Yabu Pushelberg Deepens Involvement in China; Unfurls First Collaboration With HC28 Maison

MILAN — New York- and Toronto-based design studio Yabu Pushelberg is upping its game in China. On Tuesday, the firm founded by Glenn Pushelberg and George Yabu in 1980 will present nine new creations it designed for HC28 Maison, a Beijing-based high end furniture brand founded by Li Jianwei in 2007.

The designs will be unfurled from Tuesday to Friday in Shanghai, at the China International Furniture Fair, known as CIFF. Together, the two entities developed a new sculptural language that addresses “multiple layers of human experience,” imbuing Yabu Pushelberg’s modernist flair and HC28’s contemporary vision of Chinese design, Yabu Pushelberg said in a statement.

Among the new models are the geometric Shu lounge chair; the Junnuo dining table, which stands out for the stacked cylindrical logs and a horizontal beam; the Jin series of lacquered coffee tables, and the Suyan credenza defined by its oval legs design, all of which were created for the HC28 Cosmo line. Yabu Pushelberg envisaged the Mei lacquered wood chairs inspired by Ming dynasty craftsmanship and the Lian modular sofa, both of which feature in the main HC28 Maison collection.

“Having worked in China for over 30 years, we’ve watched the shift that’s happening in the design conversation in the region: it’s no longer about looking outward, they are leading from within,” said Yabu.

The evolution of Chinese luxury furniture has been in a deep slumber since the dawn of the socialist market economy, but today, recent advancements in smart home technologies, a rediscovery of traditional craftsmanship, and a rekindling of national pride are bolstering the nation’s luxury domestic furniture brands both internally and abroad. Brands like HC28 have found a way to entice a new generation of customers by combining ancient tradition and poetry with modern design.

“From our first conversations with Li Jianwei, founder of HC28 maison, it was clear he’s not following, he’s building. In Mr. Li’s distinct perspective, we found a shared respect for material, culture, and design that carries intent and worked to build two new collections based on that vision,” reflected Pushelberg.

Earlier this year, Yabu Pushelberg worked with Muli, another upscale Chinese furniture brand that incorporates smart technology in its design. Yabu Pushelberg designed the interiors of their newly renovated The Muli Palace in Beijing.

During 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen in June, Yabu Pushelberg revealed designs with Stellar Works, which makes its furniture in Shanghai and operates under the creative advisory of renowned architects Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu of Neri&Hu.

HC28 Maison’s distribution network spans the globe and international design hubs like London, Mexico City and Sydney. Since its inception, the firm has collaborated with a roster of renowned names like Dutch designer Marcel Wanders and French architect Christophe Delcourt.