Designer Taekhan Yun is reshaping how creative spaces can work for children by placing their ideas at the center of the process. During a visit to his parents' English school in Cambodia, he noticed how children were constantly adjusting themselves to adult-sized furniture. That observation inspired a project built around comfort, imagination, and participation.
Yun's workshops begin with drawing sessions, where children sketch imaginative chairs and birdhouses using colored pencils. Their ideas then move into clay prototypes, allowing each concept to take physical form before being translated into full-scale wooden pieces. The result is a collection of functional artworks that reflects both playful design and collaborative making.
What makes the project distinctive is its focus on process as much as product. Yun has said that children often approach objects with a sense of freedom that opens new possibilities for design. In this setting, their choices do more than shape the final objects; they also influence how creativity is shared across the group.
The project is set to expand further, with upcoming workshops being prepared in South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Yun hopes to continue building an international version of the chair project by working with children from different cultural and social backgrounds.
As participatory design gains momentum, projects like this suggest a future where everyday objects are shaped by broader voices and more imaginative perspectives.
