Shiro Kuramata

Shiro Kuramata is no doubt another one of Japan's all-star designers of the 20th century. His work is said to reflect the confidence and creativity of postwar Japan, while retaining traditional Japanese aesthetics. His pieces reflect his fascination with the surrealist movement as well as his core belief in minimalism.

Laputa Bed, 1991. This bed was designed for two people to lie vertically and was named after the fantastic island in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels.

One of Kuramata's more timeless pieces, the Bookshelf for Italian design house Cappellini, 1971 ($14,266).

Perhaps this is Kuramata's most famous piece, How High The Moon chair for Vitra, 1986 ($11,208). One sold at a Christie's auction a few weeks ago for nearly $18,000.