Mentsen is a partnership between Japanese designers Yasuyuki Sakurai and Risa Sano, and a London based practice founded in 2011 working somewhere between craft and industrial design. The studio name, meaning ‘lines and surfaces’ in Japanese, references the studio’s work in different mediums and scales; from furniture and product design to one-off hand made objects and flat works.

Mentsen searches for efficiency and elegance in their designs and the objects, while being resourceful with a hint of humour. Alongside the design projects for commercial and cultural clients, the duo divide their time for bespoke manufacturing at their own workshop, and collaborate with architects and interior designers or directly with private commissioners to deliver unique one off pieces of furniture made in London.

Please get in touch to discuss commissions or collaborations.

Visit our shop
We have some small products made with offcuts at our workshop available on this website. We also sell these items at the open studio event time to time. Please sign up to our mailing list or follow us on Instagram if you’d like to be informed about the events.
Unit 8 The Workstack
599 Woolwich Road
London SE7 7GS
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Clients include
Furniture design: Claire de Rouen Books, The Crown Estate, The Exchange Erith, Hand & Eye Studio, Raw Editions, Tolv, Very Good & Proper and Zilio A&C.
Exhibition design: The Aram Gallery, Artwise, British Council, Crafts Council, Disegno Magazine, The Geffrye, The Goldsmiths’ Centre, Japan House London, London Design Festival, Roca, and V&A Dundee
Recognitions
Winner of  Wood Awards 2023 with The Exchange tables and chairs project
Awarded with Finn Juhl Prisen 2022 from Wilhelm Hansen Fonden
Winner of Archiproducts Design Awards 2022 for Bacchette
Winner of  Wood Awards 2022 with Furniture for 2 Bessborough Street project
Awarded with Furniture Guild Mark (DGM281) for Melina, 2022
Winner of Imm Interior Innovation Award for Seleri chair
Yasu and Risa at Studio