black monolithic furniture embraces organic semi-cylindrical forms + raw wood log textures

black monolithic furniture embraces organic semi-cylindrical forms + raw wood log textures

ren hongfei embraces raw materiality of wood 

 

At the third annual edition of the Designew exhibition at Shenzhen, China, Ren Hongfei presents his new wooden furniture collection, WEIMAN. In a celebration of raw materiality, and primitive craftsmanship, the series embraces the unfiltered, organic essence of wood. Each of the four furniture objects are composed of basic modular, semi-cylindrical forms arranged in various configurations with minimal intervention by the designer. With these dark monolithic bodies of the benches, stools, and tables, Ren Hongfei tackles the rigidity and ‘indifference’ brought by industrialized standard manufacturing to furniture products. Rethinking industrial production, WEIMAN embraces the vitality of organic, natural materials and forms his furniture out of wood logs — preserving their rough textures, rounded forms and robust presence.

monolithic stools by ren hongfei embrace organic semi-cylindrical forms and raw textures of wood logs
all images by Xu Xiaodong

 

 

various configurations of semi-cylindrical wood logs

 

Along the theme of the Designew exhibition, Ren Hongfei questions mass-market production processes of design objects which often contribute impersonal craftsmanship and material waste. The furniture objects of WEIMAN retain the organic, simple presence of its sole material — logs of wood. In a basic design language, the concept of WEIMAN begins with the most fundamental functions and users’ desires in mind. ‘Expressing the oriental creation concept of restraint and balance’, the Shanghai-based furniture designer uses as little intervention as possible to seamlessly transform the wooden logs into functional, finished products.

 

The four pieces of black furniture that comprise the collection are all various configurations of the basic element of the semi-cylinder, composed in different logical relationships and left mostly in their raw form. Ren Hongfei achieves the organic semi-circle modules by simply sawing the cylindrical logs of wood in half. The traditional, natural blemishes on the surface have been preserved, expressing the raw beauty of wood, while the additional hand-chiselled production marks and treatments offer bold expressions of individuality and vitality.

monolithic stools by ren hongfei embrace organic semi-cylindrical forms and raw textures of wood logs
Ren Hongfei premiered WEIMAN at the 2022 annual Designew exhibition in Shenzhen

monolithic stools by ren hongfei embrace organic semi-cylindrical forms and raw textures of wood logs
the project rethinks industrial production and embraces simple, minimal forms

monolithic stools by ren hongfei embrace organic semi-cylindrical forms and raw textures of wood logs
Ren Hongfei achieves semi-circle modules by simply sawing cylindrical logs of wood in half

monolithic-stools-organic-semi-cylindrical-raw-textures-wooden-logs-ren-hongfei-designboom-1

the collection is comprised of dark monolithic bodies of benches, stools and tables

monolithic stools by ren hongfei embrace organic semi-cylindrical forms and raw textures of wood logs
the concept of WEIMAN begins with the most fundamental functions in mind

WEIMAN stool
natural and treatment blemishes on the surface have been preserved, expressing the raw beauty of wood

WEIMAN
WEIMAN furniture objects preserve the rough textures, rounded forms and robust presence of wood logs

 

 

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project info:

 

name: WEIMAN
designer: Ren Hongfei

 

 

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: ravail khan | designboom

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