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Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set by Irene Yeung

Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set by Irene Yeung is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 A' Design Award in Homeware Design Competition Category.


IronHomeware· 2023

Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set

by Irene Yeung

Client: Derangedsign Co. Limited

A' Design Award Winner in Homeware Category

17,168

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #150601

Colors

The Design

About Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set

Utospace is a functional set of stainless steel planters and candleholders made of SUS316 (SS 18/10). It can be used as a planter or holder for candle pillars or sticks. There are 3 candlestick holders which can be removed and used individually. The base can also act as a tray for separate use. The design idea of Utospace comes from the ideal country of Utopia and the Asian philosophy, the Analects of Confucius Zilu, both of which also represent a kind of spiritualism, harmonious integration, and great unity.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award

Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set is an Iron A' Design Award winner, a prestigious recognition granted to good designs that meet the professional and industrial requirements expected from well-designed creations. Iron winners demonstrate great skill, high specialization, expert understanding, and creative capacity of their creators. Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished creation that is practical and innovative. This Iron A' Design Award-winning design integrates industry best practices and has competent technical characteristics linked with know-how and talent. Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set is respected for its thoroughness and is designed to provide quality of life improvements that help make the world a better place.

Interviews

Grand Interview

Your innovative fusion of Eastern and Western philosophical concepts in the Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set is intriguing - could you elaborate on how the principles of Utopia and the Analects of Confucius Zilu specifically influenced your design decisions?

The Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set is a product that embodies a thoughtful fusion of Eastern and Western philosophical concepts, particularly through the lenses of Utopia and the Analects of Confucius, specifically the teachings of Zilu.Influence of Utopia:The concept of Utopia, as envisioned by philosophers like Sir Thomas More, emphasizes ideals such as harmony, community, and an aesthetically pleasing environment. This utopian vision inspired the design of the candleholders to create an atmosphere that promotes tranquility and reflection. The clean, sleek lines of the stainless steel material symbolize modernity and a seamless integration with one’s surroundings, allowing the candleholders to blend into various decor styles while enhancing the overall ambiance. By focusing on the aesthetic beauty and functionality, the design aims to cultivate a personal space that encourages peace and contemplation—key elements of a utopian existence.Influence of the Analects of Confucius (Zilu):Zilu, one of Confucius's disciples, is often associated with the ideals of loyalty, righteousness, and the importance of relationships. His emphasis on the pursuit of moral integrity and the cultivation of personal virtue resonates throughout the design process. The candleholder's form can be seen as a representation of connection: the way the candlelight reflects and interacts with the stainless steel creates a dynamic experience that invites conversation and togetherness. This embodies the essence of Zilu's teachings on valuing relationships and fostering an environment where individuals can come together in a meaningful way.By blending these concepts, the Utospace Candleholder Set is not just a functional object; it is a philosophical statement. It seeks to create a space that reflects a harmonious balance between aesthetic beauty, personal virtue, and the nurturing of community. The use of stainless steel signifies durability and timelessness, suggesting that the values of Utopia and Confucian thought are enduring and worthy of being integrated into daily life. Ultimately, the design serves as a reminder of the ideals we strive for, encouraging users to cultivate their own spaces of reflection and connection.

The Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set features an ingenious modular design with removable components - what inspired you to create this versatile functionality, and how does it reflect your vision of harmonious integration?

The inspiration behind the Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set's modular design stems from a desire to blend functionality with aesthetic versatility. We wanted to create a product that not only serves its primary purpose of holding candles but also adapts to different settings, occasions, and styles. The removable components allow users to customize their candleholders, promoting creativity and personal expression in home decor.This modular approach reflects our vision of harmonious integration by emphasizing how individual elements can come together to form a cohesive whole. Each component can function independently or combine with others, symbolizing the idea that different styles and functionalities can coexist beautifully. This design philosophy encourages users to see their living spaces not just as static environments, but as dynamic areas that can evolve and change, enhancing both their day-to-day experiences and special moments.Ultimately, our goal with this product was to provide a versatile solution that aligns with contemporary lifestyles, where flexibility and adaptability are paramount, while also maintaining an elegant and timeless design. This is how we envision a harmonious integration of form and function in everyday living.

