Silver Furniture Design · 2026
Soo No. 2 Chair
by Sangin Park
- A' Design Award 2026 Silver Winner in Furniture Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 23,908
- Verification code 0248B99F2C · Verify this award
About Soo No. 2 Chair
Soo No. 2 is a wooden chair designed for everyday seating. In most chairs the rear legs continue upward to support the backrest. In Soo No. 2 the rear legs and the backrest supports are separated into independent elements. The separation improves structural stability and creates a clear visual balance. The legs are cylindrical and the seat is woven with Danish cord. All structural joints use mortise and tenon joinery, and through joints form small diamond-shaped details along the sides of the frame. The armrests and backrest supports are fixed with discreet brass pins.
Sangin Park's Soo No. 2 Chair emerges from a rich confluence of furniture-making traditions that span continents and centuries, drawing upon the material honesty and functional elegance championed by mid-twentieth-century Scandinavian masters while simultaneously honoring East Asian philosophies of craft that privilege the inherent beauty of natural materials worked by skilled hands. The chair's oak frame demonstrates exceptional joinery sophistication, where mortise-and-tenon connections create structural integrity without relying upon mechanical fasteners, allowing the wood's natural grain patterns to flow uninterrupted across joints in a manner that suggests organic growth rather than mere assembly. The dual weaving techniques employed for seat and backrest reveal Park's thoughtful engagement with textile craft traditions: the backrest's horizontal wrapping provides both visual rhythm and ergonomic support through its slightly yielding surface, while the seat's elaborate knotted pattern introduces textural complexity that transforms a functional surface into a meditation on the possibilities of rope and knot. Chromatic restraint pervades the composition, with the warm golden oak and pale natural cordage creating an analogous harmony that feels simultaneously contemporary and timeless, eschewing applied color in favor of celebrating materials in their honest state. The proportional relationships demonstrate careful calibration, from the armrest height that invites relaxed posture to the gentle backward angle of the rear legs that provides stability while introducing subtle dynamic tension. This work participates in ongoing conversations about sustainable design and material authenticity, proposing that beauty emerges naturally when quality materials meet refined technique. The visible evidence of handcraft—the slight variations in fiber tension, the individual character of wood grain—invites contemplation of the human labor embedded within the object, transforming furniture from mere commodity into vessel of meaning. Viewers might consider how this chair would transform a space not merely as functional seating but as a presence that embodies values of patience, skill, and respect for the natural world from which its materials derive.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The most distinctive feature of this chair is the design of its rear legs. While conventional chairs extend the rear legs upward to support the backrest as two vertical columns, this approach was reconsidered in terms of structural stability. By separating the rear legs from the backrest support as independent elements, the design achieves both enhanced structural integrity and a clear sense of visual balance.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 580mm x Depth 640mm x Height 770mm
- Tags
- chair, chair design, woodworking
- Production Technology
- In realizing this chair, certain elements were intentionally kept traditional, including the cylindrical legs and a seat woven with Danish cord. Special attention was required where the squared frame members meet the round legs. All Structural joints are crafted using mortise and tenon joinery, with through mortise and tenon joints forming subtle diamond-shaped details along the frame sides. The armrests and back rest supports are fixed with discreet brass pins, preserving the clarity and simplicity of the overall shape.
- Design Challenge
- Design is shaped by the social and cultural context in which it is produced. Working within the Korean cultural context, where floor-based living has historically shaped furniture traditions, forms such as chests and low tables developed more clearly than chairs. This absence can create uncertainty for contemporary woodworkers, who often reference traditional architecture when designing chairs. This project began by questioning whether traditional forms were created primarily for aesthetic expression or as practical responses to life and the human body. Rather than replicating inherited forms, the focus shifted toward designing a chair that responds to bodily experience and everyday use.
- Project Duration
- This chair is the final outcome of a personal project involving the creation of 12 different chairs over a 12 month period. The making of this chair itself, including the final wax finish, took approximately twenty days. However, the process of determining the appropriate shapes and compositions for each part took place almost a year. The chair was crafted in December 2025 in Go-yang City, on the outskirts of Seoul, South Korea.
