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Xin Chen's "Square or Circle" Chair

Xin Chen's "Square or Circle" chair is a unique fusion of Eastern and Western cultures, inspired by the traditional Chinese instrument Liuqin and the Italian Strozzi chair. The chair is designed to communicate the cultural differences and similarities to modern audiences, offering a new way to appreciate furniture.

The "Square or Circle" chair is held together by tension and can be disassembled into individual pieces, which can then be rearranged and transformed into a representation of the Chinese instrument, a Liuqin. This innovative design satisfies both functional and aesthetic needs, while also allowing for easy transportation due to its dismantlable nature.

Made of cherry, walnut, fiber rope, and hardware, the chair is joined together without using glue, nails, or screws, and instead, it is held together by a rope in tension. The design measures 432mm x 534mm x 1143mm, and all parts can be dismantled for transportation.

This project started in March 2016 and finished in May 2016 at Iowa State University. It was exhibited in The 22nd International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA, the USA in December 2016.

Xin Chen's design aims to inspire people to appreciate furniture differently, incorporating Chinese elements to represent Chinese cultures, such as the color of Chinese red and the yin and yang circle from traditional Chinese philosophy.

Xin Chen is a designer and artist from Wuhan, China, who focuses on applying cultural elements into design and design problem-solving. His "Square or Circle" chair was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in 2020, recognizing its well-designed, practical, and innovative nature that meets professional and industrial requirements.

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