FENCE CHAIRS

Project : Furniture
Year : 2019

Fence Chair is a critical design project inspired by Taiwan’s culture and history, zeroing in on how Taiwanese people chase after extra space. It’s meant to show the oddity of this habit and get people thinking about what it really means.

I chose a traditional Taiwanese wooden chair—symbolizing cultural warmth—and added elegant iron extensions inspired by early handmade iron flower windows, once crafted by artisans for security, not excess. While visually refined, the chair sacrifices comfort, it’s got plenty of room for bags or random stuff. reflecting the shift from heritage craft to cheap aluminum, turning them into cold, jail-like frames.. This contrast reveals how surface beauty masks underlying greed, questioning what remains of our valued traditions when expansion goes unchecked,showing how greed warps beauty while we focus on the surface.

The design draws from the iron window extensions ubiquitous in Taiwan’s urban landscape—a collective memory for residents. Resembling prison bars, these emerged in the 1970s to 1990s as rapid urban growth outpaced planning, leading residents to extend balconies into storage, living spaces, or security features. Even in 2025, this persists, with air conditioners and laundry areas filling every inch, expanded fully rather than modestly. The government, rather than enforcing regulations, legalized early illegal constructions, endorsing this spatial greed.

What happens when the pursuit of excess seeps into even the most fundamental objects? A chair, by nature, provides just enough space for sitting—no more, no less. Yet, when the concept of spatial expansion infiltrates its very frame, balance is lost. Using three of Taiwan’s most recognizable elements—the "椅鼓仔,椅條 (traditional round and rectangle stool) and "鐵花窗" (ornamental grilles)—objects deeply woven into local culture. One represents traditional craftsmanship and necessity, the other, a symbol of relentless spatial occupation. The wrought-iron backrest appears to offer security yet provides no real comfort. It was not designed for the body but rather for the mere act of claiming more space.