Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Modern Mortise: Burr Puzzle Stool in Pink Metal

Posted: 10 Aug 2013 10:00 AM PDT

burr puzzle stool 1

A jumble of hot-pink aluminum tubes come together to form a stool using an ancient ‘burr puzzle’ method of assembling the pieces. You-De Chen and Chin-Hua Lin have modernized the wood burr puzzle, in which six wood pieces in two different shapes are joined in a particular way to create extremely strong joints. In the new version, fourteen pieces of metal in four shapes form a more complex type of joinery.

Burr Puzzle stool 2

Burr puzzle example

This results in an even stronger structure than a conventional burr puzzle, which is a symmetrical, three-dimensional unit of notched, interlocking pieces. A six-piece burr, also known as a ‘puzzle knot’ or ‘Chinese cross,’ is the most common type.

Burr puzzle stool 3

Burr Puzzle Stool 5

Burr Puzzle Stool 6

This stool is more than just a practical piece of furniture; the process is just as important as the finished result. The user takes on the assembly of the piece both as a fun challenge and a means of gaining a deeper appreciation for its construction (in contrast to the not-so-fun challenge of putting together furniture from a certain Swedish retailer.)