- Operation Flow
- A chair is the piece of furniture that comes into closest contact with the human body. Beyond visual appeal, it must satisfy the highly subjective requirement of comfort. As the position and proportion of each element strongly shape the user’s experience, several dimensions were referenced from a classic chair by Hans J. Wegner, known for its balanced and familiar comfort. Interestingly, adopting only selected measurements leads to a distinctly new experience, revealing the unique and subtle nature of how a chair interacts with the human body.
- Research
- Type of Research :
Practice-based design research.
Research Objective :
To explore how visual stability and comfort interact in chair design.
Methodology :
Full-scale making and iterative adjustment of structure and angles.
Data Collection and Research Tools Used :
Physical prototypes, sitting tests, and dimensional comparison.
Participants or Experiments :
Separating rear legs from backrest support to resolve structural conflict.
Results :
Greater formal freedom and improved balance.
Insights :
Because rear legs and backrest supports perform different roles and absorb forces differently when seated, separating them—beyond concerns of material efficiency—allows chair design to become more flexible and expressive.
Impacts :
The study contributes to furniture design by demonstrating how structural separation can expand formal possibilities while improving everyday seating comfort. - Inspiration
- The chair was inspired by 12 months of building 12 different chairs, during which the relationship between the rear legs and the backrest support became a recurring concern. In conventional designs, rear leg placement that improves stability often compromises posture, while configurations that support proper seating increase the risk of tipping, with angled legs further distorting the overall form. These tensions led to the decision to separate the two functions into distinct structural elements
Colors of Soo No. 2 Chair
Design Interview about Soo No. 2 Chair
The core principles behind this design are structural stability and the inheritance of tradition. I spent a long time observing the structures of chairs that have been loved for generations. Instead of looking at their beautiful exteriors, I studied their underlying frameworks. It is truly amazing that they designed chairs that are both functionally and aesthetically perfect. Seeing how each chair offered a different solution to achieve physical stability provided me with the greatest inspiration.
My main focus was on improving the side profile of the chair. In my personal opinion, the side views of many chairs often feel less appealing compared to their front views. I concluded that this limitation is caused by the dependent position and angle between the back legs and the backrest. By structurally separating these two elements, I gained complete design freedom. What I ultimately wanted to achieve was a chair that possesses a beautiful and perfectly balanced silhouette from the side.
My immediate plan for this award winning design is to pair it with a new dining table. I am currently developing a table that shares the exact same structural nuance and aesthetic language as this chair. Ultimately I want to host a solo exhibition where this chair and the new table are presented together to beautifully fill a single space.
The actual design process for the submitted chair, Soo no.2, took less than two days because it was a modified version of the previous model, Soo. However, this piece is the culmination of a year long project where I created twelve different chairs in twelve months. So the true conceptual development took an entire year of continuous woodworking.
This design was not commissioned. It started simply because I needed a chair for my own personal use. More importantly, I wanted to discover exactly what I truly like and what kind of design resonates with me through the physical process of building it myself.
I currently produce this chair independently in my studio. It is not being produced by any other company at the moment. However, I am open to selling or leasing the production rights in the future if I find a partner company that fully respects and can accurately reproduce the structural honesty of this design.
As a furniture maker a chair is the most challenging and fascinating object to build. Having a chair of my own design was originally a plan for later after I had gained more experience. However I was not satisfied with the chairs I was using at home so I started this project with the simple idea of replacing them one by one.
The chairs designed by Hans J Wegner and Finn Juhl always provide me with excellent solutions. I believe there is a clear reason why certain chairs have been loved for such a long time. Studying their works greatly influenced how I approach and resolve structural challenges in my own design.
The primary target customer is someone who appreciates structural honesty and the pure beauty of wood. Although the shape of this chair is unique, the construction methods, the underlying philosophy, and the materials used are all entirely faithful to traditional chair making. The ideal user would be someone who can clearly recognize this beautiful balance between a unique silhouette and traditional heritage.
