Interview about Mekong Writing Desk, winner of the A' Furniture Design Award 2020
This design is a writing desk, for those who like simplicity. Its shape evokes the silhouette of wooden boats on Mekong Delta. Besides showing the traditional carpentry technique, it also shows the possibility of mass production. Materials used are combination of natural wood, fine metal details and roughness of the leather. . Dimension: 1600W x 800D x 762H.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsI have a deep affection for the Mekong Delta, a land shaped by the river’s generosity and a unique cultural tapestry of Vietnamese, French, Cham, and Khmer influences—an atmosphere beautifully captured in Marguerite Duras's L’Amant. Among its many symbols, the wooden boats remain the most evocative; they are not only modes of transport but ‘floating homes’ that embody both structural integrity and the fluidity of life along the river. In designing the Mekong Writing Desk, I drew directly from the sturdy yet graceful curvature of these boats. My intention was to translate their balance—between strength and motion—into a piece of furniture where structural integrity and fluidity coexist. This became a meaningful metaphorical connection: just as a riverboat carries families through shifting currents, a desk carries our intellectual journeys, creative processes, and personal aspirations. The silhouette of the desk echoes the way a boat rests on the water—balanced, serene, and quietly dynamic. By distilling the form into clean, flowing lines, I aimed to evoke a sense of gentle motion, as if the desk were ‘gliding’ within the workspace, bringing the spirit of the Mekong into a contemporary context.
The Mekong River originates from the majestic Tibetan Plateau, carrying layers of fertile alluvium—the most generous gift nature offers to every land it touches. By the time it reaches the Delta, the river slows and its warm brown-yellow silt dissolves into daily life: in the tones of the "ao ba ba" (a traditional Southern Vietnamese garment), in the earth, and in the orchards it nourishes. Black provides a meaningful counterpoint to this palette. In Asian cosmology it represents the Water element, and in Southern Vietnam it recalls the small checkered patterns of the "khan ran" (a practical yet iconic scarf) worn by farmers along the riverbanks. This palette becomes a tactile tribute to the Mekong’s soul. Natural wood captures the warmth and earthiness of silt-laden waters and the hues of the ao ba ba. Leather evokes the resilience and weathered beauty of local craftsmanship, while fine metal details introduce a refined strength that subtly echoes the Water element’s depth and flow. Together, these materials form a dialogue between the river’s raw heritage and the precision of contemporary design—much like the khan ran, which balances everyday simplicity with a distinctive cultural pattern.
There are countless stories about the Mekong Delta—where the Nine Dragons meet before merging into the vast ocean. From legends of river spirits lurking in the deep waters to tales of farmers who reclaimed the land, and from humble wooden boats carrying livelihoods to the symbolic “boat eyes” painted to protect people from raging waves, the Delta holds an incredibly layered cultural identity. When designing the Mekong Writing Desk, my challenge was to translate this cultural richness into a minimalist language without losing its spirit. That meant consciously avoiding literal ornamentation and instead identifying the underlying emotional qualities that could be distilled into form. The rounded tabletop corners reference the softness of water flow; the apron subtly echoes the bow of a boat; and the structural stretchers provide strength while evoking the atmosphere of riverside shipyards. This reduction process was also essential for commercial viability. A minimalist form ensures timeless appeal, compatibility with modern interiors, efficient production, and scalability across different markets. In the end, the desk maintains a quiet cultural imprint—recognizable to those familiar with the Delta, yet universal enough for contemporary living.
In my opinion, the interplay of contrasting elements always creates a compelling sense of attraction. When everything becomes too uniform or repetitive, the liveliness and creative spirit of an experience can feel diminished. This dynamic is also present in the cultural fabric of the Mekong Delta, where different traditions naturally blend—from bowls of bun nuoc leo enriched with the salty depth of fish sauce to old mansions where Vietnamese vernacular details coexist with Beaux-Arts influences. I vividly recall sitting on a boat in the Can Tho floating market, watching golden morning light dance across the waves and stretch into shimmering lines against the rough wooden hull. That moment revealed to me how the contrast between light and wood can create a powerful emotional resonance. The gold-plated tray draws directly from that memory. Its subtle gleam introduces a contemporary sophistication that balances the raw texture of wood and the warmth of leather. Functionally, it offers a clean, durable surface for small daily objects; philosophically, it reflects my belief that traditional craftsmanship and modern sensibilities can coexist—not by competing, but by elevating one another.
