Naoto Fukasawa’s imprint upon MUJI’s catalog runs deep, an affect that continues with the Japanese designer’s seat on the model’s design advisory board. Fukasawa has returned to lend his distinct perspective to the “no-brand high quality items” model, this time in type of a pair of battery powered 2-wheelers for one of many world’s hottest electrical scooter producers, Gogoro.
Created by Gogoro in partnership with MUJI, the Gogoro VIVA and Gogoro VIVA MIX had been already out there as two totally different good scooter fashions out there throughout Asia. Supreme for zipping by means of the slim streets powered by battery relatively than gasoline, the scooters supply a quick and economical technique of transportation in cities the place city infrastructure rewards the quick and the livid.
Tasked to impart traditional MUJI design components onto the prevailing scooter designs, Fukasawa styled the pair with a “rustic” and “easy coloration tone philosophy” distinctly and recognizable MUJI. The character-hued palette of the Gogoro VIVA ME and Gogoro VIVA MIX ME realized in a variety of sunshine grays, blues, and beiges current a extra serene impression distinct from Gogoro’s sometimes extra boldly coloured scooters.
Naoto Fukasawa first expertise with Gogoro electrical scooters occurred whereas touring in Taiwan, sparking the beginnings of a collaboration that grew from one design into a whole assortment.
Sections of the scooters incorporate recycled polypropylene (PP), with any wasted PP supplies generated throughout the car manufacturing course of gathered for use once more as a cloth supply.
The brand new Gogoro MUJI Smartscooters are meant to indicate the general public how recycled polypropylene plastics may be integrated into on a regular basis merchandise when correctly sorted and processed.
Fukasawa additionally curated a group of equipment complementing the particular version scooters; a part of Gogoro and MUJI’s bigger “Recycling for Good” Sustainability Initiative.
Starting in 1991 along with his now iconic MUJI Wall Mounted CD Participant, persevering with onto varied objects as mundane as a brush for the Japanese homewares model, his minimalist method to practical design continues to resonate as on a regular basis modern for everybody.
The collaboration additionally consists of a whole merchandising technique additional strengthened by a MUJI-fied assortment of scooter-focused equipment, together with a helmet, backpack, varied articles of Gogoro branded clothes, and even a small hand-sized private electrical fan.
The scooter isn’t Fukasawa’s first foray into mobility for MUJI. His work on the Sensible4 x MUJI GACHA, an autonomous shuttle bus with an adorably abbreviated silhouette and pleasant front-facing show reveals the designer’s appreciation of varied modes of mobility are required for city dwellers to get round.
