Chopstikbench ベンチ

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Chopstikbench made from 37,800 pairs of chopsticks which were recycled from night market in Taiwan. Every single piece of chopstick was placed intertwine and glue with non-toxic adhesive and CNC cutting take shape. Smooth line of an arc that spreads from inside out corresponded the outline rounded in shape, organic styling that visually elegant. Suitable for street furniture or lobby reception furniture.

Dimensions & Packaging

Width 1600mm x Depth 540mm x Height 500mm

Tags

Bench, Disposable Chopsticks, Circular Design, Recycle, Reception Furniture, Street Furniture.

Production Technology

The diameter of a disposable chopstick is about 6 mm and the length is about 210 mm, one end is rounded and the other end is only 3 mm in diameter for easy gripping of food. In order for the bamboo chopsticks to be spliced, the contact area has to be increased as necessary, so cutting and grinding is required at both ends. In order to improve the stability of the product, the splicing of the chopsticks must be made in the form of staggered joints, which are glued and shaped in a layer-by-layer manner.

Design Challenge

First of all, the disposable chopsticks are only 6mm in diameter and 17cm in length after cutting, so we need to increase the contact area between the bamboo chopsticks by cutting and grinding. The original contact area is increased, and the chopsticks are staggered so that the joints on each side are staggered to improve the stability of the piece. It took a lot of time to prepare the materials for the first stage, and then to make and polish the exterior. The hardness of bamboo chopsticks is relatively hard compared to solid wood, and with the use of adhesives, the hardness of the chopsticks is much higher and more solid. However, after all the pieces were assembled and glued together, the fibers of the bamboo chopsticks and the adhesive we used made the body harder and heavier, and the volume of the assembled body was so large that it was impossible to use the machine to cut it, so we had to grind it slowly.

Research

The 4.5 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks used in Taiwan each year, mostly were used for only 30 minutes to an hour, and were burned or buried after thrown as waste. These large amount of discarded chopsticks has caused serious environmental problems, such waste as chopsticks is not a concern to the public, and the public psychologically thinks that it can be burned or just cast away will not cause much problem to environment. This pilot project is an attempt to find ways of solving the over used of disposable chopsticks, and arouse the public's concern about the environmental issues brought about by disposable chopsticks. Chopstikbench that can handle 37,800 pairs of chopsticks, which is equivalent to the amount of bamboo chopsticks used in three night markets in one night, and it retains the original chopstick pattern that gives a strong image of the recycle mindset.

Inspiration

Disposable chopsticks are a very common or overflowing item in our daily lives, with 4.5 billion pairs used in Taiwan each year, which is enough to circle the globe 20 times and discarded after only a short time. However, in today's society, it is impossible to completely stop using chopsticks, so we recycle and reuse them into new materials for the bench.

Project Duration

The project started in July 2022 in Tainan and finished in March 2023 in Tainan, and was exhibited in Shin Kong Mitsukoshi in April 2023, Young Designers' Exhibition in May 2023, Nangang World Trade Center and Vision Get Wild Design Exhibition in May 2023, Kaoshiung World Trade Center.

Operation Flow

The bench can be placed indoors. In addition to the function of riding, it also uses its special appearance made of non-washable chopsticks to convey to users that the pollution of the society by non-washable chopsticks is something we need to pay attention to, and it also hopes that after users see its chased shape and stacked non-washable chopsticks from the inside out, the belief of doing environmental protection will spread more and more in everyone's heart.

Image Credits

Image#1: Mhyca Hsu,New Life,2023.
Image#2: Mhyca Hsu,The Rounded,2023
Image#3: Mhyca Hsu,Chopstikbench,2023
Image#4: Pin Ning Huang,Pattern,2023
Image#5: Pin Ning Huang,The Ripple,2023
Video Credits: The image film of Chopstikbench. All films By Mhyca Hsu.
Background Music: purple planet - A Fresh Start.