L X L                                                        

LOTUS

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Lotus is the culmination of my Design Principles II class’s Form and Manufacturing projects. The Form project called upon students to reference an object from RISD’s Nature Lab and bring its form elements into a set of three handheld products. The Manufacturing project then pushed us to select one of our three products and manufacture it identically, five times over.

My selected Nature Lab object was a lotus root, native to my parents’ home province of Hubei, China. I elected to design a tea set in honor of my cultural heritage, and manufactured my teacup with plastic silicone molding.

Physical Product
Molding/Manufacturing
Problem Statement: Modern teaware often prioritizes uniformity and minimalism, leaving little room for forms inspired by organic beauty or cultural symbolism. This project reimagines the teacup through the lens of the lotus root—celebrating natural geometry and transforming a daily ritual into a moment of reflection.

Sketches & Mood Board

Sketch Models


3D Modeling and Printing








Moldmaking Process














Manufacturing Process





Final Photos & Product Rendering