About Soma Cousha
An addition to Yann’s two-part interview with Kohei Yamamoto and Jonathan Stollenmeyer of Soma Cousha, we wanted to provide some background.
Soma Cousha is a multi-disciplinary design studio located in Okayama, Japan. Kohei and Jon strive to create contemporary design that is made to last. They believe in a holistic approach to design and the process of making. Focusing on the importance of quality materials and craftsmanship they ensure their designs embody a narrative rooted in history yet relevant to today. Allowing their designs to outlive trends and maintain a sense of timeless beauty.
Kohei Yamamoto
Kohei was introduced to and fell in love with hand tools while attending a trade school specializing in wooden crafts. He delved into the furniture arts. At the advice of his professor, he took a job as a Japanese Temple and Shrine carpenter. For 8 years Kohei worked on some of the most famous cultural heritage temples and shrines in Japan such as the Grand Shrine at Izumo. Working on buildings that stood the test of time, he became interested in why present day homes weren’t built with as much thought. He also fell in love with the mark that carpenters left using traditional methods of sawing, milling, and finishing in the past.
In 2012, he had the opportunity to build a new home in Fukuyama city. He built one of the area’s first traditional Ishibatate homes since the end WWII. Finishes included everything from finely planed to adze and axe finishes used in rough milling. This began his company Somacousha. The character for Soma (杣) means traditional sawing/milling. The character for Ko (耕) means to cultivate. The final character Sha (社) is a typical character meaning company.
Jonathan Stollenmeyer
Jonathan graduated from University of Cincinnati’s DAAP architecture program in 2005. Over the next several years, he traveled extensively with a focus on exploring architecture and design. His lived and traveled to Japan, Mexico, Argentina, Switzerland, and Scandinavia. In the US, he worked in large-scale apartment architecture but his interests were pulled towards study at Traditional Boatworks in New Hampshire and a Zen monastery in Kentucky. Through these experiences, Jonathan decided to pursue his architectural and design passion via working with his hands rather than in an architectural office.
He returned to Japan in 2009 to work with Japanese carpenters. He worked with, Nakamura Sotoji Komuten, carpenters is doing projects within Japan and abroad in the Sukiya (teahouse) style. In 2013, he saw Kohei Yamamoto’s work in Okayama Prefecture and the building’s Ishibatate carpentry style astounded him. He received approval from Nakamura to leave the firm for further study. In November of 2013 he began work at Somacousha learning the Ishibatate framing style under the tutelage of Mr. Yamamoto.
More about both and their work can be found at Soma Cousha’s website