The ISHINOMAKI STOOL was specially designed at a series of  furniture-making workshops intended for locals and primary school  students, in collaboration with the US furniture company Herman Miller.  Members from Ishinomaki Laboratory examined what was missing in  temporary housing in the area, and found that both a step stool for  accessing storage in high-up places and a chair for putting on shoes  near the house entrance were needed. Instead, researchers saw that  residents were often using plastic cases made for storing beer bottles  to fulfill various purposes. Inspired by this spirit of ingenuity, the  Ishinomaki Stool – a compact and light stool – was created.