{"id":41327,"date":"2025-07-22T09:25:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T09:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muse.international\/?p=41327"},"modified":"2025-07-21T08:21:49","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T08:21:49","slug":"crafting-change-kewei-zhao-on-furniture-and-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muse.international\/index\/crafting-change-kewei-zhao-on-furniture-and-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Crafting Change: Kewei Zhao on Furniture and Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Kewei Zhao is a furniture designer based in Brooklyn who discovered a passion for design while studying Industrial Design at the China Academy of Art. Fueled by curiosity and a love for creation, Kewei turns ideas into thoughtful solutions that make everyday life better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q1. Congratulations on winning the MUSE Design Awards! Can you introduce yourself and share about what inspired you to pursue design as a career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m Zhaoxiong Han, an architectural designer based in Los Angeles, specializing in sustainability and adaptive reuse. I was drawn to architecture by its ability to shape spaces and influence how people interact with their environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, my focus has evolved toward creating work that connects history, culture, and innovation\u2014challenging conventional approaches and exploring new possibilities for the built environment.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Q2. What does being recognized in the MUSE Design Awards mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being recognized by the MUSE Design Awards is a significant affirmation of my approach to architecture. It underscores the importance of pushing boundaries and exploring new design methodologies. Receiving international recognition at this level motivates me to continue contributing original ideas and advancing contemporary architectural discourse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q3. How has this achievement impacted your career, team, or agency, and what opportunities has it brought so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This recognition has been an important step in broadening my perspective as a designer. It has reinforced the importance of staying committed to my design principles while continuously challenging myself to evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Receiving recognition at an international level has deepened my understanding of the broader design discourse and encouraged me to approach my work with greater clarity and responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q4. What role does experimentation play in your creative process? Can you share an example?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experimentation plays a central role in my creative process. I view each project as an opportunity to question conventional design frameworks and explore new spatial possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, in Twisted House, I experimented with formal deformation to rethink how architecture can engage with extreme landscapes. Instead of following a static, orthogonal structure, the design introduces a twisting geometry that responds dynamically to the surrounding mountains and river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach not only redefines the spatial experience inside the building but also challenges traditional notions of how architecture interacts with nature. For me, experimentation is essential to pushing the boundaries of what architecture can achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q5. What’s the most unusual source of inspiration you’ve ever drawn from for a project?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most unusual sources of inspiration I\u2019ve drawn from is the idea of distortion in natural landscapes\u2014how forces like wind and water shape the environment over time. For Twisted House, I studied the way rivers curve and mountains erode, translating that sense of organic movement into the building\u2019s twisting form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than starting from a conventional geometric framework, I allowed natural deformation to guide the design, creating a structure that feels both unexpected and deeply connected to its surroundings. This approach challenged me to think differently about form and context, and it continues to influence how I approach new projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tree Heart<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

A Group of People — Sculptural Furniture<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore the journey of Chufei Yang<\/a>, the Silver Winner of the 2025 MUSE Design Awards. She\u2019s a jewelry artist and founder of CHUFEI, blending traditional elements with fresh forms to create pieces that challenge norms while staying wearable and accessible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kewei Zhao is a furniture designer based in Brooklyn who discovered a passion for design while studying Industrial Design at the China Academy of Art. 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