Post 13: Brian Ahn Portfolio

Upcycle Project: https://www.aesdes.org/2025/02/19/naturalist-hangboard-2/

Final Project: https://www.aesdes.org/2025/04/30/final-project-part-2-bamboo-lamp-creation/

This semester I had the opprotunity to create projects that both improved my ability to apply aesthetics to designs and create functional products that I use regularly. In both of my projects I used wood as the main material since it fit my “naturalist” aesthetic and was the best way I saw to create these products.

For my first project I wanted to create a portable climbing hangboard that I could use to warmup while climbing outside. Many of my friends had purchased products that accomplished this goal but I found this to be a good opprotunity to create one instead. I was particulary proud of this project because it included all that I wanted in a portable hangboard. I can fit both my hands on it, it can be used on a tree branch or simply wrapped around my foot, and it features the two depths that I have found to be the most useful for training/warming up. This project was very easy to create as a simple piece of scrap wood and some other climbing gear that I already had formed the entire list of materials that I needed. Some precise router work and sanding and the board was complete.

For my final project I created a lamp that featured dried bamboo poles for the structural body of the lamp. I had always wanted a second lamp in my room and one of my friends went abroad and lent me theirs while they were gone. Once they came back, they retreived the lamp and I was left needing a replacement. This project was the perfect opprotunity to fill the need. This project was definitely more labor intensive than my first project and required some good accounting to fit each bamboo pole into slotted holes in the base piece of wood. While not perfect, the lamp turned out looking pretty good and sits well in my room.

Overall I am really happy with the form and function of both projects. Since their creation I have used both quite a few times and see no reason to ever stop.