From Artifact to Lifestyle: A Triadic Model of Cultural Re-encoding in the Contemporary Redesign of Ming-Style Round-Backed Armchairs

Abstract

In the context of globalization and the resurgence of local cultural consciousness, traditional design artifacts face the dual challenge of preservation and contemporary relevance. Taking the Ming-style round-backed armchair as a paradigmatic case, this study investigates how classical Chinese furniture is transformed from a historical artifact into a modern lifestyle symbol. Moving beyond formal description, the paper conceptualizes contemporary redesign as a process of cultural re-encoding, grounded in design semiotics. Through a comparative analysis of three representative cases—Hans Wegner’s The Chair, Shang Xia’s carbon-fiber reinterpretation, and Neri & Hu’s Ming Series—this study proposes a Triadic Model of Cultural Re-encoding, consisting of syntactic purification, material contextualization, and conceptual deconstruction. The findings reveal that successful redesign depends on translating deep cultural structures, rather than replicating surface symbols, thereby re-signifying ritual, materiality, and meaning for contemporary life. This model offers a transferable analytical framework for integrating indigenous cultural heritage into global design discourse.