Name: Taiji Tea Table
Year: 2018 Fall
Size: 98x34x8 in
Material: Maple, fabric and foam
I read a beautiful Chinese poem:
( In translation)
Green bubbles—new brewed wine;
lumps of red—a small stove for heating;
evening comes and the sky threatens snow
_
Could you drink a cup, I wonder?
SKETCH1
SKETCH2
SKETCH3
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The poet is persuading his friend to stay. The friendship and the emotional connection in the poem is so beautiful. So, inspired by the poem, I design a set of furniture to present the close interaction between people. Also, I want to explore more possibilities on the combination of furniture and humanity to see how the furniture affects the way people live.
The feeling of intersection remains me of the positive and negative shapes. I have you inside, and you have me inside, we are one and inseparable. Then I start to think, “Why don’t I make the positive and negative shapes exactly the same? like Tai Ji? Inlay them together like a complete one. That would be really interesting!”
Followed with the concept, the Connection Table is made up with two same sections. Each section contains one seat and half of the table top which belongs to the opposite side. For example, the half of the table top that the left person uses is structural connected to the right section. Just like the Bretzel, the structure twists in the middle. Thus, one single section is nonfunctional due to the long distance between seat and the half table top. The Connection Table can only be functional and complete when the two sections are assembled and become a whole, which indicates the emotional intersection between people.
Besides, the horizontal proportion and round footless seating structure remains me of the Buddhism, Futon and Lotus seat. So, the size of the seat is designed larger than usual to allow people sitting with their legs crossed. I carve on the wooden frame around the soft cushion to imitate the texture of water waves. People can do meditation or have a small chat and take a sip with their companion.
