Shanghai 2019 – Shanghai burgeoning creative scene shone at the leading furniture fairs which put the metropolis on the map. We selected 10 Chinese design brands launching quirky and innovative furniture collections.
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Stellar Works’ first product launch in Shanghai
Stellar Works launched new collections by Space Copenhagen and Neri&Hu – who are also the art directors of the Chinese brand – which tune with the motto “Asian sensibility, timeless craft”. The Discipline sofa by is formed from a horizontal wooden plane that acts as a base for four variations of soft cushion above. Names after the iconic Shanghai district, the Bund table comes with a marble base and a brass top. The Cabinet of Curiosity: Dress comes with a walnut-wood frame and veneer-laminate panels.
Paper clip-inspired chairs
The changing form of a paper clip inspired the new collection of tubular chairs by Shanghai-based studio 8 Hours Design. Rounded metal frames and padded seats compose the designs, available in electric blue and dark grey. “Clips is flexible and very identifiable. We love to find surprises in daily moments and create products to make daily life more intriguing.” Said the company’s founder Sherry Xu to Archipanic.
Millennials’ informal art of welcoming… through design
According to Canadian-Chinese studio Hi Thanks Bye, millennials retreat from bars and restaurants to enjoy the intimacy of being among friends at home. New informal and welcoming rituals are taking shape, “that why we designed the BE MY GUEST collection which aims to overcome “feelings of intimidation and awkwardness in social situations through micro-interactions built into furniture pieces”. Be My Guest includes an entryway mirror, an umbrella stand, a bar cart, and a fully upholstered rocker.
Millenials’ comic-looking furniture
BingQi Lee Studio’s rounded-shaped and colorful playful designs fit in millennials’ homes. The comic-looking new range comprises a chair, a valet stand, a cabinet, a cupboard, a side table, a daisy-shaped mirror and a rocking chair. “We used a minimalist design language to reinterpret Chinese traditional elements and build simple fashion modern household products for young consumers from all over the world,” explain at Bingqi Lee Design.
Psychedelic construction site-inspired designs
Design studio Buzao launched a stainless steel and glass collection of furniture. The Null series aims to evoke “stability, calmness and rationality” with softly changing blue tones while the Hot range uses electroplated stainless steel to create an “uncontrollable” and iridescent rainbow-hued pattern. “Each piece in the collection is made of a series of rectangular beams, inspired by the wooden pallets commonly used on construction sites.” Explain at Buzao.
Digitally crafted metal furniture
Zhang Zhoujie is a designer and a tech-innovator with a “digitalized life attitude”. For his Endless Form project, he extended the MC collection of metal furniture crafted with algorithms with a barstool, new chairs and a table. The new pieces further explore the structure constructed from lines and surfaces, “optimize the structure, simplify the style, and eventually only the frame or even just a single line” adds Zhoujie.
Bespoke crafts and giant necklaces
San W is both a Gallery and a Studio in Shanghai Pudong which promotes contemporary arts and crafts, while offering a creative lab for for the production of contemporary jewelry and lamp-blown glass artworks. At Design Shanghai San W presented the new ceramic tableware by Jingdezhen, Vicki Mason’s precious ornaments and more. At the Xintiandi Design Festival they created a giant necklace in collaboration with South African jewellery designer Gussie van der Merwe.
‘Up-foamed’ furniture bt Lewu Design Studio
At the new material innovation design section of the fair, Lewu Design Studio‘s brand-new collection showed how a foamed silica gel that can give old furniture new life. “We feel proud to be able to showcase our new material, a form of silicon foam alongside such incredible brands here in Shanghai.” Said Qianqian Hu, Co Founder Lewu Design Studios.
Beyond the Chinese contemporary living room
When Shanghai-based designer Frank Chou joined forces with Chinese brand HC28 the HC28 COSMOPOLITAN capsule collection and brand was born. The designer’s rounded-shaped armchair found a new home in a collection for both local and international drawing rooms.
When the sofa goes baanaana!
Was the sofa just blinking?! Universal Studio’s Minions turn into furniture in the brand new design series of Hong Kong-based brand Ziinlife. The Pea Pod Sofa is fully equipped with big eyes and humorous soft yellow shapes. The collection features also a side table, poufs and a cabinet.
Photos by Design Shanghai, the companies and designers.
