korean design at london design week 2011

‘tea diver’ by sungmun yoon a tea strainer in the form of a scuba diver, adding playfulness to tea time

‘korea design‘ is an exhibition which showcases the work of contemporary korean designers working across furniture, lighting, product and textile designers. in the past, korean design has primarily been associated with electronics and high technology goods, standardized manufacturing techniques and homogenized products. this presentation aims to explore emerging designers’ focus on providing more intimate and meaningful relationships between user and their everyday products. through the selected fifteen companies and designers on show, ‘korea design’ brings forth themes of nature and sustainability, traditional craft and modern technology, design and art, in consideration with form. this 2011 edition of ‘korea design’ is the fourth installment of the exhibition seen during london design week 2011 at venue 100% design held at earl’s court.

‘tension bentwood chair’ by dohoon kim a chair made sing wood’s inherent tension and features a series of curvilinear shapes see designboom’s previous coverage of this project here

‘hanji-plastic chair’ by taiho shin (maezm) made from ‘hanji’, a traditional korean paper made from mulberry tree fibres. the paper gives the chair its structure, while a carbon fibre surface gives it its skin see designboom’s previous coverage of this project here

‘hidden light’ by giha woo based on the notion that one often needs light near a chair for reading purposes, this hybrid furniture object combines chair and light into one see designboom’s previous coverage of this project here