Iron Furniture Design · 2025
Compact Folio Set Furniture
by Che-Chia Hsu
- A' Design Award 2025 Iron Winner in Furniture Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 11,127
- Verification code A17F442BA8 · Verify this award
About Compact Folio Set Furniture
In recent years, due to the pressure of housing prices in Taiwan, more and more people have chosen to buy small houses. In response to the needs of small house residents, a furniture set with storage functions has been designed using folding and deformation techniques. This innovative product not only meets the practical needs of small house residents but also allows them to experience comfortable leisure time in a limited space. By maximizing functionality and comfort, this furniture set exemplifies how thoughtful design can transform small living spaces into cozy and efficient environments.
Compact Folio Set Furniture by Che-Chia Hsu presents a thoughtfully resolved exploration of compact living solutions that honors both traditional floor-oriented domestic practices and contemporary space-efficiency imperatives, situating itself within design conversations that seek to reconcile cultural heritage with modern urban spatial constraints. The table element demonstrates accomplished technical execution in its exposed laminated construction, where multiple timber layers become visible design features rather than concealed structural necessities, transforming functional joinery into aesthetic expression and inviting appreciation of material process and craft tradition. The hollow pedestal form achieves structural efficiency while maintaining visual lightness, creating storage potential within what might otherwise be solid mass, a consideration that speaks to the designer's attention to multi-functional utility without compromising formal elegance. The chromatic decision to celebrate natural wood tones rather than applying opaque finishes or color treatments reflects a philosophical alignment with material authenticity movements that have characterized high-quality furniture design across both Eastern and Western modern traditions, from the mingei folk craft movement to mid-century Scandinavian rationalism. The accompanying floor chair demonstrates particular sensitivity to ergonomic considerations, with its bent wood frame creating a gentle supporting curve that accommodates the human spine's natural contour while maintaining the structural integrity necessary for cantilevered seating without rear legs. The integration of substantial cushioning upholstered in neutral gray textile introduces necessary comfort while maintaining visual restraint, the muted color serving as chromatic counterpoint to the warm wood tones and preventing the overall composition from becoming monotonous or overly material-specific. The designer seems to have considered the relationship between pieces carefully, ensuring that they function independently while also suggesting paired use scenarios where the low table serves adjacent floor seating, a configuration common in tea ceremony contexts, informal dining, and meditation practices. The proportional relationships between table height, surface area, and chair back angle suggest deliberate anthropometric study, sizing elements to accommodate cross-legged or kneeling postures while maintaining functional surface accessibility. The rounded corners and edges throughout both pieces demonstrate attention to safety and tactile experience, softening geometric forms and creating surfaces that invite touch and physical engagement rather than demanding cautious distance. The overall formal vocabulary suggests a design philosophy that values essentialism without austerity, reduction without deprivation, and simplicity without simplification, achieving what might be termed generous minimalism where every element serves clear purpose while contributing to aesthetic coherence. The work invites consideration of how furniture might adapt to diverse living contexts, how traditional postures and practices might inform contemporary design thinking, and how material integrity and craft transparency can elevate functional objects into expressions of cultural values and lifestyle aspirations that honor both heritage and innovation.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- In response to the needs of small house residents, a furniture set with storage function is designed through folding and deformation techniques. The product not only meet the needs of small house residents but also allow these users to experience comfortable leisure time in a limited space.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 400 mm x 430 mm x 420 mm
- Tags
- Authentic, Delicate, Precise, Light weight, Compact
- Production Technology
- Lightweight pine wood panels are used as the main material, and the fabric is gray cotton and linen. The fabric is soft, comfortable and breathable, and the textile texture and color are suitable for combination with wood materials.
- Design Challenge
- The biggest challenge is that I want to design a seat that is foldable and easy to manufacture. Initially, I tried using ropes to support the body weight. Later, I used the tension generated by a person sitting on the fabric to prevent the chair back from falling backward. At the same time, we tested using different materials as the connecting parts at the bends.
- Project Duration
- The project started in August 2024 in Taiwan and finished in january 2025 in Taiwan.
- Operation Flow
- Pull the chair out from the table, next expand the back and seat. Finally adjust the backrest angle through the velcro on the backrest.
- Research
- In the beginning, I collected and studied numerous pieces of knowledge and ideas about the traditional technique of Chinese tenon joints through books. The next step to know better about the tenon joint was to learn how to perform this technique from a woodcraft master. After the training, I started to seek how I can utilize the technique to help others by surfing the internet.
- Inspiration
- I am fascinated by the calculation and processing precision required for this traditional craft of woodworking joints, and the final product that is presented. In recent years, due to the pressure of housing prices in Taiwan, more and more people have chosen to buy small houses. Based on this trend, I design wooden furniture that meets the needs of the residents of these small houses.
Colors of Compact Folio Set Furniture
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