Toolbox with Keiji Ashizawa

Keiji Ashizawa's Toolbox uses delicate steel and wood workmanship combined with an ingenious four drawer dual-slide system to achieve a balanced, beautiful design previously unknown to this humble object. Whether or not you believe your hand tools deserve a resting place of appropriate beauty, this piece is a joy to behold and anything but ordinary storage. The Toolbox is handmade in Japan using traditional materials and methods, including Paulownia wood by Nakamura Woodworking and hand-forged steel by Super Robot.

Keiji Ashizawa lives and works in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating from Yokohama University's School of Architecture in 1995, Mr. Ashizawa began working as an architect and steel fabricator. The unique skills and experience gained in these early years, including a deep understanding of metal, continue to influence his approach to design today.

Today, Mr. Ashizawa focuses on what he calls 'honest' design - simple yet refined, beautiful yet affordable. For him, this 'honesty' comes naturally when fully realizing the potential of each material and its function. Whether architecture, interior, product, or furniture design, Mr. Ashizawa's projects always maintain these core design principles.

Mr. Ashizawa's furniture and lighting designs have been exhibited internationally since 2001. In 2011, he was awarded a 'Special Award' by the Japan Institute of Design for his participation in setting up the Ishinomaki Laboratory - a public furniture workshop established in Ishinomaki city, Japan, after it was devastated by the tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

SMP Colab works with artists, makers, designers and independent businesses to create new products. Each explores a particular material or method and marries exceptional skill and design.