Kawadoko Bænk by Shih An Ko is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award i Bronze in Møbeldesign Competition Category.

BronzeMøbler· 2021

Kawadoko Bænk

by Shih An Ko

Client: Chieh Nan Ko Architects

A' Design Award i Bronze Winner in Møbler Category

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Verified Award Winner
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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Kawadoko Bænk

Kawadoko er en træbænk designet til at give lindring fra sommervarmen. Navnet refererer til platforme bygget over floder i Japan om sommeren, hvor folk køler af ved siden af rindende vand. Bænken er lavet af hvid eg med brug af tap-og-not-samlinger og trædrejning og følger strukturen fra traditionel træarkitektur. Lange mellemrum mellem sædestængerne lader luft passere igennem for en kølig siddeoplevelse. Sædet er bredere end gennemsnittet, så brugerne kan sidde med benene over kors eller ligge ned og hvile. De runde kanter på stængerne fungerer som håndtag, når bænken flyttes.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award i Bronze

Kawadoko Bænk er vinder af A' Design Award i Bronze, en højt prestigefyldt anerkendelse, der tildeles enestående designs, som udmærker sig ved kreativitet, opfindsomhed og skarpsindighed. Bronzevinderne er rigeligt dygtige og påfaldende kreative artefakter, der bekræfter deres designeres store erfaring, fantasi og snilde. Kawadoko Bænk forventes at være en højt estimeret, beundret og kær genstand, der er bemærkelsesværdigt professionel og innovativ. Dette design, der har vundet A' Design Award i Bronze, indarbejder bedste praksis inden for kunst, videnskab, design og teknologi og er fremragende på grund af sin sans for detaljer. Kawadoko Bænk tilfredsstiller pragtfuldt behov, rører længsler, charmerer følelser og appellerer til nysgerrigheden.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Inspired by the memories of kawadoko, this bench is specially designed for escaping from the summer heat. The long gaps between the seat create a cool and well-ventilated sitting experience, and the rods that make up the seat are cut into flat surfaces to ensure comfort, while the edges remain circular, similar to the shape of bamboo, and serve as handles when moving the chair.
Dimensions & Packaging: Width 430mm x Depth 1520mm x Height 460mm
Tags: bench, summer, nature, furniture
Production Technology: Production: tenon and mortise techniques, woodturning
Material: white oak
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge is the making of the 1.5 meters-long wooden rods, which requires customized jigs to stabilize during the making process. And the burnt marks on the curved surface, after several attempts,have been successfully erased using certain techniques.
Research: The project has explored the wooden structure of traditional Japanese architecture, and transformed it into the constructive concept of the design. Another research is about the relevance between furniture and human body scale,and how our body reacts in different circumstances, as these are the factors that refined the prototype in the process.
Inspiration: Kawadoko, which mean river floors, are patios built over the river by restaurants in Kibune during the summer. While kawadoko are temporary, they are quite sturdy-built with wood and bamboo.
In Kibune, people are only a few feet above the river as they can enjoy the sound of water, the breeze, and the mist.
Thinking Kawadoko as a pleasant escape from the summer heat, the design aims to evoke memories of kawadoko, bringing a sense of coolness into daily life.
Project Duration: The project started in August, 2020 and finished in January, 2021, Taiwan.
Operation Flow: The scale and dimension of this project has been carefully arranged to achieve a friendly user experience. The width of the bench is wider than the average, so that user can easily sit cross-legged or even lie down to rest. The height of the shelf is in exact position where the hands are naturally dropping,which means anything on the shelf are within reach.the round rods serve as handles when moving the bench. In addition, a foldable cushion can be used during winter to ensure comfort.