Water Filter Glass Jug

Designed for the Special Occasions

看著水流緩緩注下,上層慢慢減少,下層慢慢增多,這淨水器真像時計,而那滴滴答答的流水聲,就是時間流動的聲音。

Cleansui出品的這個玻璃淨水器,由日本著名設計師中原慎一郎監修,而負責製作的,則是位於新潟縣的一個細小的玻璃工房Craft U。這已不是第一次中原慎一郎與Cleansui合作了,在上一次的合作項目裡,中原慎一郎去到信樂燒的產地,為其尋找職人,製作陶瓷淨水器。陶瓷淨水器極為沉重,適合放在居屋裡固定的角落,這次當Cleansui再請他設計淨水器時,他希望製作一個可以輕易拿在手裡的,不是那種長時間將水儲起來,讓人隨時飲用的淨水器,而是為特別時刻而設的。工作累了想沖一杯咖啡、朋友到來時一起泡茶,美麗淨水器會為生活裡一時三刻的享受增添色彩。

中原慎一郎決定以玻璃作為物料,於是請來了Craft U合作。Craft U的社長由1965年開始便入職玻璃製作公司,經驗老到的他擅長用Burner Work來生產玻璃。一般的口吹玻璃形狀較難控制,倒模的話,形態則太過規規矩矩,而Burner Work是邊用火槍以二千度高溫燒熔玻璃,邊利用轉盤為玻璃造形,因此能夠造出精細且富人情味的製品。

日本至今仍存在著很多不同的工藝,而又有很多是不為人熟知的,Cleansui為了將這些工藝具體地展示出來,讓人對之有更深的了解,特別為製作過程拍攝了短片,有興趣的話,不妨到其網站看看。

Watching the water slowly dripping down, observing how the amount of water decreases on the top part and slowly fills up the lower container — the water filter jug indeed resembles an hourglass, with its steady water dripping sound marking the passing of time.

The famous Japanese designer Shinichiro Nakahara is the project director behind this water filter jug by Cleansui, with the manufacturing process taking place in a small glass factory in Niigata Prefecture called Craft U. This is not the first time Nakahara collaborated with Cleansui; the two have previously teamed up to create a ceramic filtered water dispenser. Nakahara even visited Shigaraki, home to the production of Shigaraki Ware, to invite artisans to join the production team. The filtered water dispenser is very heavy in weight so it can only be stationed at a certain spot at home. When being invited by Cleansui for the second collaboration, Nakahara wanted to create a handy jug. Instead of a water dispenser that constantly supplies people with filtered water, he would like to create something that is to be used in particular moments. If you are exhausted from work, or when you want to brew some tea when friends are visiting, the beautiful water jug can always make the moments even more enjoyable.

After deciding to pick glass as the material, Nakahara invited Craft U to join the team. The director of Craft U began his career in the glass manufacturing industry in 1965. As an experienced glassmaker, he is skilled in flameworking. While it is difficult to control the shape of the end-product when using the glassblowing technique, glass casting creates shapes that are too conventional. Flameworking is a process that uses a torch over two thousand degree celsius to melt the glass while shaping it with the help of a lathe. This process can create shapes that are delicate with a nice human touch.

Among the numerous crafts in Japan, many of them were in fact rather unnoticed. To show to the public a more concrete picture of these crafts, Cleansui would upload videos of the production process to their website, hoping to bring people closer to the essence of the crafts.

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