ODA Noritsugu | Chair Researcher / Professor Emeritus of Tokai University. He was born in Kochi Prefecture in 1946. After graduating from Osaka University of Arts, he worked in the advertising department of Takashimaya. He encountered the “LC4,” the first piece of his collection. In 1979, he co-founded the design firm “Gabunsha” with his friend Kikuo Satomi. Later, he started the “CHAIRS” research lab with Kinuko Seno, where he tirelessly drew illustrations every day to purchase chairs. In 1994, he moved to Hokkaido with his collection and became a professor at the Hokkaido Tokai University School of Art and Technology (at that time). The Oda Seminar gained popularity, producing many outstanding students. After delivering his final lecture in 2015, he assumed his current position. He has collaborated on numerous exhibitions, from “The Exhibition of 180 Danish Chairs” in 1989 to the “20th Century Design Exhibition - through Chairs” in 2023. He has received the “Danish Furniture Award” in 1997 and “The 1st Hans J. Wegner Award” in 2015. His publications include many works such as “Danish Chairs” and “The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Chairs.”
Noritsugu Oda won this award along with furniture collector Keiji Nagai for his long-standing work in showing the world the value of Danish furniture. They are the first non-Danish winners of this honor.
Noritsugu Oda is the first Japanese person to be granted the title of Director Emeritus of this institute.
The release of Oda’s book Danish Chairs led to the revival of an easy chair designed by Nanna Ditzel in 1953. It was named the Oda Chair.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of great Danish furniture designer Hans J. Wegner, this award was started by the municipal art museum in his birthplace of Tønder in 2015. Noritsugu Oda was unanimously chosen as the first winner for his ongoing, worldwide promotion of the results of research on Wegner and his significant contributions to boosting Wegner’s acclaim today.
