We live in an age of digital precision, where technology creates perfectly smooth geometry. But what happens when we integrate raw, organic material with technology?
In Southeast Asian kitchens, Vietnamese rice paper (bánh tráng) is both a staple ingredient and a highly adaptable medium. Made from rice flour, tapioca starch, and water, it softens when wet and dries into a crisp, translucent, parchment-like sheet.
The “Ephemeral Geometry: The Bánh Tráng Lamp Lab” workshop reimagines a humble food ingredient as an architectural medium. Inspired by the ethos of “wabi-sabi”—the beauty of imperfection—participants layer rehydrated rice paper over 3D-printed molds featuring geometric contours. As heat, moisture, and starch interact, each lampshade dries into a unique, one-of-a-kind form.
Your completed lamp becomes a lasting extension of this experience—bringing delicate folds, burnt edges, and a warm, diffused glow into your everyday life.
Kyle Yu and Zoyi Lai are spatial designers and researchers who believe design goes far beyond physical structures—it is a medium for crafting emotional connections and shared human experiences with genuine care. Both are alumni of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and their collaboration is driven by empathy and a deep curiosity about how people interact with their daily surroundings.
Kyle specialises in commercial spatial design and academic research, with a professional background shaped by key milestones at Benoy and a featured exhibition at the London Design Biennale. Zoyi anchors the team’s community-driven vision through curatorial and architectural design across platforms like AONA and Absence from Island, with a portfolio highlighting cultural projects including “The Cha Chaan Teng Codex”, the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture, and Expo 2025 Osaka (“Tamba Stay”).
Bringing together their rich local and international experience, they merge spatial rigour with heartfelt storytelling. Following their well-received salt-drawing workshop at deTour 2025, they return for deTour 2026 to channel their passion into an open, inclusive workshop experience designed to resonate with the community.
