yi cong lu: panel

‘panel’ by yi-cong lu as part of the ‘wohnwerkzeuge’ (‘living tools’) series

‘panel’, created by german designer yi-cong lu, is engineered as a multifunctional surface to address in a single object the changing needs of interior spaces. part of yi-cong’s ‘wohnwerkzeuge’ (‘living tools’) series, the piece was exhibited at imm cologne 2011, as part of the [d3] exhibition for young designers.

shown here both standing upright and being hung horizontally, yi-cong lu’s ‘panel’ adapts to a range of uses image © designboom

both ‘wohnwerkzeuge’ as a whole and ‘panel’ in particular began with a simple question: why must work and behaviour be adapted to our living spaces, rather than the other way around? yi-cong was influenced in particular by the changing uses of the living room, from entertainment space to guest room to temporary office.

depending on the user’s needs, ‘panel’ can either be fixed horizontally or stand on its own vertically, and alternately appropriated as table, room divider, closet rack, or shelf.

full frontal view of ‘panel’ image © designboom

yi-cong hooks the panel to the wall for use as a table image © designboom

‘panel’ is designed to be easily portable and transformable image © designboom

small indentations permit just two hooks to provide enough stability for the structure to be suspended in different ways, here as a shelf image © designboom

detail on ‘panel’ used as a standalone clothing rack image © designboom

studio view of both options for a hung ‘panel’