This is a wooden-made version of a project developed when Takahama was in Italy to set up the Japanese pavilion at XI Triennale in Milan in 1957. On that occasion, he met Dino Gavina with whom he began a long collaboration and friendship for life. The first version of Naeko in metal was produced by Gavina spa designed as a daily-bed and reclining backrest that was an immediate success. In 1958, he proposed a second version in wood and exclusively as a sofa with a fixed backrest. He created an armchair in the same version. A wonderful project that architect Takahama had dedicated to his “Naeko” who became his future wife.
Kazuhide Takahama was born in 1930 in Kyushu on a Japanese Island. He graduated in architecture in 1953 from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. When he was 27 years old, he became lecturer at the same University and he got his first job as a designer. He was in charge of setting up of the Japanese booth on the occasion of the XI Triennale in Milan in 1957 where he met Dino Gavina. This first meeting had marked a turning point in his career and the beginning of a fruitful collaboration and deep friendship. Before going back to Japan, Kazuhide Takahama had designed for Gavina the sofa Naeko (Takahama’s first design produced in series and then marketed). During his stay in Japan, he was a Professor at the University and curator of architectural and design projects, but he kept in touch with Gavina, who finally convinced him to move to Italy. In 1963, he arrived in Italy with his wife Naeko, had their first daughter Kaori and then settled in Bologna. He has many collaborations with Italian design companies such as Gavina, Simon, Paradiso Terrestre, B&B, Sirrah (then incorporated by Guzzini). His professional activity is not limited to furniture accessories and lighting design. He designed outdoor and indoor works and followed renovation of private residences and public works. Among them we mention the front and the VIP lounge of Guglielmo Marconi Airport and the bus stop canopies in Bologna.
