CRAFTLAB | Craft + Future = OPENSOURCE

Open - Source

Nimmi Elizabeth Thomas | PG190622

Craft

Future Faculty: Rishav Jain TA: Shail Sheth Spring’21

CCCCCCCraft Future Future Future Future Future Future Future Future

First Edition: 2021 This is an academic publication outlining the details of the Studio: Craft + Future = ? offered for the students of Master of Design (Interiors).

This course was conducted at the Faculty of Design, CEPT University during the Spring 2021.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form now known or hereafter invented, including photocopy and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from Studio Tutors or Students.

Publication Design: Shail Sheth

Open - Source

C

Future Faculty: Rishav Jain TA: Shail Sheth Spring’21

RESEARCH PROCESSES

DESIGN POSITION

CRAFT

INTERIOR

PRODUCTION

PRACTICE

DESIGN METHODS

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OVERVIEW The studio intends to discuss and identify the position of craft in contemporary interior architecture practices. With a combination of research and design methods, the studio focuses on envisaging future directions of craft productions through design concepts and craft design prototypes. The studio is largely divided into two parts: the first part uses intensive research techniques to establish a theoretical position of craft and the second part intends to test the position through a design problem. The studio involves rigorous reading sessions, theoretical analysis, field studies, hands-on explorations with craft techniques, along with design discussions.

The studio responds to the diverse pluralistic landscape of interior architecture practices in India and positions craft as one of the forerunners in the design decision making. It intends to delve into various future directions that craft productions can lend to interior practice.

The studio is largely divided into four modules,each emphasize the learning outcomes of the course: Know the contemporary position of craft, Ideate possibilities about the vision of the future, Develop an individual design position and Make relevant design explorations representing the design position.

The key outcomes of the studio include a listing and categorization of contemporary craft design practices of India, essays based on student’s own developed theoretical positions, field notes, visualizations of design positions along with prototypes and material samples.

Learning Outcomes: • Analyze and categorize the contemporary craft design practices of India • Evaluate and critique literature and research done on contemporary craft and write/derive/formulate a theoretical position on craft • Formulate a craft-design solution based on pre field studies and given design constraints.

• Devise design solutions that use craft in a future-relevant and contextual manner, rather than a mere aesthetic tool.

• Construct contemporary craft design prototypes, material boards and make presentation drawings 7

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Learnings

Initially, we tried to understand the traditional position of craft through literature review and our own understanding. Here, my position was that craft is a prayer. A close personal dialogue with the craft person’s spirituality as he creates something for his community. The process and the technique had the highest order of importance.

However, imagine a future in singularity where everyone and everything is connected to the grid. How can craft benefit from the same? This is the question that led to the development of CRAFTLAB. This platform has two major functions.

The first being the inclusion of technology and digital fabrication in the craft making process. This helps to eliminate tedious processes and high skill levels, and opens up opportunity for anyone in the world to begin their path in the line of crafts. Simply put, it’s the cake mix of craft. This allows school children, entrepreneurs and anyone with an interest to make, to be a part of the craft community. Traditional craftsmen provide the knowledge and designers develop the kit of parts for the maker and when the maker sells their product, everyone in between benefits.

The second benefit is that this platform promotes transdisciplinary collaboration.

From bioplastic terrazzo to 3D printed joinery for bamboo, the explorations are endless.

Nimmi Elizabeth Thomas 9

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Contents

Know Ex.1 | Card Sorting Ex.2 | Visual Mapping Ex.3 | Field Mapping

Ideate Ex.4 | Theoretical Position

Develop Ex.5 | Accumulizer Ex.6 | Envisaging the Future Ex.7 | Abstraction Ex.8 | Elementalism

Make Ex.9 | Generating Interior Space Ex.10 | Manifesto Ex.11 | Design Development

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Ex.1 Card Sorting

Duration: 1 Week Initially, we tried to understand the traditional position of craft through literature review and our own understanding.

