A’ Design Award Recognizes Uni, a Continuous Aluminum Side Table That Reimagines Origami in Furniture
COMO, CO, ITALY, July 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The A’ Design Award has announced Uni, a side table designed by Xubai Li, as a Bronze winner in the Furniture Design category. The A’ Design Award is one of the world’s highly regarded design recognitions, organized through a rigorous blind peer-review process by an expert jury panel. Within the furniture industry, the A’ Furniture Design Award holds a respected position, acknowledging works that demonstrate thoughtful development and meaningful contributions to the field. This recognition places Uni among a select group of designs noted for their creativity and practicality. The achievement reflects the careful research and material investigation that shaped the project from concept to completion.
The recognition of Uni carries relevance for furniture designers, manufacturers, and consumers navigating the demands of contemporary urban living. As studio and condominium dwellers increasingly seek furniture that provides visual openness without sacrificing artistic presence, Uni addresses a notable gap identified through analysis of consumer trends in high-density housing. The design aligns with growing interest in pieces that balance utility and sculptural character. By treating negative space as a functional element, Uni offers a practical response to the constraints of small architectural footprints. Its dual role as a usable surface and a freestanding object provides tangible value for users and the broader industry.
Uni is a singular, continuous form that transforms a flat aluminum sheet into a sophisticated, freestanding volume. Inspired by origami, the design blurs the line between interior and exterior, allowing the tabletop and base to exist as one uninterrupted gesture. Constructed from 5052 aluminum sheet in a quarter-inch thickness, the piece is realized through roller bending and brake press bending, edge welding, and a sanded, waxed finish that preserves the raw material’s subtle shine. By eliminating traditional joinery, Uni achieves structural integrity through fold-based geometry alone. The waxed treatment, chosen in place of standard powder coating, reduces maintenance while celebrating the aluminum’s industrial elegance.
The Bronze A’ Design Award recognition may inform future explorations for Xubai Li, particularly in material-driven approaches to object making and the application of geometric transformation in functional design. The achievement offers encouragement to continue investigating the boundaries between sculpture and utility. It also contributes to wider conversations within the furniture field regarding minimalist construction and space optimization. This recognition serves as a measured affirmation of the design’s research and craftsmanship.
Interested parties may learn more about Uni and its development at the dedicated page provided by the A’ Design Award, where additional details about the design and its creator are available.
https://competition.adesignaward.com/ada-winner-design.php?ID=182518
About Xubai Li
Xubai Li is an interdisciplinary designer specializing in visual identity and object making. Her core methodology centers on deconstruction, systematically recontextualizing the established uses of ready-made materials and conventional design iconography. Utilizing a theoretical background in brand identity, she connects distinct physical and conceptual elements to construct objects that cross both cultural and formal boundaries. Through this practice, Xubai contributes to the broader design field by examining preconceived structural norms, challenging accustomed traditions, and expanding the standard applications of industrial and everyday materials. Xubai Li is from the United States of America.
About the Bronze A’ Design Award Recognition
The Bronze A’ Design Award is granted to designs that demonstrate a high degree of creativity and practicality within the Furniture Design category. Evaluated against criteria including innovative use of material, ergonomic comfort, aesthetic appeal, functionality and usability, durability, environmental sustainability, originality, space optimization, and craftsmanship excellence, recognized works reflect the experience and resourcefulness of their designers. The designation acknowledges thoughtful development and the considered use of materials and technology. Honored designs combine strong technical characteristics with tasteful creative skill and attention to detail. This recognition highlights a designer’s ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that support quality of life.
About A’ Design Award
The A’ Furniture Design Award is a well-regarded competition that welcomes a diverse range of participants, including furniture designers, design agencies, companies, manufacturers, and brands operating within the furniture and interior design industries. Entries are assessed through a blind peer-review process by an expert jury panel composed of design professionals, industry experts, academics, and journalists, who evaluate submissions against pre-established criteria. Organized since 2008 and now in its 18th year, the A’ Design Award is an international and juried competition held across all industries, with participation open to entries from all countries. The ultimate aim of the A’ Design Award is to recognize and promote superior products and projects that advance and benefit society, guided by a philanthropic mission to create a better world through the power of good design. Interested parties may learn more about the A’ Design Award, explore jury members, view past laureates, and take part with their projects at the following url: https://furnituredesignawards.net
Makpal Bayetova
A’ DESIGN AWARD & COMPETITION SRL
+39 031 497 2900
email us here
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