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17-25 October 2026

Functional Cabinet

On the possibility that an object might be valued for how strongly it signals function, rather than for how well it actually works.

Hosted by Choi Hyukjoon

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Entrance fee

Free access

Event type

Exhibition

Accessibility

Tactile
Toilets available
Partially wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair friendly toilet available

Opening hours

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Choi presents Functional Cabinet, a series of cabinets with multiple handles that must be used at once. Shown during DDW at Piet Hein Eek, the project explores how function is perceived and turned into value.

Functional Cabinet

Functional Cabinet is a series of cabinets fitted with three, four, or five handles. Each cabinet can only be opened when all of its handles are operated at the same time. As more handles are added, the cabinet becomes increasingly difficult to use, turning a familiar functional element into an obstacle.

The project looks at how functional details can shape the way an object is perceived and valued. A handle usually suggests usefulness and access, but here its repetition does the opposite. By exaggerating this familiar feature, the cabinet asks whether value comes from how well something works, or from how convincingly it signals function.

Presented in a setting where furniture is displayed, evaluated, and potentially purchased, Functional Cabinet places this question directly into a commercial context. The project observes how appearance, function, presentation, and the possibility of ownership influence what an object seems to be worth.

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About Choi Hyukjoon

Choi Hyukjoon is an Eindhoven-based contextual designer working across furniture, objects, and installation. His practice explores how familiar forms, functions, and systems shape the way we perceive and assign value to everyday things.