Unbreakable

I designed a family of objects that tells a story about the city of Rotterdam. By performing extensive research, I was able to break away from the superficiality of souvenir design. When I discovered a Chinese population that used to reside in the neighborhood where I lived, I decided to investigate the area and look for any visible traces of their history. When I realized their entire history was hidden, I performed as much research as I could by reading old news articles, books, history materials, and so on to discover more in a different way. My family of objects symbolizes the unbreakable bond between the Chinese community and Katendrecht. The Ming Dynasty-themed cushions allow you to connect to the area's invisible past in a poetic way. The pillow vases are unbreakable Ming vases that reveal various printed historical stories and imagery about this Chinese community. They were and continue to be overlooked as a result of Katendrecht's stereotypical image.