Living out of Boxes

Beijing architect Naihan Li has designed a series of furniture, called Crates, out of wooden boxes. This furniture, made out of blonde and rustic-looking wooden boxes, can be folded and shape-shifted. Hence, they take on the structures of wardrobes, beds, dressers, bookshelves and drawers when reconstructed. The concept was inspired by Li’s own nomadic lifestyle; living in Harbin when she was a child, moving to Beijing in the mid-80s, moving to the UK to study in London’s Bartlett School of Architecture and finally moving back to Beijing. It also draws inspiration from the transient lifestyles of the millions of migrant workers that move about China each year. With her creations, she aims to accommodate to the lives of those currently living in a mobile world, and to improve them.  Her Crates series was nominated for the 2012 Design of the Year Award by the Design Museum in London.

To see more of Li’s work, check out her website here! 

Images from Naihanli&Co.