Toshiya Hayashi and Hokuto Ando of We+
Less, Light, Local Design Trust Special Edition at Murray House Stanley Plaza
2025
Seaweed disc
Site-specific Installation and Prototypes
Less, Light, Local is a research project that explores alternative value for discarded / non-edible ITA NORI. Leveraging the inherent qualities of nori—its durability, lightness, and sustainability as a sheet material—the project incorporates ARAKAWA GRIP technology, to create an installation.
Originally derived from Japanese handmade papermaking techniques, ITA NORI has been used for sushi and rice balls since the Edo period. However, climate change, rising water temperatures, and shifting ocean currents have led to nutrient-deficient seaweed, making much of it inedible and wasted.
This project explores alternative applications for discarded / non-edible ITA NORI, reinterpreting it as a sustainable material similar to washi. By utilizing local resources and techniques, it honors traditional wisdom while exploring contemporary uses. As seaweed is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, discarded / non-edible ITA NORI is gaining global interest for its potential in sustainable design.
The special edition for Design Trust Futures Festival 2025, responds to the existing context of Murray House exploring the edible material innovation within a former dining space context, marking the studio’s debut in Hong Kong.
About We+
We+ is a contemporary design studio that gives form to new perspectives and values through research-based and experimental approaches.
Founded in 2013 by Toshiya Hayashi and Hokuto Ando, the studio explores the possibilities of alternative design that establishes a close coexistence with the natural and social environment around us, and incorporates a diversity of values that are often forgotten in today's society, where convenience and rationality are sought.