Square or Circle Icpalli by Xin Chen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 Mahuizolli A' Design Award Tepoztli in Toltecayotl ihuan Toltecayotl Tlatlaliliztli Tlachihchihualiztli Competition Category.

TepoztliToltecayotl· 2020

Square or Circle Icpalli

by Xin Chen

Client: Xin Chen

Mahuizolli A' Design Award Tepoztli Winner in Toltecayotl Category

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Colors

The Design

About Square or Circle Icpalli

In Xin Chen itequiuh ipan inin tlachihualtzin: quitlapouhtia in nepapan altepetoltecayomeh auh quitlamachtia ce yancuic ohtli ipampa in icpalnemiliztli quimatiznequi. Oquichiuh ce yancuic nemiliztli ipan icpalchihualiztli, mochipa nohuian itlamantzin momecatlalpihtia chicahualiztli ic, ahmo ic tzacuiliztli nozo tepozcuiliztli. Oquichiuh no ce yancuic nemachiotl ipan icpalnemiliztli in quixexeloa in icpalli ipan tlamantzitzin, zano quipanohuia auh quipatlahtohua ipan ce yancuic altepetoltecamachiotl. Inin tlachihualtzin huel mopixtia in itequiuh ihuan in icualneztli ipampa macehualmeh cemihcac.

The Recognition

About the Mahuizolli A' Design Award Tepoztli

Square or Circle Icpalli ca in quicuic in Mahuizolli A' Design Award Tepoztli, tlamahuizoliztli tlen momaca in cualli dizayno in quitlalia in tlen monequi ipan tequitl ihuan tlachihualiztli in quimaca in cualli tlachihualli. In quicuicah Tepoztli quinextia in hueyi tlamatiliztli, toltecayotl ihuan ihuelitiliztli intlachihuanime. Ca quinequi in Square or Circle Icpalli ca tlazohtli, mahuiztic, yancuic ihuan motequiuhtia. Ni dizayno in quicuic Tepoztli quihuelitia in tlamatiliztli ihuan quipia chicahualiztli tlen tepoztli. Square or Circle Icpalli quicualtia in nemiliztli ihuan quihuelitia in cemanahuac ica cualli.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This chair is called Square or Circle. The most interesting feature is that the chair is held together by tension, and can be disassembled into individual pieces, which can then be rearranged and transformed into a representation of the Chinese instrument, a Liuqin. This design can satisfy both functional and aesthetic needs. Meanwhile, it also allows people to carry it easily because all parts can be dismantled for transportation.
Dimensions & Packaging: 432mm x 534mm x 1143mm
All parts can be dismantled for transportation.
Tags: Chair, Chinese style, Disassembled, Wood, Joinery
Production Technology: It is made of cherry, walnut, fiber rope and hardware. The whole chair was joined together by different parts (seat, back, legs, and stretcher) without using glue, nails, and screws. Meanwhile, it holds together by a rope in tension.
Design Challenge: The challenge of this design is that one design can be fitted in both forms a chair form and a representation of Liuqin.
Research: The purpose of this design is to inspire people to think and appreciate differently about furniture. The chair is not only a piece of functional furniture but also attracts people to explore different cultural traditions. The design applies some Chinese elements to represent Chinese cultures, such as the color of Chinese red, and the yin and yang circle which is from the traditional Chinese philosophy.
Inspiration: This design is inspired by a traditional Chinese instrument Liuqin and the Italian Strozzi chair. The purpose of the design is to communicate the different cultures of Eastern and Western to modern audiences. I want to explore the cultural differences and similarities by using my design as a vehicle because I am experiencing it.
Project Duration: This project started in March 2016 and finished in May 2016 at Iowa state university. It was exhibited in The 22nd International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA, the USA in December 2016.
Operation Flow: The chair was joined together without using glue, nails, and screws. Meanwhile, it holds together by a rope in tension. Users can lose the rope, then disassemble the chair in different pieces.
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer George Ensley, Square or Circle
Image #2: Photographer George Ensley, Square or Circle
Image #3: Photographer George Ensley, Square or Circle
Image #4: Photographer George Ensley, Square or Circle
Image #5: Photographer George Ensley, Square or Circle