INDEX offers a more dimensional view of the design landscape across Asia by introducing design studios and companies that demonstrate clear design philosophies and notable achievements. Spanning graphic design, branding, spatial design, product, digital, and motion, INDEX focuses on emerging practices and looks beyond portfolios to examine how they work, where their ideas come from, and what they stand for. Rather than cataloguing projects, INDEX documents the design language and attitudes shaped by local identity, industry, and cultural environments across Asia.

China 

Studio: Mario Tsai Studio 

URL: https://mariotsai.studio/information/

Profile: Mario Tsai Studio is a research oriented design practice founded in Hangzhou in the summer of 2014 by Mario Tsai. The studio is celebrated for its highly structural approach to furniture design, exploring the potential attributes of materials and new production methods. While the studio acts as a creative catalyst for clients across various fields, Tsai also develops and produces his own products in house, ensuring a consistent application of his soft minimalist philosophy. He frequently experiments with lighting and modular furniture systems, pushing the limits of materials like aluminum and steel to create pieces that are visually lightweight, highly functional, and structurally innovative.

Japan

Studio: Mikiya Kobayashi 

URL: https://www.mikiyakobayashi.com 

Profile: Mikiya Kobayashi is a designer who established his eponymous studio in Tokyo in 2006, later expanding with a second studio in Valencia, Spain, in 2018. He is widely recognized for his masterful handling of natural materials, particularly wood, and his ability to infuse everyday furniture with a profound sense of warmth and tactile comfort. Operating his design studio alongside his own showroom, Kobayashi works closely with renowned Japanese and international furniture manufacturers, including Karimoku and Masterwal. His work is characterized by soft geometries and a poetic minimalism that deeply respects the heritage of Japanese woodworking while seamlessly fitting into modern living environments.

South Korea 

Studio: Studio Kwangho Lee 

URL: http://www.kwangholee.com 

Profile: Studio Kwangho Lee is a Seoul based creative practice founded by Kwangho Lee, a designer celebrated for his unique ability to elevate everyday materials into extraordinary furniture. With a background in metal art and design, he gained international acclaim through his meticulous weaving techniques using industrial materials like electrical cords and PVC tubes, as well as his expansive explorations in enameled copper and 3D printing. Functioning at the intersection of contemporary art, craft, and industrial design, Lee collaborates with prestigious global brands such as Hem and Fendi to design distinctive furniture and spatial objects. His pieces are highly sculptural and emotionally resonant, demonstrating a powerful design language that reinterprets traditional craftsmanship for the global stage.