From Yuhang design set – All photos by PINWU.
Chairs, vases and lamps made of bamboo-pulp paper, porcelain tablewares and a table with a ceramic lacquered top. PINWU design trio of international talents presents From Yuhang, a project with the support of Yuhang local authorities that rediscovers ancient techniques, craftsmanship and local materials to give shape to a contemporary furniture collection.
From Yuhang design set.
PINWU studio is composed by three young talents: Chinese product designer Zhang Lei, German furniture and car designer Christoph John and Serbian furniture and space designer Jovana Bogdanovic. Yuhang is a suburban district of Hangzhou in the Zhejiang province, South of Shanghai.
Paper making is one of the Four Great Inventions of ancient China. With an abundance of bamboo trees, Yuhang is well-known for its handmade bamboo paper that has traditionally been used for writing and painting. “We have conceptualized a more contemporary use of the material. It is the principle element of our chair design” say at PINWU studio to ArchiPanic.
固 Gù chair – Around Yuhang, there are still bamboo papermaking villages which continue to produce paper from natural bamboo fibers. This process has been kept intact for thousands of years. The main component of Gù chairs is bamboo pulp.
“The simple, yet elegant appearance of a Gù chair only hints that it is made from archaic materials. It stays ageless amidst her modern surroundings” say at PINWU. As an upgrade to the collection, the designers added natural pastel colors as gray, yellow, red and green.
落 Luò lamp is based on inherited methods of creating bamboo paper. Now this process has been transformed into a third dimension. Simplicity in design and natural finish make every lamp a unique piece.
云 Yún is a series of vases made of original Yuhang bamboo paper pulp. Pulp contains only bamboo floss and water. Irregular edges and a round outer surface display the intricacies of handmade papermaking and give unique character to each piece.
PINWU studio explored ways of taking the primitive ceramic craft and applying to it a modern touch. “Our porcelain table Lù is inspired by the image of dew collecting on leaves in the early morning. indeed, Lù, 露 in Chinese, means dew”. The durability and sturdiness of porcelain make it an ideal tabletop surface. The collection is supported by various dimensions and colors. Each brings a warm and sensitive atmosphere to the home.
鬲 Lì Porcelain dishes are modeled after the shapes and styles of the ancient Lì tradition that was born in Yuhang during pre-dynastic times. The collection, which includes 23 pieces, shows the endurance of Lì porcelain in the same place it originated from.
Photos: courtesy of Pinwu – From Yuahng.
