Round Square Teaware

The ‘Round Square Teaware’ is the latest creation by the talented Taiwan-based designer Chuntso Liu. The designer, who was also responsible for the fascinating ‘Ripple Tray’ in 2009, presents a new range of tableware, which he created for Taiwanese design company Koan Design. The collection of tableware is the result of Liu’s study of the laws of the universe and his fascination for the emulation with nature, from which humans create objects. While the rounded cups and the elegant teapot are an organic and logical shape for holding water, the cube-shaped handles are a tangibly human expression left on the surface that creates a subtle yet striking contrast, transcending functionality through decoration that both adds meaning to the object and forms an emotional bond with the user – aimed for by the designer. Aesthetically the ‘Round Square Teaware’ is clean, modern and highly appealing. We love this work by Liu.

Meeting the basic functionality requirement aside, how do we add something decorative which is both tangible yet simple and able to form an emotional feeling to an object? Neither round, nor square. It is round, and also square. Square and round are both elemental forms of nature, orbital track of motion, or structural element of a form.

Holding water is a logical and natural manifestation of the round mug. Adding a cube on its surface, ‘is’ a human expression, an act that ingeniously directs one’s visual orientation, and confer an expression upon the mug.

Chuntso Liu was born in 1980 and studied Mechanical Engineering in Taipei, after which he started research in the Human Cognitive field. Searching for the perfect combination of sense and sensibility: design thinking and mechanical engineering. After graduating Liu was invited to participate in mixed media multifunctional development project from National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute, working with many kinds of craftsmen – forming him into the sharp designer he is today.

I think design is starts with tiny seed, that is sparked by creativity and eventually blossoms into a great design.

For more work by Chuntso Liu see here.