Jianze participated in this international design event for the second consecutive year, presenting the “Chinese Bamboo Research Project,” jointly initiated with Finnish designer Ville Kokkonen, in the pavilion at the Tuileries Garden. This year, Jianze's collaboration with intangible cultural heritage bamboo weaving master Hu Zhengren and intangible cultural heritage bamboo craft master Wang Ronglong was further deepened, with the newly created Zhú series of table lamps and floor lamps making their debut on-site. At the same time, the rattan bamboo system first exhibited last year has expanded into a more complete series, adding Stool, High Stool, and Basket, showcasing the infinite possibilities of Chinese bamboo in contemporary design.
Jianzhe × Ville Kokkonen China Bamboo Research Project — Purple Bamboo Table Lamp
In MATTER and SHAPE Object Series
China Bamboo Research Project: Three Years of Exploration, a Dialogue Between Tradition and Modernity
Since 2023, Jianze has been collaborating with Finnish designer Ville Kokkonen to launch a research project on Chinese bamboo. This research project aims to find Chinese bamboo suitable for handicraft production, with a particular focus on varieties that have unique appearances, high aesthetic value, and excellent structural performance. In the past two years of research, the team has worked with multiple experienced Chinese experts to deeply explore the potential applications of bamboo in contemporary design.
Ville Kokkonen is from Finland and is one of the influential contemporary industrial designers. He has served as the design director for the Finnish home brand Artek and has also been a furniture design professor at Aalto University in Finland. His collaborators span the fields of technology, home, and fashion, including well-known brands such as Nokia, Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, Knoll, Artek, and Iittala.
In discussions with bamboo art master Wang Ronglong, the team discovered solid bamboo—Zong Zhu—which differs from hollow bamboo. Beneath the surface of this bamboo is a distinct fiber core, providing entirely new possibilities for furniture making. Master woodworker Yin Hongqiang, drawing on the characteristics of Zong Zhu, used traditional techniques such as mortise and tenon joints to cleverly connect different parts, achieving the desired structural effects. In 2024, Janze collaborated with bamboo weaving master Hu Zhengren to explore a new combination of traditional Chinese bamboo weaving techniques and modern design.
These traditional crafts, rooted in millennia of wisdom, are being newly interpreted through contemporary craft language. The ongoing research results are gradually being released, offering innovative perspectives on the cultural value of bamboo and its future possibilities in the field of design.
Comparison of the Zong Zhu before and after peeling and processing, fibers exposed on the cross-section
Jianze in MATTER and SHAPE
Zhú Series Lighting: The Penetration of Light, the Expression of Bamboo
At MATTER and SHAPE in 2026, Jianzhe will debut the Zhú series of table and floor lamps, created in collaboration with bamboo weaving master Hu Zhengren. The lampshades feature a fully cylindrical bamboo weaving structure, personally guided and woven by Master Hu. The weaving texture is simple yet rhythmic, presenting a warm, layered effect when light passes through. The most ingenious aspect lies in embracing natural personality: the lamp poles retain the natural appearance of the bamboo. Each bamboo stalk has its unique texture, grain, and character, making each lamp a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
The designs are led by Ville Kokkonen, with an overall restrained simplicity. The sleek cylindrical shape forms a precise dialogue with the bamboo weaving texture, reactivating the vitality of traditional craftsmanship in a modern context.
Hu Zhengren, a representative inheritor of China's intangible cultural heritage in bamboo weaving, has been engaged in bamboo weaving craft for more than 50 years since he started learning it at the age of 13. He dares to innovate in the craft of bamboo weaving, and with the help of self-made machines, he has developed techniques such as fine bamboo filament inlay and rotary-cut bamboo slices.
The Zhú series of lighting fixtures showcases the vitality of traditional craftsmanship
In 2026, the Jianze Chinese Bamboo Research Project showcased a brand-new series for the Palm Bamboo System at MATTER and SHAPE. The Stool, High Stool, and Basket continue the in-depth exploration of palm bamboo materials. The seat of the Stool is made of nan bamboo strips hand-woven with paper rope, allowing for easy disassembly and installation. The bamboo basket of the Basket is hand-woven under the guidance of Master Hu Zhengren, and it can be embedded in the palm bamboo frame or used independently. Each palm bamboo frame is handcrafted by masters from the Yin Workshop, who have inherited skills for decades. The natural texture of the bamboo and the details of the hand weaving together create a tranquil yet powerful language of objects.
Chinese woodworking master Yin Hongqiang is making a series of rattan and bamboo products. He inherits traditional Chinese Su-style woodworking techniques and has collaborated with Finnish design master Kukkaporo for decades, showcasing superb woodworking skills. Master Yin, based on decades of wood processing experience, has developed a set of production methods tailored to the shapes and material characteristics of rattan and bamboo.
These new works continue the design language of the Zhú Lounge Chair and Side Table, which debuted last year, while expanding the functional dimensions of the brown bamboo system. From seating to storage, from single pieces to a series, the brown bamboo system is gradually building a complete spectrum of household objects.
MATTER and SHAPE 2026: An Immersive Design Experience
This edition of MATTER and SHAPE is designed by JA Projects, responsible for the architectural concept, creating two pavilions in the Tuileries Garden as a socially participatory architectural project rooted in the site's culture and geographical history. The salon features a reading room, a shop, lecture programs, and multiple dining spaces, creating an immersive design experience.
The exhibition area by Means of Space showcases diverse contemporary design practices alongside more than 70 exhibitors from around the world. From collectible design items to raw materials, textiles, tableware, lighting, ceramics, and furniture editions, MATTER and SHAPE brings together works from both established professionals and emerging talents, reflecting the multifaceted nature of contemporary design.
Photo：Celia Spenard-Ko / Hao Luo / Mickaël Llorca