Here, my position was that craft is a prayer. It is a process that elevates man to the status of a creator and brings him or her closer to God. It’s a supreme dialogue. The craftsperson is often seen cleaning and setting up his workspace everyday morning just like a priest sets up the temple for worship. The process, when practiced for long, brings forth a sense of meditation and the final product brings a sense of pride to the craftsperson.

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A crafted product may have elements and techniques common to a particular community. However, the mark of each craftsperson is often evident as it is something very close and personal to them.

A close personal dialogue with the craft person’s spirituality as he creates something for his community. The process and the technique had the highest order of importance.

The card sorting exercise re-iterated the same where technique came out as the most important.

Illustration for craft as a prayer

Card sorting iteration 1.

Card sorting, final top ten cards.

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Ex.2 Visual Mapping

Duration: 1 week We analysed projects, and it was found that in current interior practices, craft was often used as a method to constrast the concrete.

Be it through colour, pattern, natural materials, and more.

A form built from concrete, stands out starkly in the natural unbuilt environment. Often, the only visual company for a concrete building is another concrete building.

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In this scenario, we can notice architects and designers using craft to contrast the concrete, both visually and functionally.

One could also think of it as a way to blend the built and the unbuilt. A tertiary reason for using crafts is the nature of crafts that allow for storytelling and symbolism. All the above reasons place craft in a position that contrasts the generic industrial qualities of concrete.

Craft without natural resource

Functionality of material is most important

Craft, just because.

Accessible materials & cheap labour 15

Focus on intrinsic rustic quality

Neither minimalist nor maximalist

Quick experience

Mark of maker is in aesthetics

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Traditional practices are limiting

Fine craftsmanship lies in the details

Precision engineering to facilitate handmade

Craft is neither cold nor brutalist 17

Design innovation brings uniqueness

Craft cannot be a single use product

Is craft often an after-thought?

Unintentional craft

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Blending the thresholds

Symbolism & storytelling

Ornamentation for functionality

Craft can be brutalist 19

Craft for storytelling

Craft as an external skin

Only decor and aesthetics

Global ideas, local resources

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Restrained number of elements

Allows change during process

Minimalism + craft = chic

Linear forms of craft mean modern 21

Los risk, low skill craft

Complementing the program

Craft disconnected from history

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Craft fusion can be overwhelming

Coexistence within multiple crafts

Synonymous craft & vernacular architecture

Nature as a default habitat 23

Ex.3 Field Mapping

Duration: 1 Week In this week, we visited several stakeholders of craft. This included craft cluster, individual artisans, collaboratives, private companies employing craftspeople and even contemporary studios inspired by craft.

While doing this, we also tried to visit people working with different materials and media.

This included bamboo, clay, wood, fabric, marble, sandstone and much more.

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The learnings varied across the spectrum. Some employed traditional craft methods, some used it only for marketing purposes.

Some embraced the heritage and focused on the people while some tried to get the craft to have a futuristic appeal.

Cane & wood working craftsmen

Nakshi wood carving

Block printing artisans

Work of Studio Smita Moksh, Ahmedabad 25

Ex.4 Theoretical Position

Duration: 1 Week Concrete is one of the most commonly used materials in construction. Many interior practitioners have favored the cold uniformity, the grey palette and the singular monotony of concrete. This article places concrete as a base material for building. A form built from concrete, stands out starkly in the natural unbuilt environment.

Often, the only visual company for a concrete building is another concrete building.

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In this scenario, we can notice architects and designers using craft to contrast the concrete, both visually and functionally.

One could also think of it as a way to blend the built and the unbuilt. A tertiary reason for using crafts is the nature of crafts that allow for storytelling and symbolism. All the above reasons place craft in a position that contrasts the generic industrial qualities of concrete.

1.

Visual & Functional Contrast

The visual contrast can be achieved through multiple approaches; a few include featuring different patterns, textures, natural colours, etc. At least 20 projects utilized this property of craft to contrast the built concrete. The Biennale Pavilion by Wallmakers used Pattern, while Shreya Retreat by Purple Ink used warm, natural colours.

