Twisted Chair

The Luming Mountain Civil Affairs Bureau, located in the Kecheng District of Quzhou City, is not only a marriage registration office full of ceremonial significance but also a popular spot for photos due to its iconic red brick walls and translucent heart-shaped windows, earning it the nickname “Red House.” PILLS, invited by Lens and the RED, came to the Red House hall to design red chairs for the "Come to My City, Take a Seat" event, promoting the urban culture of Quzhou. The design places two chairs symmetrically in the center of a sunken plaza. The orange-toned red chairs, bathed in the afternoon sunlight, create a sense of love and sanctity. Inspired by the twisted columns of the Civil Affairs Bureau building, we twisted the legs of the chairs together to symbolize lovers’ hands holding each other. The twisted chair legs cause the chairs to lean forward, much like two people in an intimate relationship leaning toward each other, and the slanted angle naturally encourages those sitting in the chairs to experience a sense of physical closeness, from eye contact to touch. The underside of the chairs is also heart-shaped, with subtle curves along the edges that visually echo the angle of the chair’s tilt. During the design process, the color and decoration of the chair’s surface were discussed multiple times. Initially, the chairs were designed in pure red. During production, we drew inspiration from the workers’ use of putty to repair surfaces, and applied uneven lines to decorate the chairs, paired with the red seat, to make the joy of marriage visually and tangibly felt. The process of design communication and refinement, from the initial concept to the final pattern, became a tender metaphor for the mending and patching in love. We hope the red chairs will bring warm memories to the young couples coming to the Red House in Quzhou for their marriage registration.

Project Type: Art Installation Principal Designer: Zigeng Wang Design Team: Manying Wang, Yi Xu, Canqi Mu Production Team: Shenzhen Dingxia Hongshan Art Co., Ltd. Photography: Bo Zhang, Quzhou Cultural and Tourism Bureau Event Name: "Come to My City, Take a Seat" Event Initiators: Lens, the RED Placement Location: Luming Mountain Civil Affairs Bureau, Kecheng District, Quzhou City Placement Duration: September 2024 to December 2024