teapot hybrid series by UO explores new possibilities of japanese green tea

teapot hybrid collection rethinks japanese green tea

design studio UO has created a teapot hybrid collection that explores new possibilities of japanese green tea. the unique series transforms the typical japanese teapot into different shapes, inviting the viewer to imagine new ways to enjoy the widely-consumed beverage, such as the way of making tea, its different tastes and styles, and even the meaning of it.

teapot A: teapot with multiple spouts

all images courtesy of UO

investigating the function and symbolism of the teapot

UO’s collection presents five different hybrid objects, each one investigating the role of the teapot in its own way. for instance, ‘teapot E’ combines 16 teapots together as a circle. its design encourages the user to imagine blending 16 different types of tea or even a big tea party with many guests. its symbolic shape may also remind one of shrine rituals.

‘what we think of as design is not an act that rises up from inside of you individually, like emotions or will. we believe that it is something we are digging deep and making up from the ‘situations’ which are under certain conditions or the point of view instead,’ the japanese design studio shares. ‘that is the reason why we are always puzzled by the question of what to fill the ‘situation’ with, because the ‘situations’ are very unstable and made of multiple dimensions in general. so we set this ‘situation’ as ‘teapot’ and focus on it to make the condition very clear and specific in this project.’

teapot B: teapot for two

reinterpreting the ‘tokoname-yaki’

this collection is working on the most common and ordinary teapot in japan: the ‘tokoname-yaki’. to create the hybrid series, the designers observed this classic teapot meticulously, before creating 3D simulations of it and 3D printing them. during this simple process, ‘tokoname-yaki’ became an object that the UO team handled every day. after looking at it for so long, the designers spotted minor differences, making the teapot appear as if it were alive. these slight differences are what gave the team the idea for the series.

this art object series was made for the art event ‘kakegawa chaennale 2020＋1’ in kakegaewa city, shizuoka prefecture, japan, which is the area most known for its green tea. the objects are displayed in 3D within a very old traditional japanese house as an exhibition venue.
teapot C: endless teapot