O Bowl is a tableware inspired by East Asian eating manner. Not only does its name associates to a Chinese character but it also works well with hot cuisines like rice and hot soup.
The shape of O Bowl is a result of the study regarding the profile of traditional Chinese ceramic bowls. The bowls have feet on the bottom which not only keep the bowl itself from dust but also keep the users away from heat while holding them. However, because of the limits of metal spinning, it is difficult to directly adopt this structure to a metal spun object. Hence, an additional, detachable concrete-casted base is made. O Bowl is the combination of metal work and concrete which has a metal spun bowl and a concrete base. They are detachable. Concrete is an ideal material for isolation and keeping temperature. This design makes the users benefit from the property of concrete yet not suffer from its weight.
The top part of O Bowl is made by metal spinning which consumes two moulds. To start, the craftsman makes the inside recess. After having a bucket shape of metal sheet, the craftsman do the outer curved surface with the assist of the other mould. It also requires the craftsman to reverse the metal sheet in the half way of the process. The bottom part of O Bowl is made of concrete which also consumes two moulds. But instead of making two moulds, I make a double-sided mould that helps me with production. First, I make a female mould out of liquid rubber. Then, I set up the concrete and pour it into the rubber. Thirdly, I put the mould on top of the rubber with the small part facing down. In the end, I make a concrete cast base which fits well with the metal spun part.
