Kawadoko Banco by Shih An Ko is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award de Bronce in Diseño de Mobiliario Competition Category.

BronceMobiliario· 2021

Kawadoko Banco

by Shih An Ko

Client: Chieh Nan Ko Architects

A' Design Award de Bronce Winner in Mobiliario Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About Kawadoko Banco

Kawadoko es un banco de madera diseñado para brindar alivio del calor del verano. El nombre alude a las plataformas construidas sobre los ríos en Japón durante el verano, donde las personas se refrescan junto al agua corriente. El banco está fabricado en roble blanco, mediante ensambles de caja y espiga y torneado de madera, y sigue la estructura de la arquitectura tradicional en madera. Las amplias separaciones entre las varillas del asiento permiten el paso del aire, ofreciendo una experiencia de asiento fresca. El asiento es más ancho de lo habitual, por lo que los usuarios pueden sentarse con las piernas cruzadas o recostarse a descansar. Los bordes redondeados de las varillas funcionan como asas cuando se desplaza el banco.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronce

Kawadoko Banco ha ganado el A' Design Award de Bronce, un reconocimiento sumamente prestigioso concedido a diseños sobresalientes que se distinguen por su creatividad, ingenio y astucia. Los ganadores de Bronce son artefactos ampliamente hábiles y sorprendentemente creativos que acreditan la vasta experiencia, imaginación e ingeniosidad de sus diseñadores. Se espera que Kawadoko Banco sea un objeto muy apreciado, admirado y querido, notablemente profesional e innovador. Este diseño ganador del A' Design Award de Bronce incorpora las mejores prácticas del arte, la ciencia, el diseño y la tecnología, y es excelente por su atención al detalle. Kawadoko Banco satisface espléndidamente las necesidades, toca los deseos, encanta los sentimientos y atrae la curiosidad.

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.