Philosophy

Tosei was born from a simple yet profound question—how can furniture evolve with us, shaping and reshaping itself to fit the ever-changing rhythm of urban life?

Rooted in the heart of New York, Tosei began as a self-driven pursuit by Jiayi, a former architecture student at The Cooper Union. Living in compact city apartments—where space is both a constraint and a canvas—sparked a deep curiosity about spatial optimization and the fleeting nature of fast furniture. Inspired by the thoughtfulness of Japanese storage culture (収納 and ストレージ) and the enduring presence of staple pieces in traditional Chinese homes, Jiayi envisioned a design philosophy that merges adaptability with longevity.

At the core of this vision lies the concept of “solid vs. skin”—an exploration of contrast between dense, rigid materials and flexible, surface-oriented designs. Here, materiality transforms into pattern and imprint, allowing furniture to be lightweight, effortless to transport, and intuitive to assemble. Each piece is created to grow, move, and endure.

For those who call many places home, for those who seek beauty in restraint, and for those who believe that furniture should be more than temporary—Tosei offers a way to live with intention.