lanzavecchia + wai: bubu bench and bilik room divider

lanzavecchia + wai: bubu bench and bilik room divider
all photography © daniel peh kl

italian and singaporean design studio lanzavecchia + wai have collaborated their distinct creative efforts again in a series of hand-woven furniture pieces — a project made possible through the futurecraft workshop. the two designers are committed to finding relationships between objects and the human body and soul. their philosophy is ever present in the ‘bilik’ room divider and ‘bubu’ bench, which appropriately employ natural resources as mediums and utilize handcrafted construction, done by skilled artisans in west java, indonesia.

the ‘bilik’ room divider

the ‘bilik’ room divider highlights the use of rattan weaving craft, typical to south-east asia. it functions as two panels on which various sized pockets ornament the facade. the storage can be used to both display or deposit daily possessions. ‘bilik’ separates a space in an aesthetically and physically engaging way.

14 pockets are available for storage purposes

a detail of the rattan hand-woven material

‘bubu’ is a rattan-woven bench that encourages an experience when using it. the bench actively behaves according to its user’s body weight when sitting upon it, giving them a creative understanding of the craft and flexibility behind the medium. the designers have intentionally minimized the material’s support components, allowing the bench to express elasticity and playfulness. it is elevated on a plinth-like metal support structure, contributing to its sculptural sensibility. the design references its namesake, an indonesian fish-trap and its shape alludes to the form of a huge fish.

the bench can be sat on in a variety of ways