Geometry-Inspired Furniture: The Ji Mu Collection

Yu Li and Bowen Qian's Award-Winning Design Transforms Simple Wooden Parts into Multifunctional Furniture

Yu Li and Bowen Qian's Ji Mu collection is a testament to the transformative power of simple geometric shapes. The designers drew inspiration from solid geometry, a branch of mathematics that deals with three-dimensional shapes. By combining simple wooden parts in various ways, they were able to create a range of furniture items, including chairs, small tea tables, benches, and wine racks.

The unique properties of the Ji Mu collection lie in its versatility and adaptability. With different combinations of wooden parts and some simple wood joints, Ji Mu can be transformed into diverse forms and used for different purposes. This multifunctional design is a response to the growing demand among young people in China for products that offer multiple functions.

The Ji Mu collection was realized using CNC lathe technique and wood cutting process. The designers faced the challenge of finding ways to assemble the Ji Mu pieces in a way that would be both multifunctional and modular. The result is a design that is not only practical but also aesthetically pleasing, with the natural beauty of the wood adding a warm and organic touch to the geometric forms.

The Ji Mu collection was created in Zhengzhou, China, between March and October 2016. The project was a collaborative effort between Yu Li and Bowen Qian, who share the copyright for the design. The collection has been recognized for its innovative design and technical excellence, winning the Silver A' Furniture Design Award in 2017.

With the Ji Mu collection, Yu Li and Bowen Qian have demonstrated the potential of simple geometric shapes to transform into complex and functional objects. By encouraging users to use their imagination in assembling the pieces, they have created a design that is not only practical but also engaging and interactive. As the designers themselves put it, "Only the imagination is needed in this section. Users can find their own ways to build their own Ji Mu."