Studio Zung Surfboards
New York City-based Studio Zung is an inspirational design studio with a focus on architecture, design and branding. We became familiar with their work through the latest project of its founder, architect Tommy Zung, who recently designed an incredible collection of surfboards (and skateboards for that matter, which were initially designed for Zung’s 13-year-old son, Kaikoa) collection, the Zung Ride. After having surfed in Montauk, Mundaka, Biarritz, and far beyond for over 30 years, the designer decided to translate his love for surfing in boards from his own aesthetic vision which he feels have “very good shapes that make you surf better.” Designed in-house, and hand-shaped in Southern California, the 7, 8, 9-foot-long boards are made from polyurethane foam and fibreglass and finished with either paint or resin tint, with the graphics being inspired by the incredible work of Ellsworth Kelly. We love both the colors and shapes and how the two elements make the Zung Ride some of the most aesthetic boards out there.
Zung’s energy and style carves out an exciting and unique model in the architecture world by combining architecture, design and branding in one collaborative and multi-talented studio.
Tommy Zung’s multi-disciplinary approach began with his early studies in Hotel and Restaurant Management, an extremely useful background that eventually lead to Zung becoming the key collaborator and assistant general manager of the celebrated Moomba Restaurant & Lounge in NYC. Zung’s experience in hospitality has added an extra layer of design competence, which he infuses into his projects.
Not content with one area of design, Zung established his own clothing label and street-wear line that sold to over 300 accounts internationally. The label received recognition from every major fashion publication including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Arena, L’Uomo Vogue, GQ, The Face, and i-D. In addition, Zung has designed and created clothing labels for Mitsubishi Corporation, Itochu Fashions and Seibu. Zung also created and guest hosted design segments featured on Fox Network, F/X.
Taking the design principals and environmental integrity of Buckminster Fuller even further, he established STUDIO ZUNG in 2013, a multidisciplinary architectural design and branding firm that harnesses Zung’s hands-on experience from his various successful creative and business ventures. His architectural work focuses on boutique sensorial design, blending elements from the natural world with a unified narrative approach.
For more information and to order online see here.