Japanese designer So Koizumi presents As, a new collection that explores how asphalt can function in furniture and lighting design. The project looks back at the material’s early use in Japan’s Jomon period, when asphalt served as an adhesive. It then applies this idea to a contemporary design context, where asphalt acts as a connector between different materials.

Asphalt as a Contemporary Material

Today, most people associate asphalt with roads. However, the material can also be shaped, compacted and finished for smaller objects. In the As collection, Koizumi combines asphalt with stone, aluminium, brass, stainless steel, resin and Jesmonite. These combinations create clear contrasts in weight, colour and texture. As a result, each object highlights how different materials meet and support one another.

For architects, interior designers and product designers, the project offers a different way of thinking about common industrial materials.

The Collection

The As series includes a chair, stool, side table, two lighting pieces and three wall-mounted objects. Each piece pairs asphalt with one or more contrasting materials. This approach results in geometric, block-like forms that clearly show how the components interact.

In the furniture pieces, asphalt acts as a solid base or core. In the lighting works, slim stainless steel poles rise from dense asphalt blocks, while resin or stone elements diffuse the light. The wall-mounted objects continue this study on how different materials connect at small scale.

Koizumi shapes and finishes the asphalt elements by hand. Through repeated testing, he adjusts the surfaces and structures until they reach the required density and texture. This process also helps him understand how the materials respond during fabrication.

Exhibition

Gallery MATOYA in Aichi, Japan, presents the As collection from 22 to 30 November 2025. The exhibition also includes several earlier works by the designer.

Source: So Koizumi Design
Photos: MATOYA / So Koizumi Design