ian yen rethinks chinese tea culture from philosophy to shape for the float tea set

the unique ‘float’ tea set from ian yen is an embodiment of modern cast iron design, comprising of one teapot and matching teacups. minimalist as it is, this unconventional teapot has a full-moon-like handle and a straight pointing spout. brilliantly polished, the ink tones of the ‘float’ tea set shine with variations while pouring and sipping, just like splash-ink — a technique of chinese ink-painting. in the steam and light while enjoying the tea time at ease, the users feel floating effortlessly in a skiff on the lake in the full moon.

‘float’ tea set

taiwanese artist ian yen‘s design of v-shaped valleys forming in mountains is used for the base of the ‘float’ tea set, functionally serving as both a radiator and a stand. not only in form or function, this sophisticated referent reveals the representation of hidden streams in the valley. the designer’s object imagery hinges on what’s unseen, which might be called dao — the underlying flow of the universe.

the front view and side view of the tea pot

in ancient chinese philosophy, the shapeless transforming watery dao is taken as something to ‘float on’ and ‘swim in’. dao, literally means ‘way’ or ‘principal’, is a non-dual concept, often described in terms of water. as similar to water, it’s soft and quiet but immensely powerful.

tea cup design

never satisfied with merely the analog form of perception, the designer’s conception addressed here is both poetic and philosophical. while either having tea alone or entertaining guests with ‘float’, the vessel in motion changes its aspects at every turn and salute: the mountain-like lid knob and the valley-like base gradually transform into fog and mist.

good shape of the water when using

in this piece of work, ian yen links ‘virtual and real’ concepts to ‘dynamic and still’ ideas. just like appreciating landscape paintings in chinese art, rather than emphasizing visual resemblance to forms, one can experience the expression of ‘float’, on which the designer has built an original vision for oriental aesthetics.

detail of the tea pot

the shape of the handle is like a floating mountain on the water

special structure lets the tea pot easy to use and easy to clean

enjoy tea with friends

concept sketch from ian yen

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: apostolos costarangos | designboom