Designer Transforms Warehouse Boxes into a Furniture Series | Muah

FDT Bureau

Lee Lin’s Muah furniture series explores the concept of object circulation and the dynamic between humans and nature by giving a fresh purpose to the ordinary and omnipresent box. Inspired by the observation of warehouse boxes, which quietly play a vital role in our daily lives by containing our essentials and facilitating global shipping, the project seeks to challenge the fundamental qualities and relationships of these boxes. Know more about it on FURNITURE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (FDT).

Muah intervenes in the typical lifecycle of boxes, repurposing and stacking them into versatile compositions to breathe new life into them as decorative objects, chairs or tables. The series combines both unused, pristine boxes and discarded ones that have fulfilled their initial purpose. Lee Lin skillfully cuts and trims the boxes, shaping them into block forms, before coating them with multiple layers of paint that are allowed to thoroughly dry.

Through this iterative process, a pattern emerges, rather than by design, creating a unique aesthetic. The final pieces are marked with breathing holes to promote airflow, preventing the material from decaying. The name of the project, Muah originates from a Buddhist term that signifies the absence of a fixed substance in all worldly objects. Lee Lin invites viewers and users to engage with the furniture pieces in their own individual ways.

Each block possesses inherent flexibility, capable of transforming into a chair, bench, table, stool or any other object according to the user’s specific needs. Moreover, depending on the lighting and surroundings, the surface of the blocks may resemble ceramics, plastic or evoke imagery of a cascading waterfall or tranquil swaying lake.

Image credit: Design Boom