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DESIGN 49
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effect shelf (a design inspired by the historic symbolism of
the cabinet as a theatre), the simple plinth includes two glass
sculptural elements handmade at Young’s studio, refracting
and distorting the light to evoke the effect of walking beneath

a canopy of trees.
Young used hard maple to create the carcass. “It’s such a
pared-back timber,” he explains. “It has a gentle grain structure
and I thought the lightness would soften the heaviness of
my piece’s form.”

HAWA Expo
An undoubtable highlight of the HAWA expo in Ho Chi Minh red oak is a great choice for my design. It's sturdy, durable,
in March this year was the display of the Hoa Mai Furniture and perfectly suits my simple, traditional structure. The colour

competition finalists’ designs. of red oak is something many designers have to consider,
This was the 20th year of collaboration between The but for me, its natural hue is beautiful, gentle, and elegant”.
Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCMC (HAWA)
and AHEC and the outcome of this long-established design Second Prize: Flippo by Nguyen Anh Tuan
competition did not disappoint. Anh Tuan was inspired by the resourcefulness of the people
With over 320 initial entries, a shortlist of 111 was whittled of Saigon when designing his Flippo chair.
to the top 11 in the open category which were manufactured Striving for the most efficient use of material as possible,

and displayed. he chose a single American red oak plywood panel which he
All the pieces were created from American red oak, the moulded to create all the components of the chair.
most abundant species in the US forest resource. Not only did this minimise waste but Anh Tuan found
Similar in strength and grain to its better-known cousin, the manufacturing process pleasingly simple given the easy
American white oak, American red oak is more readily available workability of the wood.
and thus a cost-effective option for high quality furniture design. Of his role as an emerging Vietnamese design talent, he
The young designers were given the opportunity to says: “The design industry in Vietnam is becoming more vibrant
experience this premium quality, sustainable material to realise than ever. As a developing nation, we are influenced by Western
their creative visions. culture to a certain extent and draw inspiration from Eastern

artistic elements. Moreover, our design workforce is still very
First Prize: Blank Bench by Vo Tran Thanh Quang young, which contributes to a unique perspective in thinking

Majoring in Industrial Design at the University of Architecture and seeking solutions. We dare to think and dare to act.”
in HCMC, Quang took the highest honour of first prize for
Plank Bench. Third Prize: Son by Vu Thanh Thao
Created with an efficient and streamlined production process A student at Hanoi Architectural University where she is
in mind, the design is a study in simplicity, functionality and majoring in Interior Design, Thanh Thao’s design ‘Son’ is

elegant beauty. inspired by The Huc Bridge—a symbol of the cultural beauty
Quang commented of the material “I believe American of her home city of Saigon.