The most unique aspect of this design is the structural separation of the back legs and the backrest. By further highlighting these disconnected elements, the physical framework itself becomes a visual joy.
During my project of creating twelve chairs, I decided to name each piece after someone I have loved. The name 'Soo' belonged to a past lover, and it was given to the previous model in the series. Because this submitted work is a structurally modified and refined version of that exact chair, I naturally named it 'Soo no.2'.
I first established the basic structure through hand sketches. Then I used 3D modeling software, such as SketchUp or Autodesk Fusion, to build volumetric models and confirm if the design was physically logical.
The most distinct feature is that the physical framework intentionally becomes the primary visual joy. Although every element exists solely to provide structural stability and there are no decorative additions, I believe it is still a highly compelling design.
There was no collaboration or external technical assistance involved in this project.
In this design, technology plays a strictly supporting role as a verification tool. While the actual construction relies entirely on traditional woodworking, I used modern 3D modeling software like Autodesk Fusion to verify the physical logic and calculate exact proportions beforehand.
No, this design was not influenced by data or analytical research.
Once I decided to detach the backrest from the back legs, I faced an unexpectedly vast range of design possibilities. Navigating through those endless options to find the perfect proportions, ones that make the entire chair look tight, solid, and sturdy, was the most difficult part of the process.
After completing this chair with great satisfaction, I wanted to receive objective evaluations from as many people as possible. Submitting to an international competition was the best way to present my work to a wide audience and get honest feedback.
A chair is a furniture that interacts with people more closely than any other piece of furniture. Therefore, I learned that it must be designed fundamentally around the human body. Through this process, I realized that a piece of furniture that is comfortable to use is far more beautiful than one that simply looks visually appealing.
I do not have anything specific to add. However, answering these questions provided a great opportunity to reflect deeply on my own work and ask myself questions I had not considered before. It was a meaningful process.
Grand Interview about Soo No. 2 Chair
By the time I was designing the seventh of the twelve chairs I planned in 2025, I felt I had figured out a certain formula that a chair should follow. As a result, the design of that month did not change much compared to the previous month. I was not satisfied with this lack of change. I realized that altering the configuration of the rear legs and the extended backrest support, which were the parts I had left largely untouched, would bring a significant shift to the overall design. This mechanical separation proved that a chair does not need to follow convention to be honest. It reshaped my understanding by showing that true structural stability comes from assigning a clear and dedicated purpose to every single wooden part.
My first design was a simple stool. A seat height of 465 millimeters felt perfectly appropriate for my body. I built my first chair using that exact same measurement, but the result was surprisingly uncomfortable. A chair requires a person to lean against a backrest, and this physical action fundamentally changes the human posture. I was amazed to discover how such small numerical variations dictate overall comfort. The iterative process taught me that accumulated knowledge is essentially useless unless it is physically tested and proven in a new environment. The Soo No. 2 Chair was born by carefully gathering only the proven strengths of the previous eleven chairs. The final piece demonstrates a structure that is entirely simple, physically sturdy, and visually stable.
While a chair is fundamentally a tool for resting and its primary purpose can be easily fulfilled regardless of the chosen material, the connection between the user and the object can change significantly depending on the perspective of the person looking at the furniture. Building with a natural material like wood naturally evokes a much warmer emotional response, and knowing that a piece is carefully crafted for a few individuals, rather than being mass produced in a factory, brings a unique sense of specialness. I believe this quiet appreciation ultimately becomes a profound joy in everyday life.
Because Korea has a long history of a floor sitting culture, chairs did not develop as traditional furniture. However, various pieces like chests and small reading tables have been loved for a long time, leading to the development of rich and beautiful joinery methods. These traditional techniques are not significantly different from Western ones, and discovering similar methods across different cultures simply means they were highly efficient in solving structural problems. As times have changed, most Koreans now sit on chairs to eat meals at a dining table. Therefore, the Soo No. 2 Chair is simply an efficient form that reflects my current lifestyle, rather than a reflexive response or a conscious departure from any inherited cultural condition.
