Liu Zulong and Xia Yiting · CLIENT: Beijing Yeak Tech Co. Ltd.
Origami is a bookshelf designed for the storage of books of different sizes. The staggered inclined arrangement creates shelves with heights from 24 to 32 centimetres, so large albums can be placed beside smaller books in a neat order. The varying depths follow the sizes of the volumes. Special folds tie the parts together and give an origami-like appearance. The bookshelf is assembled from solid North American black walnut or hard maple with mortise and tenon joints and is finished with wax oil. A stainless steel base with anti-tipping connectors keeps the structure stable.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This unique bookshelf looks like a project whose function follows the form, but actually it adheres to the design principle that the form follows the function. The staggered inclined arrangement can better meet the storage needs of books of different heights for a neat order. Special folds tie the elements of the bookshelf together, presenting an origami-like visual effect.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 780*1970*350mm
- Production Technology
- The materials like MidwestWalnut timberland FAS North American black walnut or Gutchess Timber F&B North American hard maple are readily available. The whole product is directly assembled by solid wood using mortise and tenon joint structure. With a base of oil-free paint, it is painted with German OSMO wax oil.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge during design process lies in how to perceive these two classical design principles and give an ideal answer.
Additionally, this product is more than a study, but has also considered its durability, and adaptability in different using environments. As for the support structure, the design team employs a base made of 4mm stainless steel, which, equipped with anti-dumping metal connectors, can ensure the shelf is stable enough and creates a visual effect that as if the shelf is floating. - Project Duration
- Started in June 2018 in Beijing, this project was finished in October 2020 in Henan and was exhibited in November 2020 in Caochangdi Arts, Beijing.
- Operation Flow
- Every story covers a height ranging from 24cm to 32cm. With an average height of 28cm, it is able to contain ultra-large albums of 32cm, thus saving more space. The varying depths of the bookshelf match the heights of albums of large sizes. Moreover, the dynamic appearance better fits the modern space.
- Research
- There are many shelves with odd appearances on the market, while the majority of them are studied with a focus on either function or form. We hope to manufacture a product that makes a breakthrough in classical design principles. The design of the origami bookshelf starts from the basic functional requirements, and then designs the structure in order to achieve the function and finally presents the form, which is an interpretation of that the form follows function. However, as for the people who see this shelf for the first time, they might consider it a purely formalistic shelf.
- Inspiration
- It is inspired by the debate over the function follows form or form follows the function. The design team discovered the storage problem of books from daily lives, i.e. how could books of different sizes be more reasonably placed on the same bookshelf. For that matter, they posed a solution based on a dialectical view of both functionalism and formalism.
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