Difference between revisions of "Chen Chen & Kai Williams"

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==Material Exploration==
==Material Exploration==
The first collaborative project of Chen Chen and Kai Williams was the [[Cold Cuts Coasters]], produced by soaking strips of spandex netting and rope into urethane resin and then wrapping it around a primarily wood core. The resulting log was then sliced on a chop saw and created what had the appearance of a man made agate. This process of hardening fabric and rope to be worked with wood tools was expanded into composite slabs and resin based composites became a signature material for the studio.
The first collaborative project of Chen Chen and Kai Williams was the [[Cold Cuts Coasters]], produced by soaking strips of spandex netting and rope into urethane resin and then wrapping it around a primarily wood core. The resulting log was then sliced on a chop saw and created what had the appearance of a man made agate. This process of hardening fabric and rope to be worked with wood tools was expanded into composite slabs and resin based composites became a signature material for the studio.
In 2017 the studio expanded the idea of self produced composite materials into stone and glass to create a "clear terrazzo" by UV bonding cut stone to glass resulting in the [[Floating Stone]] material concept. This process allows the full 3 dimensional stone to be seen rather than the reducing it to a 2 dimensional graphic.
Stone and glass are both silica based materials, to push the composites pairings further a zinc and glass combination was explored resulting in [[Brittle Star]] lights in 2018. In the previous year, explorations in pouring aluminum around glass spheres as a binding material had failed due to the high melting temperature of the metal. The shrinking of aluminum as it cooled would crush any encapsulated glass. Zinc, as a replacement, melts at half the temperature and became an ideal choice to create "stained glass" like slabs that were unique in shape based on each pour of metal.
The studio continuously experiments to push for yet unseen material combinations that border on artisanal and industrial production and this research process feeds into every limb of the studio's varied output.


==Manufacturing Partners==
==Manufacturing Partners==
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==Environments==
==Environments==
Trained as industrial designers, Chen Chen & Kai Williams approaches designs for environments with the attention to detail that their primary craft requires.
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==Studio Objects==
==Studio Objects==

Revision as of 11:50, 6 June 2018

Chen Chen & Kai Williams is a design studio that explores materials and new ways to use them. The studio invents new techniques and materials or diverts common industrial supplies to off-label applications.

Chen Chen and Kai Williams met while attending the Pratt Institute and founded the company in New York City in 2011. The studio creates a wide range of products from one-off and limited production collectible works to specialty commercial goods.

Past clients include Whitney Museum, Phillips de Pury, Gagosian, Kvadrat, Shinola and Mission Chinese Food. Presentations of their work have been held at the Museum of Art and Design (USA) and the Venice Architecture Biennale (Italy). Manufacturing partners include Tai Ping Carpets, Areaware and Good Thing.

Material Exploration

The first collaborative project of Chen Chen and Kai Williams was the Cold Cuts Coasters, produced by soaking strips of spandex netting and rope into urethane resin and then wrapping it around a primarily wood core. The resulting log was then sliced on a chop saw and created what had the appearance of a man made agate. This process of hardening fabric and rope to be worked with wood tools was expanded into composite slabs and resin based composites became a signature material for the studio.

Manufacturing Partners

In addition to self production, the studio also designs products for manufacturing partners.

Environments

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Studio Objects

Swell Vase

Metamorphic Rock Bookend