Today, Wallpaper Magazine published an in-depth chat with Jony Ive and an inside look at Apple’s new campus. Among the architectural and design wonders — like an 80-ton carbon fiber roof on top of the Steve Jobs Theater and the 2,000 custom bikes for employees to ride (in the perfect Apple gray, naturally) — is the main cafe, which can serve 14,000 meals per day and seat up to 4,000. Most of those seats are custom designed benches by Arco, a Dutch design firm, but the real stars of the show are the arm chairs dotted around room.
The Hiroshima chair, designed by Naoto Fukasawa and produced by Japanese manufacturer Maruni, is an ode to simple forms and the understated beauty of quality materials. Consider it an Eastern response to Wegner that looks right at home just about anywhere. Of course, it’s not exactly affordable, starting at about $2,500, but the chair is a reminder that the Japanese aren’t to be ignored when it comes to making premium modern furniture. The ones for Apple Park were custom-finished to match the rest of the decor but the dozen-or-so stock finishes should suffice for home use.