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Storytellers

Jiangnan Kuang

Profile picture of Jiangnan Kuang

As a designer with deep curiosity about the world and a keen sensitivity to everyday life, I see design as a tool to enhance human experiences and foster sustainable living. My process begins with observation and storytelling, uncovering overlooked moments and the ways people adapt the surroundings. Rooted in empathy, I aim to create products that serve practical needs while building emotional connections. For me, design isn’t always about loud solutions—it’s about gently noticing, and becoming a quiet companion to daily life.

As a designer with deep curiosity about the world and a keen sensitivity to everyday life, I see ...

Storytellers - Noticing, Listening, and Reflecting with Everyday Things

Everyday objects are woven into our lived environment, so familiar that we often take them for granted. This project uncovers how personal history and narratives are embedded in those overlooked things, in the warp of a doorframe, the tilt of a lamp, the stains on discarded junk mail.

Through careful observation and material transformation, five mundane objects are reinterpreted into playful and reflective artifacts, each bearing metaphorical names that honor its hidden meanings: Mandarin - "SIGNAL", Lamp - "HANG", Junk letter - "MAT", Door frame - "GRIP", Christmas tree stand - "ARCHIVE".

By amplifying these overlooked narratives, the project reveals how even these ordinary elements of daily life can become vessels of memory and quiet emotional resonance, inviting us to notice more, listen closely, and reflect on our surroundings with fresh attention. 

Final work

  • A mandarin peel pinned onto a red circular acrylic frame, mimicking a symbolic “no entry” sign.
  • Photograph showing several pieces of mandarin peel scattered on the dark-grey carpet.
  • Photograph showing decorations and toys hanging on the joints of a silver desk lamp, repurposing it as a makeshift organizer.
  • Photograph showing headphones hanging on the joints of a black desk lamp
  • A black articulating desk lamp with multiple added hooks, transforming its structure into an improvised hanging rack.
  • Photograph showing a bowl of noodle placed on top of junk mail advertisements, turning waste into a casual dining surface.
  • A rubber placemat UV-printed with a collage of random junk mail excerpts.
  • Photograph showing a person casually hanging from the top edge of a doorframe by her fingers, using it as an improvised climbing exercise.
  • A minimal white doorframe modified with notches and small wooden holds at varied heights, echoing the informal habit of finger climbing or gripping th
  • Photograph showing a person casually hanging from the top edge of a doorframe by her fingers, using it as an improvised climbing exercise.

Research and process

  • Photograph showing a green Christmas tree stand repurposed to hold camera equipment, with printed photographs attached around its raised rim
  • A green Christmas tree stand displaying photo-shaped acrylic frames resting on its raised rim.
  • A green Christmas tree stand displaying photo-shaped acrylic frames resting on its raised rim.
Project Overview

Project Overview

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Storytellers

Storytellers - Noticing, Listening, and Reflecting with Everyday ThingsEveryday objects are woven into our lived environment, so familiar that we often take them for granted. This project uncovers how personal history and narratives are embedded in thos...

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