Creative ideas sometimes come to us suddenly, sparking both exhilaration and reflection. They remind me of Monet’s way of layering gentle brushstrokes—building depth through restraint rather than excess. I see industrial design in a similar way: emotion and intuition must gradually be refined through the constraints of scale and manufacturability. With the Mekong Writing Desk, my intention was to preserve the authentic essence of traditional wooden boats—not through exaggerated forms or decorative motifs, but through a subtle, distilled interpretation. I translated the boat’s character into controlled curves, clean structural lines, and a level of symbolism that could be consistently reproduced with modern machining and standard components. This approach allowed the design to maintain its cultural soul while remaining highly functional, stable, and suitable for mass production. In this sense, balancing intuitive emotion with rational structure—and embracing ‘less is more’—became the guiding principle of the project.
I designed the Mekong Writing Desk with a generous 800 mm tabletop depth to comfortably accommodate modern devices and contemporary working habits. The 762 mm height follows ergonomic standards for long working hours, ensuring proper posture and usability for a wide range of users. Within this collection, I introduced two additional sizes—1600 × 660 × 760 mm and 1820 × 750 × 760 mm—characterized by a narrower depth and a wider span. These elongated proportions subtly reference the silhouette of traditional wooden boats along the Mekong River, creating a sense of visual flow and lightness while maintaining an efficient and functional workspace. In this way, the proportions serve both ergonomic comfort and my artistic intention to echo the calm, horizontal geometry of river life.
In my view, wisdom and focus are not innate qualities but virtues cultivated through discipline, awareness, and the refinement of thought. Much like a boat captain navigating a river, the desk user must remain attentive, composed, and capable of making clear decisions amid complexity. This metaphor became a quiet guide throughout the design process of the Mekong Writing Desk. It led me to prioritize clarity and purpose over excess. The tabletop is kept smooth, warm, and visually calm, with gently rounded corners that support prolonged, undistracted work. The drawers are sized for only essential items, encouraging intentional organization rather than accumulation. The four-legged solid wood structure provides a grounded, stable presence, while the generous open space beneath the desk offers both physical comfort and a sense of mental openness. By reducing decorative elements and eliminating unnecessary features, the desk functions as a quiet companion—supporting steadiness, focus, and a clear state of mind, much like the calm required at the helm of a boat.
From the outset, I aimed to preserve the Mekong Writing Desk as a structurally unified piece rather than a collection of detachable components. The use of solid wood legs and mortise-and-tenon joinery naturally supports long-term stability and expresses the design’s commitment to craftsmanship. When addressing shipping requirements, I developed two controlled logistics strategies that allow flexibility without altering the desk’s core construction. For smaller or premium orders, the desk is shipped fully assembled, with only non-structural elements—such as the front panel—removed for protection. For larger-scale or long-distance shipments, a modular strategy allows the legs, stretcher, and body to be separated under factory supervision, to be reassembled by trained craftsmen at the partner workshop following precise guidelines. The experience of the end user remains unchanged: they receive a fully assembled, structurally sound desk. In this way, logistical constraints did not shape the design itself; instead, they informed a delivery system that safeguards both the desk’s integrity and its creative intent.
I envision my future practice as a living notebook—continuously collecting sketches, observations, and subtle cultural impressions from the places and communities I encounter. From these fragments, I aim to translate cultural narratives into contemporary furniture by distilling them into form, proportion, and material expression rather than literal motifs. While each project may vary in scale or market, my approach remains consistent: to develop designs that respectfully interpret local identities and invite users to feel a sense of connection and shared understanding. In this way, cultural storytelling becomes not a theme, but an evolving design methodology that grows with every new experience.
Through the Mekong Writing Desk, I learned that cultural identity in modern furniture design is preserved not through literal motifs, but through the quiet transmission of values and craft. The project showed me that a piece of furniture can become more than a functional object—it can be a companion that carries cultural memory. It also made me aware of the necessity of creating diversity in a world that tends toward uniformity. Traditional craftsmanship, whether expressed through Dutchman joinery or woven structures inspired by ethnic techniques in Southeast Asia, offers a subtle yet powerful way to keep cultural layers alive. For me, the key insight is the responsibility to honor these identities and integrate them thoughtfully into contemporary forms.
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