We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Wai Ho Cheung about their original and creative Coffee table design work. Wai Ho Cheung is an award-winning industrial designer, that makes our world a better place with their original coffee table works.
Wai Ho Cheung ("WHC") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Arctic Coffee table. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
WHC : The form is inspired by tidal wave. In the meantime, the functionality is inspired by park bench slats.
WHC : The main focus was to improve the first version I did and turn it into more commercial. Therefore, my aim was to design a unique coffee table with material and production process as cheap as possible.
WHC : I will try to sell the design to a furniture company.
WHC : I took around a week to design the first version, as the first version was for publishing related to Fuorisalone 2016, Milan. Then I redesigned and finished the current version in a week after the event, which took around a month for the whole design process discretely.
WHC : I wanted to apply for the selection of a catalogue, Design for 2016 with new designs. Therefore, I created the first version, Wave ( (Please visit http://waihocheung.wixsite.com/waihocheung/wave for detail regarding the design). Afterwards, I wanted to develop the previous one into a more commercial way. Thus, Arctic was designed.
WHC : It has not been produced or used by any company yet, only a prototype was produced by myself. However, I would like to sell the production rights to a furniture company.
WHC : I am highly committed to developing a career in furniture design. Therefore, I always develop self-directed projects to fulfil my desire and to put my design concept and philosophy into practice.
WHC : Unfortunately, there was no other designer got influence.
WHC : The target customers would be people who love furniture in simple and contemporary style.
WHC : I would say the simple and economy production process, under-estimated functionality and unique outlook with the dynamic waves are the factors set apart this coffee table from others.
WHC : The current version was called Uphill originally. However, I thought the waves underneath looked like currents in ocean more than hills. Besides, in Chinese Five Elements, the corresponding colour and direction to Water element are black and north. Therefore, I renamed it as the largest ocean in the north, Arctic.
WHC : I used pencils, AutoCAD, 3ds Max, my brain and my heart.
WHC : Certainly, it would be the dynamic waves underneath which can generate a visual illusion that the still table appears as moving.
WHC : From idea development to building up CAD model, I worked on my own at each stage and I appreciate Mr. Ip’s assist by giving technical advice.
WHC : I would say that technology will be only involved during the production. This design does not contain any high technology.
WHC : My design is not exactly influenced by any analytical research, just my limited knowledge of science and knowledge of I Ching (易經).
WHC : The first version was designed with 3 types of materials, so the challenge was to reduce the types of material used, at the same time to keep the dynamic outlook and to emphasise it.
WHC : I met a Dutch designer who won the gold award at A' Design and he recommended me to apply for it.
WHC : The first version was an asymmetric design with one end opened; now Arctic is a combination with symmetric and asymmetric design elements, depends on the point of view.
WHC : It is a complete questionnaire. For more information, please feel free to request an interview.
