Interview about Crystal Home Decoration, winner of the A' 3D Printed Forms and Products Design Award 2025
Crystal is a sculptural home decor object that interacts with light to create evolving visual experiences throughout the day. Engineered through precision folding and advanced glass molding techniques, its multifaceted form refracts and reflects ambient light, casting intricate patterns onto surrounding surfaces. The design invites a moment of stillness and introspection, offering users a calming sensory experience as the light shifts.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThank you—it’s an honor to have Crystal Home Decoration recognized with a Bronze A’ Design Award. The project was born from a fascination with how light interacts with faceted surfaces in natural crystals. To translate that quality into a home decor object, I focused on combining precision folding techniques with advanced glass molding.The precision folding technique was first developed through paper mockups, allowing me to sculpt angular planes that catch and redirect light from multiple directions. These geometries were then translated into 3D forms suitable for glass casting. By refining edge angles and surface tension during the molding process, I was able to control how light diffuses, refracts, and reflects across each fold.Working with advanced glass molding—specifically kiln-formed or slumped glass—allowed for the preservation of sharp folds and subtle gradients in thickness. These variations enhance the interplay of light and shadow, especially when natural or directional light passes through the object.The result is a piece that feels alive—constantly shifting in visual texture depending on the environment, time of day, and viewer’s position. This integration of craft and technical precision is what makes the piece emotionally engaging and spatially dynamic.
Psychological impact was a central consideration in Crystal Home Decoration. I was particularly interested in how light sensitivity and mood fluctuations throughout the day affect our perception of space and comfort. Research shows that natural light—its warmth, angle, and intensity—can influence emotions, energy levels, and even mental clarity. I wanted the object to respond to those subtle shifts and act almost like a visual companion in one’s living environment.To achieve this, I carefully designed the fold angles and surface orientations to interact dynamically with ambient light. In the morning, softer sunlight casts long, diffuse shadows across the angled folds, creating a calming atmosphere. As the day progresses and light becomes more intense, the sharper surfaces reflect and refract brighter highlights, injecting vibrancy and visual energy into the space. During evening hours, the piece softens again, catching warm indoor lighting in a gentle, ambient glow.Each fold was intentionally positioned to maximize this temporal light experience, creating a rhythmic play of brightness and shadow that mirrors the emotional cadence of the day. The goal was not only aesthetic, but to create a design that subtly supports emotional well-being through mindful interaction with light.
Choosing translucent resin over traditional crystal was both a conceptual and practical decision. I wanted to retain the visual richness and light-reactive quality of crystal while introducing a softer, warmer material language that feels more approachable and therapeutic in domestic spaces.Resin allowed for greater control over translucency, hue, and diffusion, which became essential in achieving the calming visual effects I envisioned. Traditional crystal can feel cold, sharp, and sometimes overly formal. In contrast, resin has a subtle warmth and softness that makes light feel more ambient and enveloping, reducing harsh reflections and enhancing the piece’s emotional comfort.Additionally, resin’s moldability gave me the freedom to experiment with more complex fold geometries and fluid transitions between surfaces, allowing the object to respond organically to changing light throughout the day. This material flexibility was crucial in supporting the piece’s therapeutic intent—to serve not just as decoration, but as a meditative presence that quietly shifts with its environment and uplifts the mood of its viewer.Ultimately, the material choice reflects the project’s balance between precision and emotion, echoing the dualities of clarity and softness, structure and calm.
Scale played a critical role in balancing aesthetic light interaction with practical usability in the Crystal Home Decoration collection. I approached each size variation not just as a change in dimensions, but as an opportunity to explore how light behaves differently across forms in relation to scale, function, and context.For the 75mm vase, the compact size concentrates light refraction, creating a jewel-like effect that works beautifully on desks or window sills. Its smaller volume intensifies the internal glow, making it feel intimate and contemplative. In contrast, the 250mm fruit bowl was designed with broader, shallower folds that capture natural light over a wider surface, producing a gentle, diffused radiance ideal for dining or living areas.The intermediate sizes were carefully tested through 3D models and mock-ups to ensure each piece maintained its optical richness while serving a real-world function—holding flowers, fruits, or simply acting as a light sculpture. The proportions also took into account human interaction: how the hands cradle the object, how light passes through at tabletop height, and how it integrates into everyday rituals.Each scale was ultimately chosen to create a harmonious dialogue between visual poetry and daily utility, making the collection versatile yet emotionally expressive.
The fusion of traditional crystal symbolism with contemporary 3D printing technology was a deliberate effort to bridge emotional heritage with modern craft. Crystals have long been associated with healing, clarity, and calm across cultures, and I wanted to honor that legacy while reinterpreting it through a forward-looking design lens.The development process began with research into the metaphysical qualities of crystal forms, particularly how facets and symmetry are believed to influence energy flow and emotional states. I abstracted these principles into geometric studies, creating folded structures that mimicked the visual language of natural crystals but with a more minimal, architectural sensibility.Using 3D printing allowed for a high level of precision in experimenting with these complex folds—iterations that would have been difficult or cost-prohibitive with traditional glass or crystal. It gave me the flexibility to fine-tune angles, adjust light diffusion, and test how subtle shifts in geometry could influence the way light moved through each piece.This digital-to-physical workflow enabled a new form of craftsmanship, where ancient symbolism could be expressed through modern fabrication. The result is a collection that not only respects the calming essence of crystal but redefines it for contemporary living—emotionally resonant, materially innovative, and deeply personal.
