Sola cube started its journey about 17 years ago in 2006.
At that time, I was working in an advertising agency. I derived satisfaction from my work by meeting clients’ expectations and solving their problems. However, my deep interests in self-expression remained unfulfilled in my heart.
Although I was not an expert, I was keen to pursue monozukuri (make things) that could be something original – something that only I can make. In the early stage, I had some very vague ideas about what kind of things I wanted to make.
1. Something real and tangible that can be touched and experienced.
2. Things that can awaken the five senses and stimulate people’s minds.
3. Something in which I can wholeheartedly have confidence in its quality.
These were some of the initial ideas that I aimed to accomplish. While I started searching for more creative inspirations, I encountered with the seeds of American Sweetgum (Hazel Pine). These trees are usually planted along roadsides and in parks. It is often referred to as “a nut that falls everywhere.”
I was immediately captivated by the radial shape of this virus-like structure. I was amazed at how such beauty could naturally exist in this world. I vividly recall being amazed at that time.
I was overwhelmed by a sense of defeat, realizing that I could never create something as beautiful as the natural world, which had taken millions of years to evolve. A deep “Sense of Wonder” perfectly captured my feelings at that moment.
My strong desire for self-expression vanished, leading me to realize that I had abandoned it. Then, my focus shifted to a mission of honoring the natural world and showcasing the beauty of plants.
After that, it didn’t take that long for me to develop the Sola cube products. In order to showcase the beauty of nature in its simplest possible form, I decided to encase it in a resin cube. I spent many nights creating prototypes using resin encapsulation kit that I purchased from Tokyu Hands(Lifestyle products store in Japan).
When the first prototype was created, I had a very positive impression – “Oh, this looks great.” The basic module of the Sola cube was created through a process of continued trial and error that consists of nuts, seeds, and flowers, enclosed in a 4cm transparent cube.
Nowadays, products without clear functions are well accepted. But at that time, most people’s initial reaction to Sola cube was “I don’t understand what is this all about.”
I remained confident in my own belief. I was confident that there must be at least one person out of a hundred who would understand and empathize with my ideas. With that, I started developing the Sola cube products and our brand website.
Koichi Yoshimura
