seungji mun uses kimchi basins to create cement stools

seungji mun uses kimchi basins to create cement stools
(above) the stools exhibited at the gwanghwamun square in seoul, korea
all images courtesy of seungji mun

seungji mun is a south korean designer whose work aims to tell a story. ‘a new shape of kimchi’ is a project that highlights his country’s ritual of making kimchi called gimjang. this is the traditional process of preparation and preservation of the spicy pickled vegetable dish that is put together in large quantities during the summer with fresh ingredients, to provide food during the winter. as in every cultural custom, each family has their own way of fermenting and ripening the food for a long time.

the stool is made of a steel structure and a cement top

to create his stools, the designer decided to use the gimjang basin as a mold, where he added different cement blends and a steel structure — all these instead of the chili powder and cabbage mix. once dry, the seating object achieves a form that allows for a comfortable experience that takes into consideration old customs. the benches were arranged and displayed as art pieces at the seoul kimchi festival, at the gwanghwamun square.

for the project, various sizes were created

the designer added a message to each stool

making process, testing different types of cement mixes

steel structure dipped in the kimchi basins filled with cement

installation of the stools in the gwanghwamun square in seoul, south korea

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom