The 378 Chair was created out of a deep dive into Neo Naturalism philosophy, where nature’s organic qualities intersect with modern technology. The piece transforms stainless steel into a canvas—etched with laser engravings that draw directly from the world of tattoo artistry.
“We wanted to fuse the tactile, earthy feel of natural forms with the polished edge of industrial materials,” says designer Hyunseog Oh from NICEWORKSHOP. “We first used laser engraving to create a preliminary drawing of tattoo artist Dr. Woo’s design on the material. Building on that digital precision, we then fully engraved his tattoo design by hand using a Dremel machine.”
The chair’s minimalist look comes from carefully balancing proportions. “We started with the natural form of a rectangular log as our base and built from there,” Hyunseog says. “By adjusting the seat height and backrest to human scale, we made sure the chair not only looked good but also felt great to sit in. It’s all about marrying strength with comfort.”
Hyunseog finds much of his creative spark on construction sites, where the clean vertical lines and precise proportions of building materials naturally inform his designs. “There’s a certain order and industrial elegance in the way buildings come together,” he says. “That influence is baked right into the chair’s design.”
Unexpected textures and patterns emerged during the engraving stage, taking the design in new directions. “Instead of seeing these as setbacks, we embraced them, adjusting the design and letting it evolve organically to add even more character to the piece.”
A version of this article originally appeared in “Nice Chairs” in Sixtysix Issue 14.
