COM is an interactive commons run by AtMa inc. Design and thoughts are integrated into people and communities… COMmunication, COMmunity, COMfortable, COMmon… 

We visited the Milan Design Week for the first time in 2016. Among the many exhibitions held in Milan, the Fuorisalone in particular was a citywide event, where shops, public squares, unused buildings, car parks, and many other places were transformed interactively into exhibition spaces that influenced the public. We learned a lot from there and rediscovered the joy and significance of design, and then, wanted to create such a place by ourselves. 

In addition to the café, where people always come across, COM will be organising events based on themes that we are interested in. Here at COM, located at the intersection of Yamate Dori and Meguro River, we think it would be very meaningful if we could exchange ideas with the people gathered and think together about various things and deepen our thoughts together. COM aims to be a place where people can be inspired and encouraged to realize, discover , and explore something. 

At COM’s interior, some of the elements from previous owner has been retained. While there is also the perspective of reducing environmental impact, we listened carefully to the stories behind the objects and selected each one to be handed down to the next generation. Vintage tile from the Netherlands, bass sashes, which are currently difficult to install due to the lack of craftsmen, etc… In addition, the hope to add a new story to what was left behind and build on the history, led to the addition of coffee-dyed cherry wood to the existing counter and the raising of the level of the existing tiled floors to create a furniture-like floor that can be used as a stage or a bench, depending on its purpose. The chairs are repaired vintage and the tables are made from marble salvaged from stone factories. Also, we use 60-year-old Minoyaki dead stock pottery and glasses that have not been put into circulation as they should due to just a few scratches. 

At COM, a new project “COMPASS” has launched by AtMa inc. COMPASS is a system to create a　comprehensive and circular relationship with chairs (furniture) in which recycling, upcycling and reuse are not independent activities. The name COMPASS is a combination of the words ‘we’ (COM) and 'pass on to the next person' (PASS (REASE)) and is intended to encourage people to think not only about themselves but also about the next person, about the objects themselves and about our environment. 

Chairs that are frayed or broken, or even can no longer be sat on/used are salvaged, and repaired or redesigned by AtMA inc. and then PASSed(REASE) on to next person to in the COMPASS circle. During the PASS (REASE) period, anything that breaks is repaired and redesigned each time and the COMPASS cycle keeps going round and round. All chairs used in COM are COMPASS chairs and can be leased.