KARIMOKU RESEARCH SURVEY 03:FORM FOLLOWS FEELINGS

Images courtesy of Karimoku, photography by Masaaki Inoue, Bouillon

Between Space & Sound by OJAS Tokyo and Karimoku Furniture

At the Karimoku Research Center in Tokyo, sound becomes an architectural presence in Survey 03: Form Follows Feelings, the latest research exhibition developed with New York–based audio designer Devon Turnbull.

Presented in collaboration with Karimoku Furniture, the exhibition—titled Between Space & Sound「間の— (Ma no Oto)explores how acoustic philosophy can intersect with Japanese craftsmanship to produce objects that resonate beyond pure function.

Dates: February 21 (Sat) – June 5 (Fri), 2026
Hours: 12:00 – 18:00
Closed: Saturdays and Sundays (except Feb 21), and Golden Week (May 1 – 5)

Venue: KARIMOKU RESEARCH CENTER
2-24-2 Nishiazabu, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 106-0031
Access: 10-minute walk from Omotesando Station (Exit A5)

Presented by Coulisse | INK

Known for his cult audio project OJAS, Turnbull approaches sound with an almost spiritual rigor, emphasizing presence, atmosphere, and emotional response over technical spectacle. Invited as the lead researcher for the Karimoku Research Center’s ongoing Survey program, he began collaborating with the Japanese furniture manufacturer in 2025. Through repeated visits to Karimoku’s factory in Aichi, Turnbull worked closely with artisans to translate his complex acoustic forms into sculptural wooden structures.

The resulting pieces reveal a rare synthesis between craft and technology. Turnbull’s intricate speaker geometries are realized through advanced 3D-machining and veneering techniques, allowing sweeping wooden curves and monumental horn structures to emerge with remarkable precision. While OJAS speakers traditionally rely on plywood construction, Karimoku’s mastery of solid wood introduces a new tactile and visual richness—transforming the speakers into objects that inhabit the space as much as they shape it.

Central to the exhibition is the Japanese concept of ma (間), the philosophical notion of the interval between things. In Japanese aesthetics, ma describes the tension and harmony that arise within the spaces between objects, sounds, and moments. Sound itself depends on such intervals: as a vibration traveling through air, it requires space to exist. By carefully shaping these spatial relationships, sound becomes not merely a physical phenomenon but an emotional experience.

Three speaker systems developed through the collaboration—Sanjo, Rokujo, and Nurikabe—anchor the exhibition. Presented alongside a seating system designed by Turnbull, they form immersive listening environments surrounded by monumental wooden horn speakers carved through advanced digital fabrication.

The exhibition unfolds across three floors of the Karimoku Research Center, each offering a different perspective on the relationship between material, sound, and space. On the first floor, The Archive presents a contemplative “Sound House,” inspired by the intimacy of a traditional Japanese tea room and wrapped in Turnbull’s signature halftone pattern. The second-floor Materials Lab houses a powerful listening room where large wooden horn speakers interact with custom acoustic screens. In the basement, The Study examines the technical dimension of the project, demonstrating how variations in wood finishes can alter both the visual character of the pieces and the qualities of the sound they produce.

Complementing the installation, Tokyo record shop Haru no Ame presents a curated selection of vinyl available for purchase, while an archival display revisits the influential Japanese publication MJ: Musen to Jikken, long revered among audiophiles for its dedication to experimental audio engineering.