Hsu-Hung Huang · CLIENT: Hsu Hung Huang Design Lab
The name comes from the Tao people who live on Orchid Island in eastern Taiwan. Also, these indigenous people are well-known for their traditional canoe craftsmanship. Inspired by the crafts of Tao, Hsu-Hung Huang integrated their boat-building craftsmanship into a piece of furniture. Furthermore, the designer hoped to transfer the experience of rowing the Tao canoe into the joyfulness of swinging in a rocking chair. Ultimately, the project explored the preservation of intangible cultural heritage and translated it into stylish and elegant artwork through contemporary design methods.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Taiwan is a picturesque and mountainous island on the Pacific Ocean and it demonstrates tremendous diversity in its cultural heritage. Especially, indigenous nations who have various legends, crafts, and ceremonies strongly represent Taiwan’s unique marine culture and spirit. To preserve this precious and traditional culture, the designer attempts to embed spiritual and societal knowledge and practices into material design.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Length 1300mm* Width 500mm* Heigth 900mm/ Sit Height 450mm
- Tags
- Rocking Chair, wood furniture, culture, Taiwan indigenous people, boat
- Production Technology
- Ash, Oak, Beech
- Design Challenge
- Mirroring the traditional boat building method, multiple wooden compartments were joined together by tenons and mortises; additionally, the mechanical characteristics of various wood species are considered to make the rocking chair the distinctive piece that it is. Thus, the structure of the furniture is more durable in resisting deformation significantly against changes in environmental humidity. Through applying the hand-rubbed Danish oil finish, this method provides a natural and original wood texture to the furniture. Ultimately, by combining traditional craft with contemporary fabrication, an elegant and simple rocking chair was made.
- Project Duration
- The project started in May 2017 in London and finished in September 2017 in London, and was exhibited at Viaduct Showroom London, Goldsmith University London and Eslite Bookstore Taiwan in July 2018 and 2019.
- Operation Flow
- The designer felt that sitting on Tao Rocking Chair is similar to taking a boat. When users sit on the rocking chair and get it going, the rocking chair will look like a real boat that is slipping on the vast sea.
- Research
- The Tao Rocking Chair was inspired by the boat-building methods of the Tao Indigenous community, previously of Orchid Island, a rugged and remote island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan. Respecting cultural heritage, a crucial part of Tao life centres upon the building of traditional fishing boats for the Tao people. Hence, addressing the issue of culture preservation, the designer aims to communicate Taiwan’s unique culture to the world via this project and transfer the experience of rowing the Tao canoe into the joyfulness of swinging in a rocking chair.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by the craft of Tao, a Taiwan indigenous people, the designer has integrated their maritime culture into furniture design. Their knowledge and skills strongly represent Taiwan’s unique oceanic culture and spirit. By combining traditional and contemporary methods, this furniture design hopes to inform people of the culture of Taiwan’s indigenous people.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photographer Shih, Po-Yang, Tao Rocking Chair I, 2017. / Image #2: Photographer Shih, Po-Yang, Tao Rocking Chair II, 2017. / Image #3: Photographer Shih, Po-Yang, Tao Rocking Chair III, 2017. / Image #4: Photographer Chien, Chih-Lin, Tao Rocking Chair and Hsueh, Yu-Hsien I, 2018. / Image #5: Photographer Chien, Chih-Lin, Tao Rocking Chair and Hsueh, Yu-Hsien II, 2018.
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