Satoshi Itasaka’s Century Chair Holds a Hundred-Year Story

ByMyProperty Life 23/02/2026

Long before it became a chair, this piece lived as a tree––rooted in the forests of southern Japan, shaped by weather, and marked by a hundred years of growth. The Century Chair, designed by Satoshi Itasaka of the design labo, carries that story into the present, carved from a single block of solid wood so its history remains visible in every line and ring. At a time when most things are made fast and disposable, this chair stands as a reminder of what real materials can hold: a story, a soul, and a tangible piece of time that can’t be replicated.

A geometric, black wooden chair with angular shapes and sharp lines, set against a plain gray background

Close-up of blackened wooden beams intersecting at an angle, highlighting distinct wood grain patterns, with a plain light grey background

The origin of the Century Chair started with a stark realization: we’ve slipped into a world where imitation has quietly replaced the real thing. Plastic dressed as wood, synthetic plants in sunless corners, and inorganic surfaces engineered to look natural. It’s everywhere, and we’ve stopped questioning it. Itasaka’s response wasn’t to reject modern life, but to reintroduce honesty, beginning with solid wood, carved in its truest form.

A black, angular chair with geometric shapes and sharp edges, photographed against a plain, light gray background

Close-up of dark wood showing detailed concentric growth rings and grain patterns, with part of the image in shadow

Working with a sawmill in southern Japan’s forest-rich region of Miyazaki, Itasaka sources sustainably harvested timber from trees more than a century old. It’s a material whose depth can’t be copied. Every ring, line, and shift in grain is formed by time, not technique. Through careful sawing, drying, and hand-finishing, he brings that history forward. From a single block, the Century Chair emerges as both furniture and witness: a piece shaped by a hundred years, designed to last for many more.

A black, angular chair with geometric shapes and sharp edges, photographed against a plain, light gray background

Close-up of dark wood showing detailed concentric growth rings and grain patterns, with part of the image in shadow

The Century Chair presents a striking silhouette: angular, sculptural, and carved entirely from a single wooden mass. From the side, its geometry reveals a deliberate tension between thin and thick planes. A sharp, upright backrest contrasts with a wide, grounded base. The grain is visible across every surface, emphasizing the fact that this form wasn’t assembled but released from within the timber itself.

A black, angular chair with geometric shapes and sharp edges, photographed against a plain, light gray background

A black, angular wooden chair with geometric shapes and sharp lines is centered against a plain gray background

A testament to lasting material, the Century Chair holds onto its past honestly, without veneers or shortcuts. In a world full of surfaces made to look like something they’re not, Itasaka brings the gravitas of the forest into everyday living.

A black, angular chair with geometric shapes and sharp edges, photographed against a plain, light gray background

A modern, geometric wooden chair with a black finish and angular design, photographed against a plain light gray background

A black, angular chair with geometric shapes and sharp edges, photographed against a plain, light gray background

To learn more about the Century Chair designed by Satoshi Itasaka, visit h220430.jp.

Photography by Ikuo Kubota / Yoshitaka Furukawa.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.