One of my favorite stands at the Tendence trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany was a joint effort by 14 Chinese designers called Original Oriental Opportunity China, or OOO China. The design aesthetic was high and the pieces were clever. Here are a few I loved:
Xiaojie of XIAOJIE studio designed the Coin Chair. Made of stainless steel and bamboo, it was inspired by coins from the Ming dynasty. Check out the shadow below the chair to better understand the relationship between traditional Chinese coins and this piece.
Coin Chair from Xiaojie of XIAOJIE studio
Yeh Yu-Hsuan, founder and Chief Creative Director of Yehidea, designed the Cloud Bar Table in fiberglass. Its organic, cloud-like shape is punctuated with three holders for wine bottles or glasses. Also available: indentations that allow stacking.
Cloud Bar Table from Yeh Yu-Hsuan, founder and Chief Creative Director of Yehidea
Empty, designed by PEP Design founder Nathan Liu, a combines multiple functions in a single bentwood piece. There are so many ways it can be used!
'Empty' designed by PEP Design founder Nathan Liu
The name of Harrison Liu’s company, Liu Liu Furniture Design & Marketing Co. Ltd. is long, but so is the list of Mr. Liu’s credentials. In addition to his role as President & Chief Designer, he is also an actor, director, producer and interior designer for international hotels. His Liu Liu Chairs, like every item he designs, were intended to be used in many ways. So they can also be lined up to make a bench. Make it two or more rows and you have the platform for a bed. Or, take the back of the chair and inserted in the open space below to create a shelf. Below is a picture of the Liu Liu chairs, as well as one of Mr. Liu sitting on a sofa which he designed.
Liu Liu chairs by Liu Liu Furniture Design & Marketing Co. Ltd.
Mr. Harrison Liu of Liu Liu Furniture Design & Marketing Co. Ltd., sitting on a sofa which he designed
Lian Zhiming and Wang Ke, both of Idee Interior Design Co., Ltd., showed Cactus Cups. This set of four cups, stacked with a dish into a single visual field, is both clever and space saving. Another version comes with Red, Blue and Yellow handles.
Cactus Cups from Idee Interior Design Co., Ltd.
The Lover Style chairs were designed by Sun Yun, founder of Hang Zhou NEI Architectural Design Company. The chairs are inseparable. Enough said.
Lover Style chairs designed by Sun Yun, founder of Hang Zhou NEI Architectural Design Company