ae office’s cork furniture captures the raw beauty of volcanic black stone in korea

ae office draws on jeju island’s volcanic landscapes

Berlin-based design studio Ae Office has unveiled its latest creation, the DOL series — an ensemble of expanded cork furniture inspired by the raw beauty of Korean volcanic terrains. The chairs, tables, and wall shelves pay homage to the indigenous practice of utilizing black volcanic stones as foundational elements in construction of walls and tombs, echoing the age-old wisdom of incorporating locality into design. This sparked a conceptual exploration of functionality, intertwined with the intrinsic properties of materiality. Each piece, carved by hand, is structured with wooden profiles clad with cork panels, and finished with layers of wood oils and waxes to lend its distinct foamy surface character and organic forms. DOL, which debuted as a stool series at last year’s Alcova in Milan Design Week 2023, was recently shown at the Collectible Fair Brussels in March.

all images courtesy Ae Office

the dol series presents organic, lightweight furniture

Led by Korean designers Hee Choi and Myung Nyun Kim, Ae Office explores layers of cultural expression by collaging materials, methods, and narratives from different locales. Their nomadic trajectory, spanning from Seoul to the volcanic landscapes of Jeju and presently rooted in Berlin, underscores an engagement with unfamiliar environments to enrich their creative identity. The experience of moving to the Korean island in 2022 became a major inspiration for the DOL collection, which conveys a narrative and practicality rooted in two distinct regions.

Encountering cork upon their move to Europe, the design team sought to recreate the images they had previously seen in Korea, exploring new expressions of this familiar material. Recognized as one of the most sustainably harvested materials, cork bark undergoes a renewal process every nine years. Its applications, often seen in insulation and flooring due to its innate insulating properties, shock absorption, and lightweight nature, additionally render it ideal for use as home furniture.

DOL draws on the raw beauty of Korean volcanic terrains

the forms appear rough and weighty, belying their lightweight and organic character

each piece is carved by hand, and structured with wooden profiles clad with cork panels

finished with layers of wood oils and waxes to lend its distinct foamy surface character

Ae Office conveys a narrative and practicality rooted in two locales

recognized as one of the most sustainably harvested materials, cork bark renews every nine years

the material has often been ideal for insulation and flooring

project info:

name: DOL
designer: Ae Office

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom