Architectural Cases

Embracing the Unseen: Park's Ceramic Mastery in "Strata of Illusion"

The Award-Winning Creation: "Strata of Illusion" Takes Center Stage

Jongjin Park has achieved significant recognition, securing the Loewe Craft Prize 2026 for his remarkable artwork, "Strata of Illusion." This ceramic masterpiece, showcased at the National Gallery Singapore, blurs the lines between a seating form, a geological specimen, and a compressed textile. Crafted from porcelain, paper, stains, and glazes, its unique structure features a central indentation and vibrant, layered hues that create a landscape of folded textures and compacted lines.

From Fragile Paper to Enduring Porcelain: A Visionary Process

The genesis of this award-winning piece lies in its ingenious use of paper. Park meticulously coats sheets of paper with porcelain slip, imbued with carefully blended pigments. These treated sheets are then folded, stacked, and compressed into solid blocks, which undergo a firing process. During this stage, the paper disintegrates, leaving an indelible imprint of its original form within the hardened porcelain. The final artwork retains the delicate nuances of compression and creasing, transmuting a delicate material into a robust ceramic sculpture.

Unveiling the Material's Narrative: Porcelain Echoes Paper's Past

The profound impact of Jongjin Park's "Strata of Illusion" is found in the transparency of its creation process. Upon close examination, the surface reveals a sequence of pressed strata, with defined edges and recessed areas that evoke sediment, textiles, cardboard, and cross-sections of earth. A rich palette of muted blues, fiery reds, subtle yellows, earthy greens, and lustrous dark tones converges in uneven bands, imbuing the piece with a substantial, almost cushioned quality, while preserving the unyielding weight of fired clay.

Geological Inspirations and Artistic Translations

Park's methodology is deeply influenced by his observations of geological formations near his studio. Rather than depicting landscapes pictorially, he delves into the gradual processes of accumulation, pressure, and the passage of time, translating these elemental forces into a distinctive ceramic technique. The artwork intrinsically embodies this conceptual framework. Each fold signifies a deliberate artistic choice, and every colored layer marks a distinct stage of coating, stacking, and firing. What appears soft and fibrous is, in reality, vitrified porcelain.

The Art of Disappearance: Crafting Ambiguity and Transformation

The title, "Strata of Illusion," eloquently captures the core paradox of the artwork. Its surface evokes a sense of flexibility, resembling paper or fabric, yet the piece is permanently fixed in ceramic form. The chair-like indentation invites a tactile interpretation, but the object maintains its sculptural integrity, appearing more like a condensed landscape than a utilitarian seat. This inherent ambiguity imbues the work with its captivating allure. Park skillfully employs craft to simultaneously embody two contrasting states: the initial softness of the raw material and the solidified permanence of the finished piece.

Contemporary Craft and the Quest for Material Truth

This sense of metamorphosis resonates deeply within the context of the Loewe Craft Prize, an arena where contemporary craft is celebrated for its patience, material insight, and willingness to take technical risks. Park's work doesn't rely on embellishment or grand scale to convey its message. It remains intimate, a dialogue between the artist's hand and the kiln, using the deceptively simple combination of paper and porcelain to provoke questions about how we perceive material authenticity.

Jongjin Park's Vision: Bridging Disciplines in Collectible Design

Based in the Republic of Korea, Jongjin Park holds advanced degrees from Kookmin University and Cardiff Metropolitan University, and currently serves as an Assistant Professor in Craft & Collectible Design at Seoul Women's University. His expansive practice traverses ceramics, craft research, and collectible design, with recent collaborations spanning luxury, fashion, and automotive industries. In "Strata of Illusion," these diverse fields converge, resulting in a work that is both experimental and profoundly accessible.

Process as Narrative: The Intelligence of Matter

The piece also reflects a broader evolution within design culture, where the creative process has become as significant as the final outcome. Park's ceramic technique directly embeds the labor into the object, allowing the finished surface to bear the tangible evidence of folding, pressure, pigment application, and heat. In an era increasingly dominated by rapid fabrication and digital simulation, "Strata of Illusion" refocuses attention on the inherent intelligence of materials and the pivotal role of the hand in exploring their transformative potential.

Anonym Studio has meticulously designed Saikhoo House, a sprawling family estate in Samut Prakarn, Thailand, by thoughtfully incorporating two majestic banyan trees as the focal point of the property. This innovative architectural approach preserved the site's existing wetlands and abundant vegetation, transforming them into an integral part of the residential experience. The architects, Phongphat Ueasangkhomset and Parnduangjai Roojnawate, envisioned the trees not as construction impediments but as core elements around which the entire structure would unfold. A beautifully crafted L-shaped wooden deck embraces the twin banyans, while the home's open-plan layout ensures constant visual and physical engagement with the verdant surroundings.

This thoughtfully designed dwelling caters to a multigenerational family relocating from urban Bangkok, offering distinct yet interconnected living areas for parents, children, and elders. A separate, U-shaped residence for the owners' parents is strategically placed at the rear of the property, creating a private courtyard that fosters both community and solitude. The design prioritizes natural airflow and ample daylight, with features such as deep roof overhangs, inviting covered terraces, and expansive open circulation zones. These elements facilitate effortless movement throughout the house while offering protection from the sun and rain, promoting an eco-conscious lifestyle. One wing of the L-shaped layout houses a private office, a workshop, and a semi-outdoor space for diving lessons, complete with its own entrance and a 25-meter swimming pool, ensuring independence from the main family quarters. The primary communal areas are situated in the longer wing, boasting a double-height ceiling that unifies the different levels and provides panoramic views.

The architects ingeniously used courtyards and open gaps between structures to enhance natural ventilation and create a sense of spaciousness, rather than confining all functions within a single volume. A central courtyard, featuring a solitary olive tree amidst white gravel, acts as a passive cooling zone, effectively managing heat and air circulation. The dining area is strategically separated from the open-air kitchen, while a glasshouse-inspired living space at the rear offers filtered daylight through a transparent ceiling and an additional protective roof layer. Bedrooms, located on the upper floor, are designed with minimalist aesthetics, reflecting the family's preference for shared living and outdoor enjoyment. The overall material palette and design principles emphasize openness, natural shade, continuous airflow, and a harmonious integration between the built environment and the natural landscape, with the banyan trees and various open spaces serving as the defining architectural features.