Amongst the 250 projects studied, at least 40 projects used craft solely because of a unique material/ technique property that concrete could not provide.

School of Dancing Arches by Samira Rathod used terracotta craft for its nature to Reduce-ReuseRecycle.

Therefore, the functional reasons that contrast concrete could be (but not limited to): a.

Climate Responsive b. Low Cost c.

Easily Accessible d. Use of Local Skill e. Temporary built f. Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

For example, the Brick House project by Architecture Paradigm chose brick craft and jaali formation techniques to provide a cool climate within the house. This property of cooling is unique to mud products that cannot be provided by concrete. Whereas, Bamboo Pavilion by ASA + Architects used bamboo solely due to the low cost and easy availability of the material in that region.

Bamboo Cottage by Andblack Studio used Bamboo for a different reason that it can provide a temporary structure.

2.

Blending the Built & the Unbuilt In the current interior practices, craft is used in the thresholds in the form of screens/ jaali. Often this usage is to provide a better climate.

However, over 15 projects used it to blend into the nature. One can see many instances, in projects not restricted to the selected 250, where designers have used plants, greenery and biomimicry to blend the built into the unbuilt. The green foliage helps the built structure to not stand out.

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3.

Another interesting point to note within this subset, is the restrained use of craft elements. 25 projects within the 40 projects, limit the use of craft to just 2-3 space making elements. In some cases, craft is reduced to the basic minimalist approach, whereas in some cases the restrained use allowed space for design expression. The Penthouse

by Treelight Studio is an example for minimalist use of craft and Commercial Boutique by Muse Lab is an example of restrained craft for design expression. Neverthless, in all these projects craft played a narrative role which concrete failed to provide.

In today’s age, there is a large pool of materials and techniques to choose from. We have also been blessed with an enormous base of crafts to explore. Explorations that contrast the base concrete is a path for unique design expression.

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However, in the set of selected projects, we see designers using craft instead to achieve the same effect. This may be because the materials used in traditional craft is generally borrowed from the natural and local landscape.

The architect may not favour this natural material or building technique for the whole structure, due to cost/skill limitations.

However, they use it as a skin over the base. The Garden House by De Earth used craft in the thresholds of windows, doors and screens. Here craft becomes a bridge between concrete and the nature.

Symbolism & Storytelling

Concrete, in its coldness and uniformity, restrict the ease of symbolism and storytelling.

Traditional craft, on the other hand, have a rich cultural heritage that allows it to be in the centre of such a proposition. A particular stone, such as Lapis Lazuli, has certain connotations surrounding it. 40+ projects use craft for this specific purpose, to narrate a story, to mean something particular. MPavilion

by Bijoy Jain is an example of symbolism while the Aayutha Collection by Magari is an example of storytelling.

Abstract model supporting the statement

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Ex.5 Accumulizer

Duration: 2 weeks This exercise was meant to understand how an international architecture firm would approach the positioning of craft.

My choice was Woods Bagot Architectural firm based in Australia. Their current presence defines a design style devoid of materialism, symbolism and excess. This is why I have tried to incorporate craft in their project without giving a context or heritage linked to any of the crafts employed.

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This brought in the idea of a hyperglobal craft. Hyperglobal is the emergence of a homogenous global culture caused by the spread of global trade. This would mean trimming the craft of its context, heritage, people, identity, and even the existing stories and symbolism.

Illustration for hyperglobal positioning

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Version 2 illustration for hyperglobal positioning

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Superimposing position on an existing Woods Bagot project.

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Abstract sectional model of WB proposal in India

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Visualization of a hyperglobal future

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Ex.6 Envisaging the Future

Duration: 1 Week Imagine a future in singularity.

SIngularity is the hypothetical future point at which machines’ and human intelligence would merge.

