O le mamanu Uni Laulau Itu Uni e Xubai Li o se manumalo maualuga tele o le fa'ailoga mamalu 2026 A' Design Award Apamemea i le Vaega Tauva Mamanu Meafale.

ApamemeaMeafale· 2026

Uni Laulau Itu Uni

na mamanuina e Xubai Li

Tagata Fa'atau: Xubai Li

Manumalo o le A' Design Award Apamemea i le Vaega Meafale

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Manumalo Fa'ailoga Fa'amaonia

Fa'amaonia le Tulaga o le Fa'ailoga mo #182518

Asiasi i le Saite Va'ai i le A' Design Award Fa'asalalauga Pailesi o le Fa'ailoga

Lanu

Le Mamanu

E Uiga ia Uni Laulau Itu Uni

O le Uni e tuʻufaʻatasia ai luga o totonu ma fafo e fausia ai foliga e lē masani ai. Faʻaosofia e le origami ma le avanoa lē lelei, na mamanuina ai e Xubai Li e ala i le fausiaina o se laupepa alumini mafolafola i se tino e tolu vala. Faʻateleina mai faʻataʻitaʻiga e tasi vae sefulu ono i faʻataʻitaʻiga atoatoa, e ausia ai le mautu e ala i le geometry faʻavae i le gaugau. Ua faʻamoemoe mo siʻosiʻomaga i le taulaga, e galue ai le Uni e fai ma laulau ma o se mea e tu toʻatasi, e maua ai se avanoa e lē faʻalavelaveina ma le gaoioi mo le nofo o le potu faʻaonaponei ae faʻatumauina pea se foliga e lē faʻalavelave.

Le Fa'ailogaina

E Uiga i le A' Design Award Apamemea

O le A' Design Award Apamemea na manumalo ai Uni Laulau Itu Uni, o se faamaoniga matuā mamalu e tuuina atu i mamanu ese e iloga i le fatufatuaʻi, le atamai ma le poto. O ē manumalo i le Apamemea o mea e iai le tomai atoa ma fatufatuaʻi mataʻina e faamaonia ai le poto masani tele, le mafaufau ma le atamai o tagata mamanu. E faamoemoeina Uni Laulau Itu Uni e avea ma mea e vivii tele, ua pelepelea, e iloga i le tomai faapolofesa ma mea fou. O lenei mamanu na manumalo i le A' Design Award Apamemea e tuufaatasia ai faiga sili i le faatufugaga, saienisi, mamanu ma tekonolosi ma e sili ona lelei i le mataituina o mea itiiti. Uni Laulau Itu Uni e faamalieina matagofie manaʻoga, pa i manaʻo, faalataina lagona ma faaosofia le fia iloa.

I Tua o le Mamanu

Pepa Fa'asalalau

Fa'amaoniaga, sui o le 'au ma fa'amatalaga fa'atekinisi na saunia e le tagata mamanu.

Uiga Fa'apitoa: Uni is a singular, continuous form that transmutes a flat aluminum sheet into a sophisticated, freestanding volume. By blurring the line between interior and exterior, the design achieves a structural duality where the tabletop and base exist as one uninterrupted gesture. Its innovation lies in this seamless geometry, offering a sculptural aesthetic that redefines traditional furniture assembly through minimalist rationale. This piece was designed by Xubai Li and manufactured by Bestcase in New York, United States, in a collaboration program, led by Rhode Island School of Design.
Fua & Fa'apipi'i: 533 mm × 508 mm × 457 mm
Fa'ailoga: industrial decor, aluminum furniture, minimalist design, side table, sheet metal, sculptural furniture, origami
Tekonolosi Gaosiga: Uni is made with 5052 Aluminum sheet in .25-inch thickness. The process can be divided into three simple stages: 1. Roller Bending and Brake Press Bending 2. Edge Welding 3. Sand and Standard Waxed Finish to preserve the original aesthetic of the raw material.
Lu'itau o le Mamanu: The main challenge was finding a form that elegantly embodies the essence of origami while adapting to harsh sheet metal processes. Every additional pressed piece introduced unwanted aesthetic noise. To solve this, we minimized assembly to a singular, continuous form. We also bypassed standard industry powder coating; instead, a simple waxed finish preserved the aluminum's subtle shine, reducing maintenance while celebrating the material's raw, industrial elegance.
Su'esu'ega: The research for Uni was a hybrid of theoretical exploration and material investigation. The primary objective was to subvert traditional expectations of furniture by blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces. The study sought to translate the philosophical principles of origami—transforming a flat, meaningless plane into a meaningful 3D volume—into a functional furniture silhouette.

The methodology employed a "form-from-flatness" approach, utilizing comparative analysis of contemporary sheet metal furniture and traditional origami techniques. Data collection included a literature review of origami philosophy and an analysis of Asian aesthetic principles regarding "negative space" as a poetic element. Additionally, market data from furniture e-commerce platforms was analyzed to identify consumer trends in urban high-density housing.

Technical feasibility was established through consultations with manufacturing specialists to define production constraints. Physical experimentation involved a rigorous iterative prototyping process:

Initial Phase: One-sixteenth and one-quarter scale models were used to test folding geometry.

Testing Phase: Full-scale models were constructed from plastic and strength-enhanced corrugated boards (0.25-inch thickness) to simulate final material behavior.

Review Phase: Interviews with design professionals were conducted to evaluate the aesthetic impact and functional utility of the prototypes.

The research revealed a market gap for pieces that balance "visual openness" with sculptural presence. A key insight was that studio and condo dwellers increasingly prioritize furniture that provides "breathing room" through negative space without sacrificing artistic permanence. Uni impacts the design field by offering a dual-purpose solution: a minimalist utility surface and a monumental sculpture. By utilizing blank space as a functional element, the design addresses the need for openness in small architectural footprints.
Fa'aosofia: Inspired by origami, Uni explores the transformation of a two-dimensional aluminum plane into a self-supporting, multi-dimensional volume. The design utilizes fundamental roller bending techniques to transform a single sheet into a sophisticated, freestanding object. By eliminating traditional joinery in favor of a singular, continuous gesture, Uni achieves structural integrity.
Umi o le Poloketi: The project started its design process in February 2024 in Providence, Rhode Island, United States, and finished its first edition for manufacturing in May 2025 in New York, United States, and was first exhibited in International Contemporary Furniture Fair 2025 in New York City, United States, and the Convention Center in the same month, in Rhode Island, United States.
Fa'agasologa o Galuega: Uni isn't just a table; it's functional art. You interact with it by placing items on its surface or simply admiring it. As you walk around the room, its folded metal design visually transforms from a solid block into an airy, open sculpture. It performs better than standard furniture because it serves dual purposes: it provides a handy resting spot for everyday objects while elevating your space as a beautiful, free-floating centerpiece that doesn't need to be hidden away.
Fa'aaloaloga o Ata: Image #1: Photographer Jonah Takagi, Uni, 2025.
Image #2: Creator Xubai Li, Uni, 2025.
Image #3: Creator Xubai Li, Uni, 2025.
Image #4: Creator Xubai Li, Uni, 2025.
Image #5: Creator Xubai Li, Uni, 2025.