WU MING

Design Challenge:
Design a Chinese inspired furniture piece for a market that has been losing its cultural identity during its industrial revolution.

Process:
I began this project thinking about the growing population of the world and how furniture can save space within people's homes. Naturally I looked at one of the most densely populated cities in the world, Hong Kong. What I found instead was a culture that has been losing its identity and trading it as a commodity for modernity. I quickly changed the goal of my project to one that uses the strength of two different cultures and merges them. I ran a basic SWOT analysis and matrices to find the market opportunities for Kartell as a company and how it can use its distinctly Italian design philosophies to create a chair that is also infused with Chinese traditions.

Design Solution:
The design of the Ming chair is a merging of philosophies between two different cultures and yet you can distinctly recognize both cultures within the design. The symbolism hidden within Wu Ming are hidden gems for those who can appreciate them while others can simply admire the beauty of a modern interpretation of a thousand year old traditional design.