# Project Description

Fold into life

Yang Zhang

Summary

Final work

College Chelsea College of Arts

Course BA (Hons) Product and Furniture Design

Graduation year 2025

Modern furniture is often short lived, with millions of tons discarded every year due to changing homes, styles, or life needs. In contrast, older generations formed emotional bonds with long lasting furniture that aged with them. This project explores how design can bring that sense of emotional connection back into modern living.

Fold into life is a transformable furniture system that adapts to three life stages childhood, adulthood, and old age. Inspired by the folds of origami, the object is made of FSC certified wood, genuine cow leather, waxed cotton, and paper. The piece begins as a soft play mat in early childhood, transforms into a wooden stool in adulthood, and eventually becomes a memory container in later life. Over time, visible signs like creases, softening textures appear on the materials, physically recording the passage of life. Designed for longevity and emotional connection, the piece grows old with its user and becomes a living archive of memory.

Final work

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Modern furniture is often short lived, with millions of tons discarded every year due to changing homes, styles, or life needs. In contrast, older generations formed emotional bonds with long lasting furniture that aged with them. This project explores how design can bring tha...

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