“I would like to see a new sense of design rather than a retro-revival. “
After four busy days in Tokyo, I was ready to leave this city of micro cities behind and make my way home to the tranquillity of the Ishikawa countryside. I had just one last stop to make. Somewhere on the outskirts of Sayama, Saitama in an ordinary industrial estate, is an extraordinary metalwork factory. This is my story about muraco, an outdoor brand changing my assumptions of what outdoor gear is and could be.
On entering the second floor office and meeting room I immediately broke the shared nervous silence by talking about the collection of —mostly— Nikon cameras haphazardly displayed on a shelf. I was there to meet the owner of muraco; Takuya Murakami and this was his collection. I singled out an iconic Nikon F and we discussed its design and usability, followed by that of the Leica Q I had brought along. We smiled in our shared appreciation for things well made — designed well.
At this moment I realised that my assumptions about muraco had been wrong and that this story was not solely about an outdoor brand or any particular outdoor product, but one of Design and its role at the epicentre of Material, Function and Craftsmanship.
Muraco is a relatively new outdoor brand, slowly producing a small number of outdoor gear alongside their main business of metalwork parts manufacturing for several years. Now muraco is their main business, producing a catalogue of gear including collaborations with brands such as ‘and wander’ and ‘HELLY HANSEN’. In the short time I’ve been working on this story, several tarps, a tent and two remarkable down sleeping bags have been launched. I was also told many more will follow next year.
What was my assumption? I had wrongly assumed muraco was formed out of some inexplicable desire for the outdoors or the desperate need for equipment which didn’t exist. I had —romantic— images of brands like Patagonia in America or that of Snowpeak here in Japan, whose founder’s made innovative equipment fuelled by a counterculture’s desire to climb higher and harder peaks in the 50’ & 60’s.
Yet here I was visiting a metalwork factory to talk to the owner who drives a Porsche. This is not quite the image this romantic little boy who scoured Patagonia catalogues in the late 80’s held in mind (the little boy is me).
So, if the driving force wasn’t desire or necessity, what was it? Why does the owner of a metalwork manufacturing company suddenly create an outdoor brand?
There is one simple answer; Design. Yes, Design, design in its true sense. We’re not talking about styling, which is often mistaken for design, but design. Design which creates the never seen before. Design which deals with the manipulation of appropriate materials, functions that come from combinations of different materials, and the craftsmanship to piece these together.
Takuya started muraco —because he loves design.
He drives a substitute second hand Porsche while waiting three years for his new Porsche 911 —because he loves design. He visited the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo exhibition “Constructive Imagination” four times, inspired by the architecture, engineering and design of Jean Prouvé —because he loves design. (He didn’t buy the Jean Prouvé Standard chairs, because… well, that’s another story! In any case, isn’t a Porsche enough?)
Joking aside, I think this is an important point and one which has somewhat been lost when it comes to Design. Somewhere down the line of social and economic change, our need for more things or our social status climbing have become entangled with design and what design means —often detrimental to humans and the environment.
Have we forgotten the value of good design?
It is not good design, because it is expensive or scarce. It is often expensive or scarce, because it is good design. Good design can also be affordable and abundant… even ordinary.
The trick is to understand which is which?
Along with an eye for good design, Takuya has a keen motivation to design new things himself. “I like designs that have never been seen before, but that still attract me in some way; rather than designs that I have seen somewhere else.” and goes on to explain how “personally I would like to see a new sense of design rather than a retro-revival”. However, it took a series of trial and errors, plus an unsuspecting camping trip before his enthusiasm to produce new designs found the right product-market fit.
“If you ask someone to draw a chair, they will probably draw a chair with four legs, a seat and a backrest. On the other hand, if you asked ten people to draw a fire pit, they all would probably draw a different kind of fire pit.”
Initially Takuya focused on producing a number of interior products, utilising the unique quality of their in house materials and machining precision. However they didn’t pass his design standards. Somehow, the function-material-craftsmanship didn’t match his expectations. It wasn’t until he noticed a folding chair on a camping trip did he piece things together. Instantly understanding how it was built and functioned, and which parts were the most complicated and expensive. He then understood how an outdoor product like this took the combined efforts of different craftsmen working with different materials to produce.
As a manufacturer he assumed he could make everything himself. As a designer he realised he could combine the different materials and skills of other specialists with his own.
“We as manufacturers, our customers,outdoor shops and partner factories are all on the same layer. We believe that this can be the driving force behind the creation of even more satisfying products.”
With this mindset, he set about disrupting the limitations inherent to the hierarchical business system he and other businesses were in. Forming a flattened ‘Outdoor Guild’ of manufacturers and professionals —and customers— led by design. Together they could realise better products with design being the bridge between their expertise and market; and the market which fit their expertise was outdoor products.
At this point a number of muraco products new and old made their way onto the table and we discussed how design and functions plays a role in each. In some instances the design derives from the function, material and craftsmanship, whereas others the function derives from craftsmanship, material and design.
Structure and form, depend on function.
In this way muraco’s product have a distinct design functionalism not obsessed with superficial decorative elements. A functional line of aesthetic outdoor gear well made —designed well.
It was time to say goodbye, Takuya insisted on driving me to the station, I think that was my first ride in a Porsche. The design conversation continued and we both agreed the seat colours could be improved upon.
I asked him what success looks like to him?
“Success only exists in the evaluation of others. For me, there is no evaluation axis of success or failure; I do what I need to do, and based on the results, I do what I need to do next. I believe that only the process of execution and verification exists.”
This inner pitch first tent has colour coded poles and secure fast locking fly to pole connections, which I found quick and easy to set up. I was using the Fabric Inner version. It can be pitched with or without the outer flysheet, which is a feature I like when wanting to reduce weight on summer bike-packing trips. I also found grey to be an excellent colour for a tent; like a neutral frame for nature’s vivid colours.
Two days later, now back in Ishikawa, a box arrived with a single distinct muraco ‘m’ logo on the side. Inside were two tents: NORM 2P Black & RAPIDE X1-2P Grey. Both designed to safely shelter two people for the night, both designs distinctly different.
For all my years and all the tents I’ve slept in, I’ve never seen a black tent. Now here I was looking at not only a black tent but a grey tent too. I guess I’m going camping…
…and so it goes.
It’s been a long time since I’ve pitched a flysheet first tent and I found the experience most enjoyable and convenient. It rains a lot in Ishikawa Prefecture so a flysheet first tent is very helpful when it comes to keeping my dry things dry. The door stash pockets are one of my favourite features and the black design is perfect for stealth camping. This has become my new anytime-anywhere car camping tent; I’m going to be sad when I have to give it back.
Learn more about Takuya Murakami and muraco.
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