Urban Fossil
Cities evolve through a constant cycle of construction and demolition — the perpetual “scrap and build” process that continuously reshapes their form. In this cycle, countless fragments are generated not only from architectural waste but also from commercial and industrial activities: shattered glass, bent metal, crushed concrete, torn documents and receipts, discarded packaging. These remnants quietly accumulate, forming invisible strata within the urban landscape.
Urban Fossil seeks to excavate these fragments and recompose them into a new terrazzo material. On its polished surface, traces of the city reveal themselves, inscribing urban time and memory like fossils. By reclaiming the “remnants” born from the endless cycle of destruction, creation, and consumption, this project reimagines them as a material for shaping the city of the future.
Yuma Kano
Born in Tochigi in 1988, Yuma Kano graduated from Tokyo Zokei University with a degree in Interior Architecture. After working as an assistant to artist Yasuhiro Suzuki, he founded the design studio STUDIO YUMAKANO in 2012, which was incorporated as NOU Inc. in 2023.
His practice spans from a single screw to products, interiors, and material research, combining experimental approaches with a prototyping-driven process to explore design across diverse fields. In recent years, he has been actively presenting his works in various locations both in Japan and internationally, including Milan and Paris.
- 2025 Japan KUKAN Design Award, Gold Prize in the Show Window & Art Space
- 2023 Design Anthology Awards 2023, Grand Prix [Emerging Talent]
- 2023 Japan KUKAN Design Award, Silver Prize in the Shop Space Category
- 2022 ELLE DECOR JAPAN / Young Japanese Design Talent Award
- 2022 Maison&Objet Rising Talents Award, Winner