Smile 椅子 by Xu Le is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award 銅獎 in 傢俱設計 Competition Category.

銅傢俱· 2021

Smile 椅子

by Xu Le

Client: Zhijiang college of zhejiang university of technology

A' Design Award 銅獎 Winner in 傢俱 Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Smile 椅子

「微笑」係一款為日常使用而設計嘅木椅。椅背嘅形狀好似微微上揚嘅嘴角，因此得名。扶手、前腳同後腳睇落好似同一塊木料，經過分裂再生長咁樣，反映萬物生長嘅概念。扶手同椅背嘅曲線輕盈、順滑而飽滿，形成柔和嘅陰影效果。呢張椅子採用山毛榉同北美胡桃木製作，透過木材彎曲工藝塑形而成。座位同椅背經過精細打磨，提升坐感嘅舒適度。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 銅獎

Smile 椅子是 A' Design Award 銅獎得主，這是授予以創造力、獨創性和敏銳見長的傑出設計的極具聲望的認可。銅獎得主是技藝嫻熟、創意驚人的作品，印證了其設計師豐富的經驗、想像力與機智。預計Smile 椅子將成為一件備受推崇、令人欽佩且被珍愛的物品，兼具顯著的專業性與創新性。這件贏得 A' Design Award 銅獎的設計融入藝術、科學、設計和技術領域的最佳實踐，並因注重細節而出類拔萃。Smile 椅子出色地滿足需求，觸動渴望，迷住情感，並吸引好奇心。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: The chair adopts advanced cold-curved wood technology in the process, uses the least materials to achieve the noble material sense of natural solid wood, and also fully uses the toughness of the wood itself. The rigorous and meticulous production process conveys the warmth of ingenuity and allows the owner to produce a heart of love.
Dimensions & Packaging: Product Size: 597*484*760 (mm) Product weight: 4.8 kg Product volume: 0.22 m3
Tags: S,C
Production Technology: Production technology: wood bending process. Materials: Beech, North American walnut.
Design Challenge: The connection between the armrest and stool leg of the chair works like a piece of wood that grows after being split. These flowing curves increase the difficulty of production, and are also a great challenge to the production process. Before production, the designer prints out drawings and 3D printed models. Designers and woodworkers have discussed the appearance, dimensions, and craftsmanship many times to minimize errors in production and better restore the design of drawings. Designers use wood's hot bending technology to make handrails. In addition, the connecting part on the seat back has chosen the domino connection structure to restore the drawings as much as possible.
Research: Design background: I hope that designing a comfortable chair will also allow users to have a love of things and experience the aesthetics of life. Method: The ancient people's philosophical ideas were extracted, and the concept of the growth of all things was incorporated into the shape of the chair. In terms of aesthetics, the connection between the armrest and the stool leg grew like a piece of wood after being split. Incorporate the degree of line changes in traditional painting and calligraphy works into the lines of the chair, giving the shape a sense of integrity.
Inspiration: The backrest of the chair is like a slightly raised corner of the mouth, hence the name "Smile - Chair". The armrests, front legs, and rear legs of the laughing chair are visually like a piece of wood that has been split and grown, reflecting the concept of growth of everything. The delicate lines of the armrest and backrest are like silk, light and supple, full and exquisite, and extremely tension, and create a special shadow effect.
Project Duration: The project started in April 2019 in Hangzhou and finished in August 2020 in Hangzhou.
Operation Flow: Chairs are so common that few people care about them. The design of Mua Chair is to improve the details of chair surface and backrest to enhance the comfort, and the curve design of armrest can let users experience complete smoothness.
Team Members: Xu Le, Bao Liyuan, Yang Cunyuan, Xia Yingchong and Zhang Wen