Thesis work can generate fruitful design. Such is the case with the study of folding profiles tackled by industrial designer Li-Rong Liao. Using a mathematical formula allows her to employ the folding technique in many different applications, “including furniture, fashion, and medical devices.” Liao’s Folded Felt Table and Folded Felt Pendant showcase the beauty of her strict formula.

Folded Felt Table and Folded Felt Pendant. Designed by Li-Rong Liao.

Mixing Furniture with Mathematical Formula

By combining one sheet of cardboard with a layer of felt, Liao produced a captivating table that seems to borrow ideas from the world of fashion. Like elegant pleats in a couture dress, the folds in Folded Felt Table lure the eye in and out of each and every crevice. Topped by a round glass, nothing detracts from the intoxicating precision of the plications.

Folded Felt Pendant also illustrates Liao’s math aptitude. Its one sheet of felt-lined cardboard turns into a crimped shade from which light emanates, further emphasizing the exactitude of the design. The illumination clearly shows off the suspension lamp’s edges, which appear razor sharp. Folded Felt Pendant also has a lovely shape overall, fulfilling Liao’s intention of finding “a balance between structure and aesthetics.”

Via Contemporist.

About the Designer: Li-Rong Liao is an industrial designer based in Brooklyn. Originally from Taiwan, she moved to New York in order to pursue a Masters degree at Pratt Institute. As the daughter of a seamstress, Li-Rong Liao adds an element of fashion to the products she designs. As a former mathematician, she incorporates “the simplicity and beauty of math” into her work.