A Toaster And More Inspiring Pieces Hand-Picked By Singapore Designer Hunn Wai
“Everything is worthy of better design,” says industrial designer Hunn Wai. Whether it's a toaster oven or a chair, the 2016 Generation T lister firmly believes that good design can help improve our daily lives.
The co-founder of Singapore and Milan-based practice Lanzavecchia + Wai most recently designed chairs for the Red House Seafood flagship restaurant in a collaborative project with local interdisciplinary studio Farm; the latter took charge of the interior design of the seafood restaurant at Grand Copthorne Waterfront.
Here, he shares more about the collections on his mind right now.
(Related: A Drink With ... Hunn Wai)
1/5 RH01 chair by Lanzavecchia + Wai
Specially designed for the Red House restaurant group, the RH01 chair weaves a sense of heritage with its modern form. The project is a collaboration between design firms Farm and Lanzavecchia + Wai. “RH01 is a contemporary expression of the woven rattan chairs that used to populate post-war Southeast Asia’s dining rooms and eateries,” says Wai.
2/5 Fritz Hansen PK25 lounge chair by Poul Kjærholm, from W. Atelier
Although this lounge chair is an early work by the prominent Danish designer, its now-timeless design is remarkable in its simplicity. “Kjærholm’s graduation project is a masterpiece that poetically blends industrially available materials,” says Wai.
Available from W. Atelier
(Related: What Makes Good Design?)
3/5 Balmuda Steam Toaster Oven
There is beauty in the mundane, as evident in this oven. “This toaster oven has just one function: to make perfect toast. It’s the flagship product of Tokyo-based brand Balmuda, whose philosophy is an inspiration to any design entrepreneur,” says the designer.
Available from balmuda.com
(Related: Why Good Design Matters, According To DesignSingapore Council Executive Director Mark Wee)
4/5 Cassina 699 Superleggera Chair by Gio Ponti, from Space Furniture
The work of Italian architect Gio Ponti continues to inspire Wai, and of his extensive oeuvre, this chair left an indelible impact. “An absolute technical and aesthetic achievement, this wooden chair weighs 1.7kg and has a cross-section of just 18mm.”
Available from Space Furniture
(Related: 10 Designer Furniture Retailers With Virtual Concierge Services)
5/5 Exto Clockwork Cabinet by Lanzavecchia + Wai
This playful cabinet makes its brass fixtures the focal point; it can be opened by shifting the decorative handle in a clockwise motion—hence its name. “Clockwork celebrates some of the functional elements that are usually invisible. We have enlarged hinges and locks, emphasising and enhancing them to further decorate and embellish the unit,” explains Wai.
Available from extoworld.it
The June-July 2020 issue of Tatler Homes Singapore is available with our compliments on Magzter