer Yusuke Seki however, they would likely be added to his collection of ‘shinikiji’ – the Japanese term for flawed pieces.

Recently, the Japanese designer – who has worked with everybody from AU to Sony – was commissioned by the Japanese ceramics brand Maruhiro Inc to develop the interior design for the company’s flagship store in Nagasaki – an area that has strong roots in artisanal ceramic craft and industry.

Aiming to highlight the area’s industrial history, Seki sourced over 25,000 pieces of shinikiji from makers in the region – including plates, cups, and bowls – to create an elevated platform in the Maruhiro store that features a rotation of the company’s latest product collections.

In order to ensure that the platform would support multiple humans at a time over a long period of time, each of the broken vessels was fixed and filled with concrete to create a makeshift ‘brick’ – resulting in a surprisingly sturdy platform made from otherwise fragile parts:

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See more of the designer’s impressive work by heading over to YusukeSeki.com.

Author

Simon is a Brooklyn-based industrial designer and Managing Editor of EVD Media. When he finds the time to design, his focus is on helping startups develop branding and design solutions to realize their product design vision. In addition to his work at Nike and various other clients, he is the main reason anything gets done at EvD Media. He once wrestled an Alaskan alligator buzzard to the ground with his bare hands… to rescue Josh.