Folding Nature into Function: My Aesthetic and Design Influences

Aesthetic is more than just a visual preference—it’s a language that communicates values, function, and emotion. My personal aesthetic is a fusion of clean, modern minimalism with the organic fluidity of nature. I gravitate toward a palette of greens, light tan, gold, and black, creating a balance between sleek functionality and natural warmth. My work often plays with contrast—structured yet flexible, minimal yet intricate, geometric yet organic. At the core of my aesthetic is a fascination with transformation: how something simple, like a flat sheet of paper, can become something dynamic, functional, and strong.

A Love for Origami: The Story That Started It All

When I was five years old, I had already developed a habit of making my own toys out of paper. That year, for my father’s birthday—which happens to be the day before mine—I decided to make him a paper rose. In reality, it probably looked more like a crumpled-up piece of paper, but he appreciated it anyway. The next day, for my birthday, he gave me an origami kit. That small gift sparked my lifelong love for folding paper into intricate, intentional forms. It wasn’t just about making something pretty paper cranes; it was the realization that a simple flat sheet could transform into something structural, strong, and full of possibility.

Influences from Nature and Computational Design

Growing up, I spent a lot of time outside, fascinated by the way nature structures itself with geometric precision—honeycombs, leaf veins, spirals in flowers. This subconscious admiration for natural geometry later translated into my love for origami and, eventually, my approach to design. I later studied and majored in mathematics in my undergraduate years, which added another layer to my aesthetic thinking. Mathematics, especially computational concepts, influences the way I design—everything from symmetry and algorithmic techniques  computing the way space can be optimized and restructured dynamically.

Japan, where I lived as an exchange student for almost two years, reinforced my love for space-saving, highly efficient design. Japanese homes seamlessly blend nature with smart, adaptable architecture, and that influence continues to shape my approach today. Whether it’s hidden storage, collapsible structures, or modular furniture, I admire how design can be both minimal and deeply functional. Now that I live in a small studio, this has become even more important. I carefully chose furniture that maximizes efficiency and optimizes space, like a loft bed with a desk underneath and a coffee table that expands into a dining table.

Now, in graduate school, my goal is to push these ideas further. I’m here to apply techniques like origami and mathematical fabrication into design works, exploring their potential in both artistic and physical design applications. I’m particularly interested in how these principles can transform materials as they are, creating structures that are lightweight yet strong, flexible yet durable, simple yet complex.

Looking Ahead

I see my aesthetic as an evolving philosophy rather than a rigid style. It’s always been about harmony—between nature and human-made design, between functionality and beauty, between the structured and the organic. Whether through origami, mathematical principles, or architectural influences, I’ll continue to explore how design can be both clever and natural—just like the world that first inspired me.

I may not have a fully formed idea for my final project yet, but I know I’ll be returning to this blog for inspiration. Exploring my personal aesthetic and influences has already sparked new creative directions, and I’m excited to see where they lead.