2026 | Professional

French Design Awards Gold Winner

Enlightened Ruyi Chair

Entrant Company

Xudong Interior Decoration Design Co., Ltd.

Category

Product Design - New Category: Artistic Smart Furniture & Public Installations

Client's Name

Country / Region

Taiwan

The "Enlightened Ruyi Chair" represents a remarkable fusion of innovative solar-powered technology and revered oriental traditional cultural symbols. This chair is thoughtfully designed with a focus on practical functionality, deep cultural significance, and unwavering sustainability. Its primary goal is to serve as a dynamic public facility that elegantly unites multi-functional use with environmental benefits.

Drawing inspiration from the iconic Chinese symbol "Ruyi," the design showcases its distinctive contours while seamlessly integrating advanced solar photovoltaic technology. As a result, this chair evolves from a mere seating solution into a sophisticated smart facility that offers flexible configurations for lighting, charging stations, air conditioning, and audiovisual projection.
The "Enlightened Ruyi Chair" is a stunning example of innovative design that skillfully transforms two-dimensional patterns into captivating three-dimensional forms. Drawing inspiration from the elegant openwork medallion on blue-and-white porcelain vases, the designer creatively rotates these motifs along an elliptical trajectory. In terms of its intricate design, the inner layer of the chair is adorned with traditional blue-and-white patterns, seamlessly merging history with contemporary design sensibilities. Meanwhile, the outer layer is ingeniously covered with solar panels, thereby combining decorative beauty with remarkable functionality. Furthermore, the chair legs stand out for their unique construction: they are crafted by inverting and flattening the bulbous bottle shape, providing a striking support structure that enhances the overall visual appeal.

To ensure durability and weather resistance, the main body of the chair is meticulously fashioned from high-quality stainless steel, while the legs are finished with an electroplated, reflective metal coat. This finish not only adds a sleek aesthetic but also enhances the solar panels' efficiency in collecting light. Additionally, the enveloping seat cover offers a modern reinterpretation of the “opening” concept found in blue-and-white porcelain vases, cleverly integrating a contemporary lighting technique that adds both practicality and a touch of sophistication to the design. This chair is designed for independent operation, eliminating the need for cumbersome wiring and significantly enhancing installation flexibility. Consequently, it proves to be the perfect solution for outdoor environments such as parks, campuses, commercial districts, and areas lacking electrical infrastructure.

Credits

Design Director
LIN TZU WEI
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