Torii

Torii Seating and Tables — nendo for Minotti, 2020

Torii is nendo’s first full collection for Minotti, introduced in the 2020 collection. The name references the torii gate of Japanese Shinto tradition — a freestanding threshold structure whose formal logic (two uprights, one crossbar) is the seed from which nendo developed both the seating and table elements of the collection.

In the chairs and coffee tables, the structural frame carries that gate geometry in miniature — slender legs with a connecting element at the top that both reinforces the structure and marks the visual boundary between base and upholstered body. The backrest features a vertical quilting detail, and piping runs along the perimeter of all cushioning — Minotti’s couture construction language applied to a distinctly Japanese formal vocabulary.

nendo is the Tokyo and Milan-based studio founded by Oki Sato in 2002. Sato’s practice is defined by a deceptively simple philosophy: find the comma in a sentence — the small pause that changes everything. nendo’s Minotti collaborations translate this sensibility into furniture where a single structural idea drives the entire form.

Specifications: Seating frame: Metal base in Bronze-coloured varnished finish. Upholstery: Polyurethane foam, breathable fibre lining. Backrest: Vertical quilting with perimeter piping. Table top: Lacquered MDF or stone veneer. Upholstery: Fabric or leather. Made in Italy.

Lead time: 16–20 weeks. Le Belle Arti is an authorized Minotti dealer serving Edmonton and Calgary.

Available in various sizes, top materials, and base finishes to accommodate different spaces and design preferences.

For full specifications, materials, and configuration options, visit the Minotti official website.

Frame: Steel base with structural details inspired by torii gate form. Padding: Polyurethane foam. Upholstery: Fabric or leather with vertical quilting and perimeter piping. Modular seating system. Origin: Italy.

Nendo is the Tokyo-based design studio founded by Oki Sato in 2002, internationally acclaimed for its ability to distil complex ideas into deceptively simple forms. In collaboration with Minotti, Nendo translates Japanese spatial philosophy — lightness, precision, and considered negative space — into seating and table collections of refined character.

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