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UNEARTH

Project type

Art / Home / Sustainability

Unearth is a trio of vases that investigates how a single architectural language can unfold into multiple expressions through material, form and interaction. Unified by reclaimed wood shells with a painted finish, each vase reveals a unique inner core - transparent green resin, solid dark teal resin and reflective chrome metal. These materials offer distinct visual and tactile experiences, inviting reflection on light, texture and permanence.

Though visually cohesive, the three vases diverge in how they open and are assembled. One allows a simple slide to reveal its interior; another requires lifting both the top and bottom shells; the third involves a puzzle-like slot mechanism. This progression in complexity transforms each interaction into a quiet ritual, engaging users with varying levels of effort and curiosity. The sequence becomes a metaphor for discovering value through attention - reminding us that sustainability is not a static quality, but a dynamic relationship shaped by care, awareness and context.

Unearth offers a tactile meditation on transformation. Through its trio structure, it poses questions about labor, attention and care - suggesting that design’s most meaningful gestures often lie in the everyday moments of interaction. Each vase stands alone, but together they form a study in nuance: an invitation to slow down, engage deeply and rediscover the material and emotional layers within daily life.

© 2025 by Ruiting Xu.

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