Op.2-3 Foncion Principala: Tròfèu by Seungbum Ma

Op.2-3 Foncion Principala: Tròfèu by Seungbum Ma is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award d'Argent in Recompensa Competition Category.

ArgentRecompensa· 2026

Op.2-3 Foncion Principala: Tròfèu

by Seungbum Ma

Client: Design House

A' Design Award d'Argent Winner in Recompensa Category

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Colors

The Design

About Op.2-3 Foncion Principala: Tròfèu

Aqueste tròfèu, concebut per la Fièra del Design de Vida de Seol de 2024, tira son inspiracion d'elements arquitecturals basics coma las colomnas, las travas e las plancas, reinterpretats a travèrs de materials contemporanèus e de metòdes de fabricacion. Realizat en acrilic, reflectís la logica de l'assemblatge tradicional corean tot en explorant la lutz, l'ombra e lo cambiament del material. La forma càmbia segon l'angle e l'illuminacion, de còps en lusint, en reflectissent, o en projectant d'ombras coloradas, en combinant la claretat estructurala amb la prigondor sensoriala a travèrs d'una recèrca precisa d'assemblatge.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Argent

Op.2-3 Foncion Principala: Tròfèu a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award d'Argent, una reconeissença extraordinàriament prestigiosa acordada a de designs d'ort de gamma, esplendids e impressionants. Los ganhaires de l'Argent son d'òbras terriblament brilhantas e extrèmament creativas que illustran l'experiéncia, lo talent e la finessa excepcionals de lors designers. S'espèra que Op.2-3 Foncion Principala: Tròfèu siá una òbra meravilhosa e de referéncia, notablament professionala e prigondament innovanta. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award d'Argent es una invencion fòrça notabla e admirada, que fa un ben e fa avançar las frontièras de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia. Op.2-3 Foncion Principala: Tròfèu es una creacion immensament envejada que desrevelha de desirs, aduch de sentiments positius e fa néisser l'estonament e l'esmaiment.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This is the trophy design for the 2024 Seoul Living Design Fair. Inspired by fundamental architectural elements, such as beams, columns, and slabs, the design reinterprets traditional Korean joinery using acrylic. The trophy’s form responds to light and angle: at times glowing and casting stained-glass-like reflections, at others becoming a dark mirror or a silent, solid mass. Three versions were created—Special, Product, and Space Prizes—each rendered in RGB hues symbolizing light itself.
Dimensions & Packaging: Width 103 mm x Depth 103 mm x Height 323 mm
Tags: architectural object, architectural trophy, trophy
Production Technology: This project also served as an experiment in translating architectural and furniture joinery techniques into a smaller scale. It involved a series of tests to determine tolerances that allow precise acrylic assembly without breakage, along with studies to identify the optimal colors and levels of transparency. The final outcome was achieved through extensive exploration of transparency, translucency, opacity, reflectivity, dyeing, tinting, and color mixing.
Design Challenge: Wood was fragile, while rigid paper allowed for easy assembly but presented issues with warping and finish. Aluminum lost its precision and deformed during cutting. While 3D printing offered structural stability, it was excluded due to its incompatibility with the interlocking design language.

Ultimately, acrylic was chosen for its ability to transmit and reflect light, casting colored shadows while glowing on its own. However, tests were required to determine the optimal tolerances for assembly without breakage, as well as to identify suitable colors and levels of transparency.
Research: Under a tight timeline, it was necessary to explore multiple formal alternatives for the trophy while simultaneously studying the complex joinery details at a small scale using various materials.
Inspiration: This project explores the universal language of architecture to evoke new experiences and meanings. Fundamental elements, such as beams, columns, walls, and floors, are reconfigured with contemporary materials to defamiliarize the everyday and invite renewed reflection. By reinterpreting traditional joinery through modern techniques, the work honors history while opening paths toward the future.
Project Duration: The project started in January and finished in February 2024 in Seoul, and was exhibited in the Seoul Living Design Fair 2024 in March.
Operation Flow: Placed by a sunlit window, it takes on entirely different forms and impressions depending on the time, weather, and the viewer’s perspective.
Team Members: SeungBum Ma
Euijung Sung
Eunbin Lim
Image Credits: All photos by Yoon Park.