In my speculative future, we will have everyone and everything connected to the grid. We already have the bigger things like homes and cars connected.

We will further have even the simplest toothbrush connected to the grid.

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What does this mean for craft?

All the existing knowledge will be processed and uploaded to the grid to become a singular entity. This will provide the opportunity to have something truly opensource.

We have often hear the stories of craftspeople being persecuted so that they do not recreate a masterpiece.

The opencource movement works in the opposite direction, and allows for hyperglobal collaboration.

Illustration of an OPENSOURCE future in which all knowledge is processed and uploaded to the grid.

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Ex.7 Abstraction

Duration: 1.5 Weeks The opensource movement allows for hyperglobal collaboration. Here, you can see an abstraction model with a seamless grid where some units are retained, some units are taken out, and anyone can plug in as long as the input has been processed for the grid.

What does that signify?

Since we have trimmed craft of its excess, there is an opportunity to simplify the process of creation to the extent of DIY.

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Anyone in the world should be able to work with a craft without possessing the high skill levels.

Here, machines and digital fabrication comes into play.

This seamless grid connects all the people in the world that wants to create.

3D printed & resin cast abstraction model

View of abstraction model

A seamless grid with inlay in some places signifying people connected to one huge grid.

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Ex.8 Elementalism

Duration: 2 weeks Translating this concept into spatial elements we now have the potential to push the general understanding of any particular craft.

I worked with five major ideas: 1. Tie & dye products without using fabric: the density of the number of wood pieces bring the same visual effect.

2. Chik making without thread: laser cut wood pieces act like beads for the reed and cane.

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3. Woven solids: reducing the skill required for weaving, we have casted products with a weave already incorporated.

4. Inlay & marquetry: have mostly used solid, opaque materials.

Now we can experiment with transparency for the same.

5. Moonj basketry with bent bamboo and 3D printed joinery, which helps in DIY. Detailing out five elements from the above 35, I explored the transparent inlay the most.

Space making elements for a space of enthusiasm and excitement. The elements use the inspiration of Tie & dye and recreate the effect using wood.

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Space making elements for a space of knowledge.

The elements incorporate chik making with 3D printed joinery.

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Space making elements for a space of curiosity.

The elements use casted products with woven surfaces.

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Space making elements for a space of offering & belief.

The elements explore transparency in inlay.

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Space making elements for a space of dreams.

The elements use bamboo material & 3D printed joinery.

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Element Prototype

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Element Prototype

1 : 10 model of flooring panel View in the morning Laser cut acrylic sheet with mirror finish, with a layer of transparent resin on top.

1 : 10 model of flooring panel View in the night Laser cut acrylic sheet with mirror finish, with a layer of transparent resin on top.

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Element Prototype

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1 : 5 model of wooden railing The wood pieces are laser cut and joined together with simple butt joinery.

Element Prototype

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Ex.9 Generating Interior Space

Duration: 1 day workshop Here we worked on a quick space building time problem.

Here, my aim was to highlight the central column by building a space and layering around the same.

This Opensource approach allows people to collaborate from around the world and hence I believe that is the future of craft.

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The drawdel is a part drawing, part model. In this iteration the plan becomes the drawing base and the model elements are extrusions that create a pathway around the central column element.

The sub elements were given lesser importance and the column was enlarged to become the focus statement character.

Space making drawdel featuring the central column prototype

Space making drawdel featuring the central column prototype

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Ex.10 Manifesto

Duration: 1 week In the opensource approach, the craft professional decides to share his knowledge, designers help to simplify the process to the extent of DIY. Opensource simply means the freedom to study, copy and/ or modify the core. It does not mean free in terms of price or money.

The craft professional can set an IP price for his knowledge, the designers set a manufacturing price, and the front-end product

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creator sets an innovation price. When someone buys the end product, everyone in between benefits. Intergrating this concept in an interior architectural design, we have the CRAFTLAB. Here, a typical user can work with a predefined kit of parts.

