AF Vase
CLIENT : Format
CATEGORY : vase
COMPLETION OF PROJECT : 2024
PROJECT TEAM : HYUNSOO CHOI
This project presents a collection of system furniture, lighting, and interior objects developed in collaboration with FORMAT, a brand of Sungji Steel specializing in formwork hardware for concrete construction.
The project begins with formwork hardware that has completed its original role on construction sites. Rather than being discarded, these components are reinterpreted through an upcycling process that preserves their structural logic and material qualities while assigning them new functions for everyday use. Surface traces and the industrial character embedded in the material serve as key starting points for the design.
The second product in the collection is a vase. Standardized formwork components are disassembled into smaller units, cut, and reassembled into a new structure to create a single vase object. Through this process, heavy construction hardware is transformed into an interior object suited to everyday living. Traces of industrial use are not concealed but carefully refined within a restrained form, allowing the material’s previous context to remain visible.
The vase features a grid-like assembly structure derived from the repetitive and modular nature of formwork hardware. This structure recalls an urban skyline, while the contrast between the rigid metal framework and organic plant forms creates a subtle tension and balance. Functionally, the vase is designed to hold water with structural stability, resulting in an object that integrates both sculptural presence and practical use.
This project demonstrates how industrial materials at the end of their lifecycle can be recontextualized through design. By extending construction materials into domestic space, the vase and the broader collection quietly express the sustainable potential of upcycling and the role of design in extending the value of materials beyond their original purpose.
The vase features a grid-like assembly structure derived from the repetitive and modular nature of formwork hardware. This structure recalls an urban skyline, while the contrast between the rigid metal framework and organic plant forms creates a subtle tension and balance. Functionally, the vase is designed to hold water with structural stability, resulting in an object that integrates both sculptural presence and practical use.
This project demonstrates how industrial materials at the end of their lifecycle can be recontextualized through design. By extending construction materials into domestic space, the vase and the broader collection quietly express the sustainable potential of upcycling and the role of design in extending the value of materials beyond their original purpose.