I have seen many beautiful and highly elaborate works submitted to the A Design Award, and I believe my piece possesses a distinctly honest quality in comparison. I am deeply pleased that this simple, straightforward, and unhidden honesty has been recognized by the international design community. Realizing that my chair holds a natural beauty that can resonate with others, even without relying on special techniques or complex manufacturing methods, has given me great confidence to continue my future work with firm conviction.
The Soo No. 2 Chair borrows several dimensions from a well regarded mid century Scandinavian chair, but it features distinct structural differences. For instance, the relative distance, height, and tilt angle of the backrest remain identical, but the curvature that embraces the back is entirely different. The classic CH24 chair utilizes a large curve to connect the backrest and armrests into a single continuous piece. Because I mechanically separated these parts in the Soo No. 2, there was no need for such an extreme curve. I also wrapped my backrest in paper cord to provide a much softer tactile feel. While the CH24 design offers a specific wrapping sensation due to its deep curvature, the Soo No. 2 provides a distinctly gentle and soft physical touch against the spine. There are countless subtle factors influencing the relationship between a person and a chair that standard books on human dimensions simply cannot capture. This observation taught me that physical comfort is a highly subjective experience, proving that ultimate seating satisfaction is created through a careful balance of distinct structural choices rather than a single universal formula.
I believe that the proper extension of structural lines visually reveals the physical connections, providing the user with visual stability and structural clarity. The diamond shaped details on the frame sides serve as an active finishing method for the through mortise and tenon joints. This specific approach secures a larger gluing surface area than standard joints, offering a much stronger structural advantage. The connection between the armrest and the backrest support was a detail I deeply considered until the very late stages of the design process. Although this area does not endure extreme physical stress, it still required reliable support for overall stability. Attempting to use wood solely to maintain material uniformity would have actually ruined the intended silhouette of the chair. Therefore, the use of brass pins was a deliberate material choice meant specifically to protect and preserve the overall shape of the Soo No. 2 Chair.
Through the process of designing several chairs, I have come to realize that structural honesty, visual balance, and bodily comfort must all be satisfied at the highest possible level without leaning too heavily in any one direction. Today, a vast number of chairs are created based purely on the personal tastes of individual designers. While the existence of such a wide variety of designs is highly fascinating, it is deeply regrettable to see pieces that entirely ignore the user being justified under the mere pretext of contemporary furniture. Because chairs endure the most direct human contact and rapid physical stress among all furniture types, they must fundamentally remain objects that allow us to sit and rest comfortably. Unless a piece is strictly meant for visual appreciation, a chair built for sitting should always prioritize fitting the human body naturally over simply providing visual entertainment.
The Soo No. 2 Chair is a revised edition of the chairs I have observed so far, created using materials that I can easily obtain. If I had wanted to emphasize specific regional characteristics, I would have used traditional Korean weaving materials like rice straw or sedge instead of Danish cord. However, while building this chair, I realized that both Nordic and Korean cultures share a very similar perspective on furniture. They both highly value honesty in material use and strictly avoid excessive decoration. This realization completely freed me from worrying about which stylistic direction I needed to pursue. While furniture design certainly exists within a continuity of culture and customs, at its absolute core, it remains an object born from the long standing reflections and experiences of craftsmen striving to make something comfortable for people to use.
Assuming both the logic of structure and the logic of the body are satisfied to a certain degree, I personally believe that the logic of the body must be emphasized more. All twelve chairs I built are sturdy enough for me to sit and eat a meal comfortably. However, the one I naturally reach for the most is always the one that feels most comfortable to my body. Because I realized the absolute importance of the parts that physically touch the human body, the design process for my eleventh chair began directly from the exact positions of the seat, backrest, and armrests. I attempted to create a simple structure by connecting these human contact points with minimal lines. When I finally established the legs and drew the horizontal elements connecting them, the current design naturally emerged on my workbench. This final configuration closely resembled the balanced structure of widely loved Nordic design chairs, and at that specific moment in the workshop, I felt complete resolution because I realized there was absolutely no need to reduce or remove anything further.