Where does inspiration come from? Lee Sukwoo, founder of the design studio SWNA, has a simple and clear answer to this question: “Observe, and observe again.” For those not yet familiar with SWNA, it is time to look up the designer of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic medals. Moreover, SWNA’s designs can be found in products that have become such natural—and therefore almost imperceptible—parts of everyday life. Inspiration for Everyday Life, SWNA is an anthology of 62 projects selected by Lee himself out of the numerous projects that he’s successfully completed over the past 18 years.
The main text is divided into two parts. The Projects Part describes the ideation or conceptualization phase, the production process, and the usage of each design. The results printed in vivid colors on smooth paper make it seem as if products were born complete, and everything envisioned was fully realized. However, in the Process Part, SWNA details the way an initial idea as rough as a gemstone gets developed. Black and white images show how that gemstone is polished through sketches, mock-ups, and prototypes.
