d-gc 1

d-gc 1 is a minimalist chair created by Seoul-based designer Woojin Park of p(erson)al. The de-goose project begins with a fundamental question about adaptability in design. Traditional seating relies on static forms that accommodate the human body through predetermined angles and cushioning. Park’s approach inverts this relationship, creating a chair that responds dynamically to its occupant. The gooseneck component, reimagined and scaled for furniture rather than lighting, becomes both structural backbone and interactive interface.

This transformation speaks to a broader movement in contemporary design toward responsive materiality. The gooseneck’s inherent properties – that careful balance between flexibility and resistance – create what Park describes as “tension and feedback” between user and object. When someone leans into the chair, the gooseneck element adjusts, offering support that feels almost conversational in its responsiveness.

The technical achievement lies in Park’s material translation. Industrial goosenecks typically employ spring steel cores wrapped in protective sheathing, optimized for repetitive positioning under minimal load. Scaling this mechanism for human weight and comfort required rethinking both the internal structure and outer materials while preserving the essential character that makes a gooseneck recognizable.

Park’s Seoul-based practice embodies a distinctly Korean approach to industrial reinterpretation. Rather than rejecting mass-produced components, p(erson)al embraces them as raw material for transformation. This philosophy connects to Korea’s rapid industrial development, where the boundary between craft and industry remains fluid and contested.

The de-goose chair also participates in furniture’s ongoing dialogue with industrial aesthetics. From Jean Prouvé’s factory-inspired seating to contemporary designers like Formafantasma, there exists a rich tradition of elevating utilitarian components into domestic contexts. Park’s contribution lies in his focus on behavioral rather than purely visual translation.

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