Elegance in 'Tension': SFEHO’s evolution towards practical and minimalist furniture

In the world of industrial design, where intricacy often takes center stage, Seoul-based designer, SFEHO (Hwang Cheol Ho) celebrates simplicity and minimalism with the Tension series. Rooted in the principle of tensegrity, the series seamlessly melds the concepts of tension and repulsion to craft a collection that defies convention, exemplifying the Korean designer’s commitment to uncluttered aesthetics. SFEHO explains to STIR how he employs the interplay of tension as both a material and a force while embracing the sleekness of wire rope, to create functional and minimalist furniture pieces.

The inception of the series was inspired by the fascinating concept of tensegrity—a structural framework where rigid elements are held together by tension and repulsion. This notion resonated deeply with SFEHO, while he was majoring in industrial design, which in turn sparked a curiosity that ultimately birthed a captivating design philosophy.

“When I created the concept of tensegrity, I fell in love with the structure itself, as well as with the sense of the shape of the very refined, sleek straight line that comes out when the strings are tensed. Because of that, I wanted to explore the beauty of tension in furniture design, so I made the Tension series," the designer from South Korea explains his ideation for the collection's minimal designs.

The Tension collection, consisting of the 'TC.01' chair, the 'TT.01' table and the 'TL.01' lighting fixture, captures the essence of tension through sleek lines and refined forms. The process began with the creation of the table design—This initial piece marked a departure from traditional welding for the designer, where he opted instead, to connect steel plates through tension. This experimentation paved the way for the subsequent chair design, further exploring the interplay between structural rigidity and elegant forms. Finally, the lighting design fixture became an exercise in shaping tension into a captivating, illuminating profile.

At the heart of the Tension series lies the artistic exploration of wire rope. This material, drawn from industrial applications, brings immense strength and tension to the product designs. For the furniture designer, the selection of the material was motivated by the visual impact witnessed in urban landscapes, such as the captivating suspension lights adorning the streets of Copenhagen. The connection between the taut wire rope and the sleek lines of SFEHO’s designs delivers an appealing contrast that encapsulates the essence of tension beautifully.

“It's an experiment. I have tried wire caps and other things, but achieving a visually-appealing product with this concept was a task. There is an off-the-shelf product called a wireframe hanger, which was originally used to fix a frame or shelf with a wire, but I was able to attach it to the furniture and connect the wire with other elements. I conducted an experiment by adjusting the position and angle of the wire attachment and applied the wire tension to it. When it came to strength, there was no difficulty, so this kind of tension was possible to achieve and I was sure that if I use it in furniture, it would be more noticeable and interesting”, explains the product designer.

The balance between elements and sleek lines within the series is not a mere happening, but a calculated endeavour. The industrial designer explains that the fusion of intriguing shapes and graceful lines creates a visual equilibrium that keeps the observer engaged. The union between 3D and 2D, as observed in the wire’s simultaneous spatial presence and graphic linearity, serves to create a dynamic that evolves with changing viewpoints.

When STIR asked the designer about the challenges in maintaining tension across different types of furniture, he relayed, “There was no separate challenge about making it into a series. When you have a clear message and aesthetics to convey, its form naturally comes out, so the process of thinking about 'simple aesthetics from tension' was more important. The underlying idea was to create a series that would stand out collectively while making a bold statement within the spatial context."

In a world where lines are the most concise form of expression, SFEHO finds his creative anchor. He masterfully harnesses the concept of tension to craft captivating pieces that amalgamate strength, aesthetics and minimalism. Through the profound aesthetics of tension, he propels art furniture into the realm of practicality. The Tension series is more than just a collection of furniture; it is proof, of the power of restraint and an exploration of the poetic interplay between strength and grace.

As a testament to SFEHO’s commitment to growth and innovation, the Tension series is presently unveiled as version 1.0. However, this is only the beginning of an ever-evolving narrative. The designer’s creative journey will continue, marked by the progression to version 2.0, where structural and aesthetic refinements will further amplify the impact of tension within designs.