Chair of Solemnity, measuring 19.0’’ x 20.9’’ x 45.2’’, is a flat-pack formal dining chair designed to showcase users' elegance and signify a solemn way of living.
The easel structure offers the initial inspiration for the chair’s structure and the idea that a chair can be more than just a seat—it can highlight the beauty of its users. Soviet architecture, characterized by high-rises and absolute symmetry, offers a more specific direction for the chair’s structure. The modern decorative pattern on the chair’s back and seat is inspired by polyphony, a type of musical texture consisting of multiple lines of independent melody.
The chair is crafted from 18 mm colored core birch plywood, with treatments including CNC routing, hand sanding, and a varnish finish. To achieve the intended decorative pattern, the "dog bone" technique for making mortises was not used in the fabrication process. After CNC machining, all wood tabs were hand-sanded to fit the mortises.
Bio Siyun Xue is a product and furniture designer based in Iowa City. He designs everyday items across a range of scales, from salt and pepper dispensers to larger pieces like lounge chairs. Inspired by knowledge and experience from various fields, his work focuses on exploring the significance of formgiving. He conceives and brings to life functional forms that tell stories, evoke emotions, explain theories, present opinions, reveal ways of living, express ineffable feelings, and more.
Other prizes Design Educates Awards 2024 - Honorable Mention in Product Design IDA 2024 - Bronze in Home & Living / Home Decor / Styling Products SIT Furniture Design Award 2024 - Stool Winner & Chaise Longue Winner
