PORTFOLIO 2026

VANCOUVER, BC

Still Flows

Still Flows is a furniture project that shows 3 lenses of flow: flow in furniture shape, flow of light and air, and flow of history.

SCROLL TO EXPLORE

Personal project

July 2024 - November 2024

The Still Flows system is built around a simple two-part structure: a Y-shaped core module and a cylindrical skin module, yet it can shift fluidly in shape, function, and spatial presence. This modularity mirrors the logic of southern Chinese iron window grilles, whose basic motifs can be rearranged into hundreds of patterns that shape space without fully enclosing it.

01 - BACKGROUND

"The ornament of everyday life"

Imagine walking through a typical street in southern China in the mid-20th century. Every window has a unique iron lattice. Swirling florals, interlocking coins, rhythmic grids. These iron grilles were more than decoration; they embodied craftsmanship, aspiration, and a sense of safety.

How do Chinese traditional window grills shape the space?

01 Protection

A boundary of privacy without fully enclosing

Unlike solid walls, the openwork patterns allowed residents to feel secure while still remaining visually connected to the street. This balance of openness and enclosure created a gentle threshold that supports a flow of interaction.

02 Ventilation

Free flow of air

The porous structure enabled continuous airflow, especially important in humid tropical climates. The openings guided breezes through the home, cooling interiors naturally and creating a lived sense of spatial flow.

03 Ornamentation

Rhythm of light and pattern

Sunlight filtered through these patterns, casting shifting shadows that moved gently across floors and walls throughout the day. This interplay of light and geometry introduced a temporal flow.

How might we reinterpret and preserve the expressive spirit of traditional iron window grilles within contemporary living spaces?

02 EXPERIMENT

Unexpected sense of fluidity

Inspired by iconic grille motifs, such as connected coins, I distilled their 2D geometry into cylindrical structures.

03 DEVELOPMENT

Modular Interlinking System

The goal of the development process is to create a single modular unit capable of interlocking in multiple directions. While the final pieces are fabricated in aluminum for durability, prototypes were 3D-printed to test structural integrity.

04 DESIGN

Morphing Through Interaction

The modules are designed for intuitive and satisfying motion, inviting users to snap, twist, slide, hide, and build the structures with ease. Each gesture builds on the previous one, allowing users to create endless spatial compositions, encouraging playful, ongoing rearrangement.

Core Module

Skin ModulE

01 Snapping

To connect modules, align any of the Core Module’s ends and push gently to snap them into place.

02 Twisting

For assemblies built through Chain Pairing, the A–B joint allows 360° horizontal rotation.

03 Sliding

After linking any two Core Modules, immediately slide on a Skin Module to cover and stabilize the newly formed unit.

04 Hiding

If a connection point is not needed, it can be hidden by rotating the edge.