Spending four months developing Crystal Home Decoration in Brooklyn between January and May 2022 deeply influenced the project—particularly through the urban environment and shifting seasonal light. Brooklyn’s winter light is crisp, low-angled, and often filtered through buildings, creating sharp contrasts and long shadows. I found myself observing how these qualities played across surfaces in my studio, especially on textured or translucent materials.As the season shifted into spring, the light grew warmer and more diffused, offering a broader palette of tonal transitions. This natural progression became a guide for how the object should perform throughout the day and year—not just statically beautiful, but emotionally responsive to changing light. I began testing how the folded surfaces caught morning light from my east-facing window and how afternoon shadows moved across the piece when placed near urban facades.The rhythm of the city also shaped the design process. The contrast between Brooklyn’s fast pace and the meditative quality I wanted to embed in the object pushed me to refine the form until it felt like a moment of stillness within motion—a piece that quietly reflects its environment while offering a calming counterbalance. The city’s layered textures, reflections, and shifting light became an integral part of how the final piece came to life.
The interaction between Crystal Home Decoration and water—particularly in the vase configuration—was a key part of the design’s atmospheric intent. When liquid is added, it acts as an optical amplifier, intensifying the refraction and internal reflections within the folded surfaces.The vase is designed with angular inner walls and tapered thicknesses, which guide light through the water and resin in dynamic ways. These geometries create layered caustics—those dancing patterns of light and shadow—that shift depending on the water level, light source, and time of day. I also paid close attention to the curvature at the base and rim, where light often concentrates when refracted through liquid, creating a glowing halo effect.Additionally, the slightly frosted finish on select interior surfaces diffuses the light just enough to create a soft contrast with the sharper refractions, resulting in a balanced visual rhythm. The interplay of water and form transforms the vase into a living light sculpture, one that changes with every interaction—whether through added stems, movement, or sunlight.Ultimately, the goal was to elevate a functional vessel into something emotionally resonant, where nature, light, and material converge in a poetic, sensory moment.
In designing the fruit bowl and tray variations of Crystal Home Decoration, I was fascinated by how color reflection from different fruits could become part of the visual experience. Rather than treating the objects as static decor, I wanted them to interact dynamically with their contents—especially through light and color.To achieve this, I engineered the surfaces with shallow, angled folds and a semi-matte inner finish that enhances subtle reflections while softening their intensity. This allows vibrant fruit tones—like oranges, reds, or greens—to gently reflect across the inner walls without overwhelming the composition. The geometry encourages light to bounce at low angles, creating a diffused glow rather than sharp glares, maintaining the calming and meditative quality of the design.I also selected a warm-toned translucent resin that harmonizes with a wide color spectrum, allowing each fruit to add its own atmosphere while preserving a unified aesthetic. The result is an object that subtly transforms with its use, reflecting the seasonality and emotional warmth of what it holds, while staying grounded in its original purpose: to bring serenity and quiet elegance into everyday rituals.This intentional interplay between form, light, and color helped reinforce the idea of the piece as a living element in the home—responsive, balanced, and emotionally enriching.
My background as a Taiwanese designer living and working in New York has deeply shaped how I approach design—especially when it comes to blending functionality with emotional wellbeing. Growing up in Taiwan, I was surrounded by a culture that values harmony, symbolism, and mindfulness in everyday objects. Even the simplest household items often carry quiet layers of meaning or intention, which inspired me to see design as something that goes beyond function—it’s also about presence and feeling.In contrast, my experience in New York exposed me to a fast-paced, diverse, and highly practical design environment, where innovation and utility are constantly pushed forward. Crystal Home Decoration is the result of navigating between these two worlds. The piece functions as a vase, tray, or bowl, but it’s also designed to invite pause and reflection, evoking a sense of calm through light, form, and material.The interplay of crisp geometry and soft light is my way of merging Eastern sensitivity with Western clarity—creating something emotionally resonant yet functionally grounded. It’s a dialogue between cultures, a quiet balance of restraint and expression, and ultimately, a personal reflection of how design can hold space for both utility and inner peace.
Looking ahead, I see Crystal Home Decoration as part of a broader shift in how we understand and design for emotional wellbeing in the home. Its innovative approach to light interaction—using form, translucency, and reflection to evoke calm—demonstrates how even passive objects can play an active role in our psychological landscape.I believe this approach can inspire future developments in therapeutic home accessories that are not only functional or decorative, but also emotionally supportive. Designers may increasingly draw on principles from light therapy, sensory design, and biophilic aesthetics to create products that promote mindfulness, reduce anxiety, and help regulate mood throughout the day.Rather than relying on smart devices or overt therapeutic tools, future home objects could use subtle environmental cues—like shifting light, shadow, texture, or material warmth—to foster tranquility and connection. Crystal Home Decoration shows that wellness doesn’t need to be loud or clinical; it can be quietly embedded into our everyday rituals through thoughtful, intentional design.In this way, I hope the project helps redefine what “therapeutic” means in a domestic context, expanding the designer’s role in shaping not just how we live—but how we feel.
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