DESIGN STORIES
Kenyon Yeh
" Minimal is to reduce distraction or take out the unnecessary"
design stories
Kenyon Yeh
Kenyon Yeh currently lives and works in Taiwan, where the studio produces work
for international clients. His design studio focuses on furniture, lighting, product and interior design projects.
His inspirations come from minimizing the outlines of mundane objects and exploring the possibilities of traditional and modern manufacturing techniques. The
application of these principles makes his work unique and amiable at the
same time.
INTERVIEW
Kenyon Yeh & TAMO
Europe - ASIA - London - Taiwan - long distance, with many cultural differences, traditions techniques...How has it influenced Your nowadays design methods and Your way of thinking?
I tried to express and mix the two different background experiences in
my work, not just through the form but it may also be related through
how the idea came from in different scenarios. And adapt it to the final
outcome. I’m hoping my works can be balanced between Western and
Eastern influences.
Your workflow, Your daylight...
I really enjoy the design process. In my studio, we always start with a
rough sketch, then 3D modeling and printing the first scale mock-up to
see the proportion. Then come back to refine the 3D model, print again
or make a cardboard model to test. We keep doing this step maybe 3-5
times or even more until I think it feels right and ready.
The balance between modern production & traditional manufacturing - how do You solve it in Your projects?
We are now living in a world where all should be done by machine to get a
perfect finish to increase any errors. In furniture design in my
opinion, besides the advantages of modern machines, traditional
craftsmanship is still the most important focus as well. Where some
specific detailing can only be done by human hand. Balancing these two
elements will bring the product’s final result quality to the highest
possible and closer to the user’s life.
The source of Your inspiration?
My source of inspiration came from different aspects. Some from my
experience as a user, some from how I see or observe things and blend
them into my design. Sketching and playing with paper or materials are
also one of my sources of inspiration as well.
Minimalist form & function - what takes the first place in Your design rules?
For me, minimal is to reduce distraction or take out the unnecessary.
Allowing to focus not only on one area in particular but to focus the
product as a whole. And to serve the usefulness of a product to
communicate or connect with people and surrounding space.
The main assumption of Your projects for TAMO. How would You find them as a part of the TAMO collection - point there positions
The projects I’m working on with TAMO, I’m trying to find TAMO’s DNA to
define and create something that is original but it has the element that
reminds you of something or related to some cultural background
detailing. I focused to use materials such as solid wood, marble, steel,
and glass to celebrate the strong craftsmanship skill which is one of
TAMO’s important identities. The projects will fulfill the needs for
home and contract use.
Why TAMO?
I was getting into TAMO’s world when I saw it on my Instagram feed. I’m
impressed with how TAMO presents the collection by showing the beauty of
the craftsmanship skills whilst made from natural materials. On the
other hand, the collection is original, well-made also elegant. TAMO is a
brand who have high knowledge of how to make a high-quality product,
and also knows how to connect craft and design.
