Silver Furniture Design · 2022
Clover High Stool
by Shuangyong Jin and Yunfei Zhao
- A' Design Award 2022 Silver Winner in Furniture Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: Donxi
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 24,060
- Verification code 6819E6D2E5 · Verify this award
About Clover High Stool
Clover is a high stool made of solid wood. The form is inspired by the Romanesque arch, and the top surface has the shape of a four-leaf clover. Each leaf is made from small wood pieces left over in the factory, joined in a mosaic pattern that shows the natural grain. The curved legs are first carved by a computer controlled machine and then refined by hand polishing. A special mortise and tenon joint in the center holds the four leaves together and keeps the structure stable. Ash or black walnut is used, with a stainless steel footrest ring at the base.
Shuangyong Jin's Clover High Stool emerges from a rich tradition of organic furniture design that draws upon nature's geometries to create functional objects of enduring beauty. The tripartite seat configuration, evoking the trefoil pattern found throughout botanical and architectural history, demonstrates the designer's sophisticated understanding of how natural forms can be translated into ergonomic seating solutions. The selection of ash wood, with its pronounced grain character and warm blonde tonality, speaks to a commitment to material authenticity that allows the inherent qualities of the timber to contribute meaningfully to the aesthetic experience. Technical accomplishment manifests in the seamless transition between seat and legs, where careful shaping eliminates visible joinery while creating the impression of organic growth from a single source. The incorporation of a brass footrest introduces material contrast that enriches the sensory palette while serving practical function, its circular form echoing the rounded geometries of the seat above. This work participates in broader conversations within contemporary furniture design regarding the integration of craft traditions with innovative formal exploration, suggesting affinities with mid-century organic modernism while asserting its own distinctive visual vocabulary. The choice to photograph the stool within an aged courtyard environment invites consideration of how objects designed for intimate human interaction carry forward cultural traditions of making while speaking to present-day aesthetic sensibilities. Viewers might contemplate how the organic curves and natural materials create a sense of warmth and invitation that transcends mere utility, offering instead an object that rewards both tactile engagement and visual contemplation.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Each "leaf" is made by pieces of scrap solid wood in mosaic pattern. The curvy stool legs are carved by digital control machine in the first step and then fine-tuned by hand polishing. The entire stool is connected by a unique mortise and tenon joint in the center to ensure a stable structure and break the traditional orthodox image of the woodwork at the same time. This piece of creature integrates modernity and heritage in terms of both design and crafts.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 445 * Depth 445 * Height 700
- Tags
- Stool, Clover, Wood, Roman arch, Mortise and tenon joint, Donxi
- Production Technology
- Using Chinese Sun Mao (mortise and tenon joint) technique to connect the four 'leaves' is highly stable. The curvy stool legs are carved by CNC digital control machine in the first step and then fine-tuned by hand polishing. The materials are nature ash or black walnut, with a ring of stainless steel at the bottom for footrest.
- Design Challenge
- The mortise and tenon joint in the center is specially designed and made for this product to provide its delicacy and stability. The bottom side is a three-dimensional surface, which requires careful hand polishing to ensure the proper contour. Each stool will be processed by eight times of polishing in different degree. It is also a sustainable product design as it has used leftover small wood logs in the factory.
- Project Duration
- The furniture was designed in March 2020 in Shanghai. The first sample was made in May 2020 and then continued to refine. It was final completed in Jan 2021.
- Operation Flow
- The petal-like surface makes it easy for people to sit on, in various direction, freely and flexibly. It is exquisite in shape but stable in structure with the mortise and tenon joint inside.
- Research
- How to use pure wood to make a three-dimensional irregular shape, is one of the main issues for our designers and craftsmen. Considering the cost, without using one piece of large wood, we combine several small square pieces into a bunch and then carve the shape. In fact, most of these small pieces are the leftover materials for disposal in the factory, so we have achieved industrial waste reuse. In this way, it also enables a mosaic pattern on the surface, which discloses the beauty of natural wood.
- Inspiration
- The form is inspired by the classic Romanesque arch in the Western ancient architecture, showing the graceful contour and beautiful proportion. The surface is in the shape of the four-leaf clover, which symbolizes good omens for faith, hope, love and luck. Applying the adorable four-leaf clover shape and the classic Roman arch form on furniture, we hope to bring happiness and eternity to users.
- Image Credits
- Image Credits: Donxi
- Patents
- Patent No.: ZL 2020 3 0209821.2
Colors of Clover High Stool
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Contemporary Chinese Furniture Collection
We blend traditional Eastern craftsmanship with contemporary Western design to create exceptional furniture pieces. Our Shanghai-based atelier combines ancient mortise and tenon techniques with modern CNC precision, using sustainable materials and artisanal hand-finishing.
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