The choice of SUS316 stainless steel for the Utospace Stainless Steel Candleholder Set is particularly noteworthy - could you share the technical challenges you encountered when working with this material, especially during the CNC metal spinning process?

Working with SUS316 stainless steel in the CNC metal spinning process presents several technical challenges that need careful consideration:Material Hardness: SUS316 stainless steel is known for its toughness and hardness. This makes it more difficult to shape compared to softer metals. The CNC metal spinning process requires precise control of tools and conditions to avoid tool wear and ensure high-quality finish.Tool Wear: The hardness of SUS316 can lead to rapid wear of cutting tools used in CNC machining and spinning. Selecting the right tool material (often carbide or coated tools) and optimizing cutting speeds and feeds are essential to maintain efficiency.Machining Parameters: The need to adjust parameters such as spindle speed, feed rate, and depth of cut is critical. Too aggressive settings can lead to excessive tool wear or even tool breakage, while too conservative settings can result in longer production cycles and reduced productivity.Heat Generation: The metal spinning process generates significant heat through friction. SUS316's ability to maintain its strength at elevated temperatures can lead to overheating of the workpiece and tools, potentially causing warping or altering the material properties.Springback: When spinning SUS316, the material can exhibit substantial springback, which complicates achieving the desired shape and dimension. Engineers need to account for this behavior during the design phase.Surface Finish: Achieving a high-quality surface finish can be challenging due to the material's properties. Post-processing steps may be required to remove tool marks and improve aesthetics, which adds to production time and costs.Weldability: If assembling multiple components, SUS316 can be more challenging to weld because of its susceptibility to intergranular corrosion. Ensuring that appropriate welding techniques are used is crucial.Cost: SUS316 is more expensive than other alloys, so optimizing the production process and minimizing waste is important for cost-effectiveness.Alloy Composition: Variations in alloy composition can impact the formability during the spinning process. Ensuring consistency in material specifications is crucial for predictable performance during machining.Addressing these challenges typically involves a combination of advanced CNC technologies, careful material selection, and thorough process planning to ensure the final product meets the desired quality and performance standards.

Read the Full Interview

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
UTOSPACE is a functional set of stainless steel vase or candle holder made of SUS316 (SS 18/10). It can be used
as vase or holder for candle pillars or sticks. There are 3 candle stick holders which can be removable and use
individually. The base can also act as tray for separately used.
Dimensions & Packaging
This set is made of stainless steel grade SUS316 (SS18/10) For the metal processing, stamping, pressing and CNC metal spinning are used to form the set. Dimension: Diameter 250 x Height 115mm.
Tags
stainlesssteel, candleholder, planter, tableware, houseware,
Production Technology
Stainless Steel SUS316 is used for making the planter and candleholder set. Beside of traditional metalworking technique as pressing & stamping, CNC metal spinning is used to make the three candlestick holders.
Design Challenge
The creativity is totally beyond the production possibilities. The three candleholders for candlesticks are made by CNC metal spinning that are specifically designed to be assembled into the middlle-plate, so that all the parts can be assembled or used separately.
Research
Exploring various metalworking production techniques and mold design were crucial to the success of the production of this project.
Inspiration
The design idea of UTOPIA comes from the ideal country of Utopia and the Asian philosophy, the Analects of
Confucius Zilu, both of which also represent a kind of spiritualism, harmonious integration and great unity. All the parts can be assembled or used separately and brings out the meaning of Harmony in Diversity. Different
philosophies in the East and the West come from different sources but have similar meanings. Through the
appearance and function of the product, we merge the meanings of the two philosophies and present them in
one design.
Project Duration
The project started in Nov 2022 in Hong Kong and finished in Feb 2023 in China.
Operation Flow
This set can be used as tableware and home decors that are designed to be both aesthetically unique and highly functional.
Image Credits
Irene Yeung

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