Llegado By Taeg Nishimoto

Recycled paper transformed into seating.

In his quest to explore the structural strength and material authenticity of recycled paper, architect and designer Taeg Nishimoto created a special kind of seating. Introducing Llegado, a range of one-of-a-kind paper pulp stools that showcase the possibilities of recycled materials. The chairs feature a simple but distinct shape. Three legs in two different designs as well as two types of seat shapes, brought together in a single unit. Organic and textured, the stools almost look like primordial objects, uncovered after an excavation on an ancient site. At the same time, this recycled paper furniture has a particularly modern aesthetic, linking the raw and the refined in a creative design.

To create the collection, the designer put together a set of processes that make the most of the eco-friendly material. First, Taeg Nishimoto made the legs. He placed the water saturated paper pulp along with glue on top of an outlined piece of Tyvek, then used this mixture to cover a wooden rod before placing it on a curved metal mesh to dry. The seat required the same process, but on a flat drying surface. Thanks to the use of fine metal shaving on the wet paper pulp, the dried material boasts striking textures and rusty colors, giving more character to the designs. This method also references the traditional Raku pottery glazing technique.

When completely dry, the surface attached to the Tyvek material features a smooth finish, while the exposed sections have a rough appearance. Apart from this contrasts of textures, the stools also feature a play between concave and convex surfaces. Alternating light and dark areas enhance the effect further. The Llegado recycled paper furniture series presents a poetic journey. From the sapling to the mature tree, the printed paper, and the recycled paper pulp stools. Photographs© Taeg Nishimoto.