We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Chung-Ah Kim about their original and creative Bench design work. Chung-Ah Kim is an award-winning industrial designer, that makes our world a better place with their original bench works.
Chung-Ah Kim ("CK") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Haiden Bench. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
CK : I wanted to create a multi functional furniture piece that has beautiful look. My inspiration came from the frame work from a construction of the buildings.
CK : My main focus was a practicality. I believe that we as a designer, creating something that looks appealing and beautiful is a given. I really wanted to achieve to create something that has a both value. (Practically and aesthetic look)
CK : From the award winning design, I was able to communicate my design to a local designers. My future plan is to continue to design and create furniture piece. My option is open to anything that involves in art, and design.
CK : Whole process of getting my concept down and put it into a design took me almost a month.
CK : I was taking a Furniture Construction class in Academy of Art Univerisity and our assignment was to make a furniture that has our own inspiration. I always had the inspiration in my head and that I wanted to design a bench. The vision that I had in my head is very similar look to Haiden yet very different. I couldn't make the exact thing that was in my head because it simply wouldn't work...the bench would literally clap when you tried to sit. I liked the look of the framework in architecture. I was always intrigued by look of negative space and positive metal stud. I believe that it was good timing for me to pursuit my old inspiration at school.
CK : My bench isn't produced by another company right now but it is going to be presented at the spring show for Academy of Art University in May-August 2012. I'm also open to massive produce and make the piece for people that are interested in this particular design.
CK : The bench that has the multiple functionality and also can be just stand as the decorative piece. It can be use in indoor and outdoor.
CK : After finishing this particular project, I honestly wasn't trying to come up with a name. The name just came into my head without knowing what it meant so I googled the word. The Haiden is the part of the Japanese architecture form of the Shinto shrine. The haiden is the hall of worship or oratory. It is generally placed in front of the shrine's main sanctuary (honden) and often built on a larger scale than the latter. After reading the description of the Haiden I immediately liked the name. I liked that it was related to the architecture form and also that the Haiden was the form that stands in main area of the place.
CK : It was mostly my pen and the sketch book. The marker also did a lot when I was trying to separate the different form and a shape of the design. After the design process I used the Auto Cad to get the accurate measurements. When I was actually making the piece I used all different kind of saws. (Table saw, Miter Saw, Band Saw, Japanese cross cut saw, and more...)
CK : I guess the challenge that I had in this project is to let go of some of the ideas that I had in my head when I first came up with an idea. I had to give up my first sketch that I drew but I'm very happy with my complete design. I really enjoyed and understood of the design process especially when designing the piece that plays big role in a practicality.
