Taichung’s “Lele Wood” Workshop Crafts Simplicity in Natural Wood

Meng Yi admits that her woodworking style is heavily influenced by Japan. She reads extensively and absorbs Japanese books, admiring how the Japanese highlight the raw texture and color of wood. Additionally, with a background in industrial design, she considers practicality—simplifying the manufacturing process, shortening production time, and reducing costs are all key design considerations. “Does that sound too commercial?” Meng Yi laughs, insisting she’s not an artist and doesn’t aspire to be one. Though her starting point is rooted in practicality, the truth is, the simpler the design, the harder it is to execute.

 

During our chat, I pointed out the wooden flower stand by the window in the exhibition room, with its sleek hollowed-out design, which I really liked. “That’s leftover material,” she said. What!? After Meng Yi explained, I learned that the hollowed part was originally cut by a factory to make a cup holder, and this entire leftover piece of wood was salvaged by her. After observing and pondering, she decided to turn it into a flower stand. “It’s not for sale yet—I’ll add some supports to reinforce the structure.”

It’s incredible how something once dismissed as valueless leftover material takes on a whole new life in Meng Yi’s hands. “Woodworkers always keep leftover scraps and offcuts,” Meng Yi added, pointing to a woodpecker-shaped door stopper. “This was a triangular leftover piece. I thought about what I could make with it and turned it into a door stopper. Later, I realized it could also work as a bookend.” Taiwan enforces a logging ban, so most wood is imported, making it essential to use every bit wisely. “It helps reduce deforestation, and even small pieces can still be useful.”

 

On the day of my visit, Meng Yi took a perfectly square block of wood and, through simple cutting, drilling, and sanding, transformed it into a business card holder and pen stand. There were no flashy decorations or complicated processes—the wooden block became a functional household item, its natural wood grain fully on display.

Perhaps the sight of timber piles along the roadsides of Fengyuan may never return, and the image of children in Fengyuan playing and hiding among the wood stacks may exist only in memory. But the possibility of living joyfully with wood can still be realized and sustained—in Lele Wood, and in the hearts of everyone who loves wood, through transformation and practice.

 

[INFO]

Address: No. 408-1, Dongguan Road, Dongshi District, Taichung City

Phone: 0988-958-709

Website: tw.myblog.yahoo.com/lifeaesthetics-exhibition

Event: Paint Your Own Heat Shield, NT$200 per person, for groups of 10 or more (reservation required).

 

●  Read More:

Taichung Handmade Shop Micro-Tour: Discover the Artisan Warmth of Local Shops

http://goo.gl/98Fyzc

 

MOOK Travel Life Network: Taiwan’s Largest Travel Information Platform

www.mook.com.tw