Like Fabio Novembre and his Love Series, or Zaha Hadid and her Duemilacinque, Japanese manufacturer Sugatsune also boasts a “rich tradition of manufacturing and distributing high-quality hardware… products that combine unparalleled quality, ingenious design, and meticulous attention to detail.” As, for instance, the DSH Series of stainless steel hooks for bathroom and foyer; the 26000 Series of stainless hinged pulls for drawers and doors; and the antiqued EG 61 Knob of zinc alloy with finishes in Green Copper and distressed Brass.

Soft Down Stay mechanism. Manufactured by Sugatsune.

But—taking nothing from Novembre and Hadid, one person-industries in their own right—Sugatsune does more than mere hardware. They also offer locks, stays, catches & latches, folding & sliding door hardware, casters & leveling glides, glass hardware & aluminum frame shelf systems, and “miscellaneous.” Innocuous as it may seem, it’s the last category that’s garnering the lion’s share of attention for Sugatsune, since it encompasses their patented “Lapcon” dampening mechanism for the moving parts of drawers and doors, the best thing to happen to cabinetry in many a moon. Before you can say, “What’s Lapcon?” And before you follow that up with, “Is it relevant to NeoCon?” read on…

Soft Closing Flipper Doors. Manufactured by Sugatsune.

SLS-ELAN. Manufactured by Sugatsune.

Bifolding Door Mechanism. Manufactured by Sugatsune.

Lapcon is “an innovative technology developed and designed for ultimate shock absorption and the smoothest opening and closing movement imaginable.” And, yes, it is relevant to NeoCon, but probably not in the way you might imagine. The catch-all term for a new species of cabinet mechanism that makes lift-up easier, closing softer, opening more efficient and space-savvy, Lapcon employs technological strides in levers and stays (increased ranges of motion, dual/multi-directional pivots, and sliding hinges that automatically engage to keep doors open). I could attempt to go on as to the technological specifics that enable the world’s best dampening system for cabinet doors, but it probably makes the most sense to say that Lapcon allows safe (nevermore a pinched finger), soundless, and automatized operation (the effect is somewhat like the mechanized engagement of the trunks and hoods of the newer breeds of automobiles). Have a look at Sugatsune’s extensive video portfolio of Lapcon’s many incarnations.

And, no, I haven’t forgotten about NeoCon. Turns out the shared “con” is just a coincidence, but Sugatsune is premiering two additions to the Lapcon line at #NeoCon09. SLS-ELAN (soft-closing lid stay) is a lift-assist/stay/damping mechanism for upward-opening flap doors. Its streamlined design and interior installation maximizes cabinet space and makes opening and closing soft and silent. LIN-X (lateral opening door hinge) is a swing mechanism that allows lateral opening in an extremely tight radius. It also enables full stops in any position and flush closure with proximal walls and doors. As with all Lapcon products, LIN-X is damper equipped for that ever-desirable “soft landing.”

Anyone who’s ever struggled with the fruitless adjustments of outdated hardware; or cabinet doors that “over-close,” leaving unsightly exposure of framing elements; or unwieldy closet doors that pull earthward (degrading hinges and scraping the floor), is sure to admire Sugatsune’s innovations. Stop by and see this minor miracle in full action at #NeoCon09, June 15-17.