MANO design studio
MANO design studio is a Seoul–based studio founded in 2016 by Bo Ah Kim. With a background in interior design in Korea and further studies in Product Design in Milan, Kim develops work at the intersection of traditional Korean craft and contemporary design. Her practice focuses on lighting and objects made from Hanji—traditional Korean paper hand–pressed from mulberry bark. Each piece is made by hand: cutting, folding, and stitching to draw out the quiet dialogue between light and material. At the heart of her work is the act of stitching itself. Each stitch is not decorative, but a record—of time, attention, and the steady rhythm of the hand. The work holds what cannot be seen: the duration and care inscribed into every mark.
MANO design studio presents 'biiit,' a lighting collection rooted in the Korean word for light. The three 'i's signify a trinity: Hanji, stitch, and light. Each piece records corporeal rhythm through stitches on traditional Korean paper—a meditative archive of attention. The biiit 001–003, 008 series explores yeobaek–mi, the beauty of empty space as realm of possibility. Inspired by saekdong, these lamps seep into the environment, drawing attention to intentional gaps between objects. biiit 005–006 uses triangular structures derived from jogakbo patchwork. Symbolising emergence, these asymmetrical forms celebrate irregular harmony and visible misalignment. Together, the collection invites viewers to perceive beauty in the unspoken.