With experience, the user would need more control and might the want to tweak the methods.

Further a full professional can explore the materiality and redefine the identity of the craft itself.

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First visualisation collage of Craftlab space making elements.

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Ex.11 Design Development

Duration: 5 weeks This is the first core model of Craftlab at Sanskar Kendra, Ahmedabad. This platform has two major functions.

The first being the inclusion of technology and digital fabrication in the craft making process. This helps to eliminate tedious processes and high skill levels, and opens up opportunity for anyone in the world to begin their path in the line of crafts.

Simply put, it’s the cake mix of craft. This allows school children, entrepreneurs and anyone with an interest to make, to be

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a part of the craft community.

Traditional craftsmen provide the knowledge and designers develop the kit of parts for the maker and when the maker sells their product, everyone in between benefits.

The second benefit is that this platform promotes transdisciplinary collaboration.

For example: A UI/UX designer works with a Kalamkari craftsperson to develop a DIY wallpaper app. From bioplastic terrazzo to 3D printed joinery for bamboo, the explorations are endless.

Axonometric overview of CRAFTLAB in Sanskar Kendra

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On the left you have the vehicle entry from road.

While moving in, you can see the a bunch of people near a semi-public outdoor structure.

Here, you can see a floor maze with varying levels that warms you up. Further above is the main entrance that leads to the ideate & create zone.

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Perspective view of the facade of Craftlab at Sanskar Kendra.

Here are the workshops. This is close to the completely automated back-end material storage with a drone landing pad for drone delivery.

This is the cloud room, which helps in documentation of work and acts as a digital library.

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Warm Up Floor Maze Here, you can see a floor maze with varying levels that warms you up for the process of creation. The vertical panels also act as playful peg boards to pin up your ideas.

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Detailed drawings of the floor maze module.

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Ideate & Create The ideate & create zone is a space for people to sit and create. With varying levels of seating, one can sit in different postures based on personal comfort. On the right are model making & digital fabrication workshops.

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Detailed drawings of the seating furniture.

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Prototype Testing This semi-public modular outdoor structure allows the user to add or remove units based on need for testing, drying, or even display of the prototypes.

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Bamboo structure with 3D printed plastic joinery

Bamboo structure with 3D printed plastic joinery

Bamboo joinery & narrative symbolism

Study of traditional bamboo joinery

Study of traditional wood carving

Wood carving of Kerala from D’source 67

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Actual Prototype

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Clay Calm Centre In the centre of all this we have the clay calm break out zone that allows you to relax and meditate with clay. This is just to relax not to create products.

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Pattern study from the Agra inlay

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION Repetitive geometric pattern from the motifs

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Inlay motif development

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Inlay motif development

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Itimad-ud-Daulah Marble inlay in Agra

Repetitive geometric pattern from the motifs

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Actual Prototype

Actual Prototype

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Actual Prototypes

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The Cloud This is the cloud room which is a space for paying forward with floor-wall spanning screen and adjustable lighting fixtures. This helps in documentation of work and acts as a digital library.

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Developing Tarkashi inlay lighting circuits

Studying traditional Tarkashi methods

Light fixture allows placement of LEDs anywhere

Exposed copper strips conduct electricity

They also form an inlaid aesthetic pattern.

The panels can be pulled down & angle adjusted.

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First prototype iteration for proof of concept. The electricity passes through the inlaid copper strips.

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Actual Prototypes for proof of concept. The LED can be placed anywhere on the circuit & it will light up.

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Adapted Craftlab All elements of the craftlab are created in such a way that it can be adapted to be placed in your apartment, mall, school parking lot, etc.

The following are explorations that can be created here.

Actual Prototype of a self-cooked bioplastic terrazzo.

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3D pen was used to embed laser-cut acrylic gems. This mimics the embossed effect of Tanjore Paintings.

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Screenshots of the Kalamkari plug-in

Screenshot of pattern development using plugin

Sample image of DIY wallpaper in a space

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