This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Artek Stool 60, designed by architect Alvar Aalto and featuring three natural birch legs and a round seat.

To commemorate this, the architectural firm Klein Dytham architecture has created an installation using the same item in the event space on the first floor and sixth floor of Dover Street Market Ginza. The firm is the Tokyo-based architectural duo of Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein, who have been involved in various projects since 1991, including the design of Daikanyama T-Site and Shiseido the Ginza. Beyond architecture, the firm is also known for founding Pechakucha Night, an event where creative people from various genres give short presentations. For this installation, approximately 130 green 60-inch stools, each with legs ranging from 45cm to 2m, were installed around a giant elephant sculpture by Stephanie Quayle, permanently installed in the event space. The stools are colored in a gradation from yellow-green to deep green. A single short-legged golden stool was placed on the elephant's back. Klein Dytham explained, "I asked Artek to create stools of different heights, evoking the image of a green savannah. The throne on the elephant's back is a throne. I created this installation with the image in mind: visitors would climb the rows of chairs to reach the golden throne." Since their first display at London's Dover Street Market in 2007, Artek chairs have frequently been exhibited at Comme des Garçons stores, including the Aoyama and Seoul stores and the Comme des Garçons Trading Museum. The Stool 60 has also been customized by Comme des Garçons on various occasions. The stool printed with Taro Okamoto's work, which was sold around Christmas last year, is still fresh in our memory. One such stool, featuring random black dots on a white background, is also available at Dover Street Market Ginza. The simple Stool 60 has been customized not only by Comme des Garçons, but also by various artists, designers, architects, brands, and media outlets. During the installation, seven other stools will be available for sale at the Dover Pavilion, including a natural birch model as designed by Aalto, a model customized by Monocle magazine, a model by creator Mike Melley, a model by designers Tom Dixon and Nao Tamura, and a model by Danish fashion brand Mats Norgaard. A standard-legged version of the green stool used in the Klein Dytham display will also be available as a special Dover Street Market model. Prices range from ¥18,900 to ¥65,100.

Klein of Klein Dytham said, "This is my first time working with Artek. I was very nervous about working on Aalto's timeless design. It is precisely because Artek has collaborated with a variety of creators and done installations in the past that we came up with a new way of presenting it."
The installation will be on display until November 21st.