23. Mario Tsai

‘Tsai is a designer who seems to go back to the “roots”, such as the process of making things, the principles of nature, and the laws of physics,’ says Sato of the Hangzhou-based creative, one of a select few Chinese designers who receive commissions from global furniture brands (see W*266). ‘His is like a scrap-andbuild process with a completely different methodology. I would love to see his architecture work someday.’ Among Tsai’s latest creations are no buildings yet, but striking designs such as the axe-cut and burnt ‘Origin’ bench (pictured), inspired by primitive tools, and the wooden ‘Rong’ bookshelf, with its cross-shaped details. Both are part of a series of designs for Designew, an initiative Tsai established to help amplify the value of design within the industry. ‘My time spent at factories taught me how to execute ideas with the least amount of material and energy consumption to achieve maximal results,’ says Tsai. mariotsai.studio