Uni Primary Function: Tabili Ẹgbẹ Uni láti ọwọ́ Xubai Li jẹ́ aṣẹ́gun olókìkí púpọ̀ ti 2026 Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award nínú Ẹ̀ka Ìdíje Àpẹẹrẹ Ohun-èlò Ilé.
IdẹOhun-èlò Ilé· 2026
Uni Primary Function: Tabili Ẹgbẹ Uni
látọ̀wọ́ Xubai Li
Oníbàárà: Xubai Li
Aṣẹ́gun Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award nínú Ẹ̀ka Ohun-èlò Ilé
Aṣẹ́gun Àmì Ẹ̀yẹ Tí a Jẹ́rìísí
Jẹ́rìísí Ipò Àmì Ẹ̀yẹ fún #182518Àpẹrẹ Náà
Nípa Uni Primary Function: Tabili Ẹgbẹ Uni
Book Text: Uni ṣàjọpọ̀ àwọn ojú inú àti ti òde láti dá àwọn àpẹẹrẹ tí kò bá àṣà mu. Pẹ̀lú ìmísí láti orí origami àti àyè òfìfo, Xubai Li ṣe àpẹrẹ rẹ̀ nípa yíyí òrá aluminum tí ó tẹ́jú padà di ohun onígun mẹ́ta. Tí a wọn láti àwọn àwòṣe ìdá kẹrìndínlógún títí dé àwọn àwòṣe ní kíkún, ó ṣàṣeparí ìdúróṣinṣin nípasẹ̀ ìṣirò onígun tí ó dá lórí kíkà. Tí a pète fún àwọn àyíká ìlú, Uni ń ṣiṣẹ́ gẹ́gẹ́ bí tabili àti ohun tí ó dúró fúnra rẹ̀, ní pèsè àyè òfìfo tí kò ní ìdènà àti ìṣíkiri fún ìgbé ayé sítúdíò òde òní nígbà tí ó ń pa ìrísí tí kò gba àfiyèsí mọ́.
Ìdánimọ̀ Náà
Nípa Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award
Uni Primary Function: Tabili Ẹgbẹ Uni jẹ́ olùborí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award, ìdánimọ̀ olókìkí gan-an tí a fún àwọn àwòṣe tó tayọ tí wọ́n yàtọ̀ nípasẹ̀ ìṣẹ̀dá, àrékérekè àti ọgbọ́n inú. Àwọn olùborí Idẹ jẹ́ àwọn ohun èlò tó ní ìjáfáfá gan-an tí wọ́n sì ní ìṣẹ̀dá tó yani lẹ́nu tí wọ́n ń ṣe ẹ̀rí ìrírí gbígbòòrò, ìrònú àti ọgbọ́n àwọn olùṣàwòṣe wọn. A retí pé Uni Primary Function: Tabili Ẹgbẹ Uni yóò jẹ́ ohun tí a kà sí gidigidi, tí a gbóríyìn fún tí a sì nífẹ̀ẹ́, tó jẹ́ ti ọ̀jáfáfá lọ́nà tó ṣe pàtàkì tó sì ní ìmúṣẹ̀dá tuntun. Àwòṣe tó borí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award yìí ń kó àwọn ọ̀nà tó dára jùlọ nínú iṣẹ́ ọnà, sáyẹ́ǹsì, àwòṣe àti ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ jọ, ó sì tayọ nítorí àfiyèsí rẹ̀ sí àwọn àlàyé kékeré. Uni Primary Function: Tabili Ẹgbẹ Uni ń tẹ́ àwọn ohun tí a nílò lọ́rùn lọ́nà àgbàyanu, ó ń fọwọ́ kan àwọn ìfẹ́ inú, ó ń gbà ọkàn ó sì ń fa ìfẹ́ láti mọ̀ mọ́ra.
Lẹ́yìn Àpẹrẹ Náà
Àkójọ Ìròyìn
Àwọn ẹ̀tọ́, àwọn ọmọ ẹgbẹ́ àti àlàyé ìmọ̀ ẹ̀rọ tí olùṣàpẹrẹ pèsè.
- Àwọn Ohun Àkànṣe
- 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.
- Ìwọ̀n àti Àpò
- 533 mm × 508 mm × 457 mm
- Àwọn Àkọlé
- industrial decor, aluminum furniture, minimalist design, side table, sheet metal, sculptural furniture, origami
- Ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ Ìṣelọ́pọ̀
- 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.
- Ìpèníjà Àpèsè
- 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.
- Ìwádìí
- 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. - Ìmísí
- 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.
- Àkókò Iṣẹ́ Àkànṣe
- 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.
- Ìlànà Ìṣiṣẹ́
- 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.
- Ìfọwọ́sí Àwòrán
- 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.
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