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The Umu Collection designed by Neri&Hu for Ariake was selected as the 2023 winner in the Bedding category of EDIDA – ELLE DECO International Design Awards. EDIDA celebrates the best in global design in 15 categories and all the winners were voted by ELLE Decoration's 25 editors-in-chief.
"Umu" in Japanese kanji means to exist and not to exist. This bedroom collection for Ariake is inspired by the Chinese aesthetic philosophy of "xu shi xiang sheng" (虚实相生). "Xu shi" is a classic pairing of opposing words, "xu" meaning void or virtual, and "shi" meaning solid or real. The dichotomy inherent in this notion — "solid" and "void" — is interdependent and productive in nature; together, they create "space" as we know it. The bed design is composed of a utilitarian structural frame that then accommodates various attachments and accessories. The idea is to consolidate many of the bed and bedside functions into one piece, with three different configurations to suit different spaces and needs.