Mushroom Pākaukau ʻAoʻao by Hyunjae Noh is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Keleawe in Hoʻolālā Lako Hale Competition Category.

KeleaweLako Hale· 2025

Mushroom Pākaukau ʻAoʻao

by Hyunjae Noh

Client: Hyunjae Noh

A' Design Award Keleawe Winner in Lako Hale Category

11,742

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #166794

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Mushroom Pākaukau ʻAoʻao

ʻO ka papahana Mushroom he hana mālama honua e hoʻohana hou ana i nā koe lāʻau mai ka hana pono hale i pākaukau ʻaoʻao liʻiliʻi me ke ʻano hoʻolālā kūʻokoʻa. Ma muli o ka hōʻoili wale aku i nā koe, ua hoʻonohonoho maikaʻi ʻia lākou i papa ākea a hoʻonohonoho ʻia e hana i kahi ʻano muku lāʻau ʻekolu ʻana. Hōʻike ka ili papa i kahi hoʻolālā kaha pū hoihoi i ka maka me ka hoʻohana ʻana i ʻekolu ʻano lāʻau ʻokoʻa, ʻoiai ʻo nā wāwae pīʻoi naʻenae e like me ka kumu pelehu. Me ka kiʻekiʻe o 380mm, hana ʻo Mushroom ma ke ʻano he pākaukau kope a i ʻole he pākaukau moe, e hāʻawi ana i ka waiwai hou i ka lāʻau i hāʻawi wale ʻia me ka hoʻemi ʻana i ka ʻōpala.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Keleawe

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Mushroom Pākaukau ʻAoʻao i ka A' Design Award Keleawe, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kūʻokoʻa i ʻike ʻia ma o ka hana noʻeau, ka akamai a me ka makakoho. He mau hana mākaukau a hana noʻeau kupaianaha nā lanakila Keleawe e hōʻoia ana i ka ʻike nui, ka noʻonoʻo a me ka maʻalea o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Mushroom Pākaukau ʻAoʻao he mea i mahalo nui ʻia, hoʻohiwahiwa ʻia a aloha ʻia, he ʻoihana a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Keleawe e hoʻohui ana i nā hana maikaʻi loa o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana, a maikaʻi no kona nānā ʻana i nā kikoʻī. Hoʻokō maikaʻi ka hoʻolālā Mushroom Pākaukau ʻAoʻao i nā pono, hoʻopā i ka makemake, hoʻohiwahiwa i nā manaʻo a huki i ka makemake e ʻike.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: During the furniture crafting process, a substantial amount of wood scraps is generated, often appearing in irregular shapes and small sizes, eventually being discarded. Mushroom is a small coffee table crafted by utilizing these wood scraps, presenting a unique mushroom shaped design. The tabletop is created by recycling three different types of wood scraps, forming an intriguing end-grain pattern.
Dimensions & Packaging: 380mm x 380mm x 400mm
Tags: wood, craft, coffee, table, eco friendly, sustainable
Production Technology: To efficiently utilize wood scraps, the end grain technique was used to create wooden panels. This approach not only allowed the creation of larger panels from smaller pieces but also showcased the unique patterns characteristic of end grain wood. The panel was then shaped into a circular tabletop and finished with oil to ensure durability and longevity. The table legs were crafted by laminating multiple layers of wood together and refining only the edges using a lathe, minimizing waste. This method significantly reduced the amount of discarded material during furniture production.
Design Challenge: To create the end grain pattern, the small wood scraps had to be shaped into consistent forms. While the wood pieces were too small to safely use a table saw, I was able to make a template using a laser cutter. By combining the template with the wood scraps, I was able to shape all the pieces into the same form.
Research: The Mushroom project is an initiative to recycle wood scraps generated during furniture manufacturing, rather than discarding them. The scraps are carefully shaped to create wide panels, and then arranged to form a three dimensional end grain pattern. Through this project, discarded wood scraps are given new value, and the amount of waste wood is minimized, making it an environmentally friendly solution.
Inspiration: While taking a furniture-making course at OCAD University, I learned that the production process often generates a significant amount of wood scraps, most of which end up being discarded. These wood pieces were of high quality but were overlooked due to their small size. At OCAD University, these scraps were collected in one place for students to use freely. Seeing this, I was inspired to gather various wood pieces to make furniture.
Project Duration: This project was initiated in November 2022 and completed in December 2022 at OCAD University in Toronto.
Operation Flow: Mushroom is a small table with a height of 380mm. It can be used as a coffee table or a bedside table and is characterized by its use of discarded wood to create a beautiful patterned wood panel, which is then used in its construction.