GRADUATION PROJECT Design & Product Development for Sabai Grass Craft of Odisha Sponsor : The Asian Heritage Foundation, New Delhi
Volume : 1 of 1 STUDENT : AROOP RATAN GUHA PROGRAMME : BACHELOR OF DESIGN
GUIDE : AMRESH PANIGRAHI
2016 INDUSTRIAL DESIGN FACULTY (FURNITURE & INTERIOR DESIGN)
National Institute of Design Ahmedabad
The Evaluation Jury recommends AROOP RATAN GUHA for the
Graduation of the National Institute of Design IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN (FURNITURE & INTERIOR DESIGN)
Here with, for the project titled "Design & Product development for Sabai Grass craft of Odisha" on fulfilling the further requirements by
Chairman Members :
*Subsequent remarks regarding fulfilling the requirements :
Activity Chairperson, Education
*
Copyright ©2016 Student Document publication meant for private circulation only. All rights reserved. Bachelor of Design, Furniture and Interior Design, 2012-2016 National Institute Of Design, Ahmedabad, India No part of this document will be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means including photocopying, xerography, photography and videography recording without written permission from the publisher, Aroop Ratan Guha and The National institute of Design. All illustrations and photographs in this document are Copyright ©2016 by respective people/organizations. Edited and designed by: Aroop Ratan Guha aroopratan993@gmail.com Processed at: The National Institute of Design(NID) Paldi, Ahmedabad – 380007 Gujarat, India. www.nid.edu Digitally published in Ahmedabad, India November, 2016
Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
ORIGINALITY STATEMENT I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and it contains no full or substantial copy of previously published material, or it does not even contain substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or final graduation of any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in this graduation project. More over I also declare that none of the concepts are borrowed or copied without due acknowledgement. I further declare that the intellectual content of this graduation project is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project’s design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged. This graduation project (or part of it) was not and will not be submitted as assessed work in any other academic course. Student Name in Full: Signature: Date:
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT I hereby grant the National Institute of Design the right to archive and to make available my graduation project/thesis/dissertation in whole or in part in the Institutes’s Knowledge Management Centre in all forms of media, now or hereafter known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act. I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my document or I have obtained permission to use copyright material. Student Name in Full: Signature: Date:
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
Preface The end of the students’ academic tenure at the National Institute of Design is marked by the culmination of a substantial investigation in the field of design on a topic closely allied to their discipline of study. It is through the graduation project and subsequent documentation of the same that this investigation takes place. This is the final academic project for the student. The graduation project is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their expertise as independent practitioners of design. This project is done with academic rigour incorporating systematic inquiry and informed design decisions. The graduation project reflects the thought and leadership manifested through creativity and innovation. The project leads to new knowledge generation and aligns with broader objectives of the institute. For my graduation project I got the opportunity to work at Mr. Rajeev Sethi’s NGO, The Asian Heritage Foundation in New Delhi. My project started in February 2016 and ended in September 2016.
Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
Acknowledgments I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my mentor Mr. Rajeev Sethi, for the precious insights and vision without which I would have been unable to explore the artsy and asymmetric design style. His feedback was something I will always cherish and will remain a big lesson for me in this journey of becoming a design professional. Furthermore, I would like to thank my project lead Ms. Utpala Daftary for supporting me throughout the project and giving me the freedom to explore to the fullest. She entrusted me with the responsibilities of planning workshops and managing resources which has helped me grow as a person and a professional, for which I am thankful. I am also highly indebted to Mr. Amresh Panigrahi for his guidance and suggestions relating to design principles and philosophies as well as for providing his support in completing the project. Also, I would like to thank Mr. Abdul Jabbar for successfully conducting a workshop on natural dyeing for the artisans in New Delhi, on such short notice. I am grateful to have friends who have helped me whenever I required their help, advice and support in the project. I would like to thank my family, who have supported me throughout the entire process, both with their encouragement and by blessing me with their guidance, support and advice in every step of my life.
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
3. THE RESEARCH
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Synopsis 2
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The state of Odisha
23
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About NID 3
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Mayurbhanj district of Odisha
24
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Furniture & Interior Design at NID
5
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ORMAS 25
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About The Asian Heritage Foundation
7
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Target Villages 26
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About AHF’s JIYO
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Sabai Craft 27
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JIYO’s portfolio 9
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Existing product Range
31
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Mentors 11
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Market Linkages
33
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Marketing Channels 34
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Rutuchakra 35
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Ancillary Units 37
2. THE PROJECT •
Initial Project Brief
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Objective 15
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Strategy for the project
16
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Drawing the line
17
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Research Questions 18
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Methodology & Timeline
14
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
4. EXPLORATIONS
6. FINAL TRAINING
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Planning for workshop 1
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Workshop 1
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Planing for workshop 2
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Workshop 2 58-71
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Inferences from Workshop 1&2
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42-55
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Planing for workshop 4
104
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Workshop 4 & Final Products
106-168
56 72
5. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
7. SUMMING UP
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Revised Project Brief
74
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Design critique & recommendation
170
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Further research 75
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Reflections
172
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Planing for workshop 3
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Team Credits 173
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Workshop 3 82-101
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References 174
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Inferences 102
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Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
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INTRODUCTION • Synopsis 2 • About NID 3 • Furniture & Interior Design at NID
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• About The Asian Heritage Foundation
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• About AHF’s JIYO 8 • JIYO’s portfolio 9 • Mentors 11
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
Synopsis The Asian Heritage Foundation(AHF) received a grant from the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF), administered by the International Development Association (World Bank) beginning from October, 2014. The objective of the grant project is to Create Inclusive Business Models for Marginalized Tribal Communities in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand to enhance the livelihood opportunities amongst the unemployed youth, women and other vulnerable populace by supporting their traditional skills and facilitating them with forward linkages in markets for cultural industries and related sectors. AHF follows a system of consultation, wherein designers from different backgrounds are brought on board on consultative basis to work and give design inputs as well as ideas for respective craft clusters. As a part of this World Bank grant I was assigned the Sabai grass cluster in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. The primary objective of the project was to design new products for the craft and enhance the skills of the artisans. This was achieved by conducting skill enhancement workshops which helped me in understanding the craft and helped in upskilling the artisans and prepping them for product development. This was followed by ideation for design development workshops which were focused on prototyping new designs. After four such workshops and extensive exploration in material and technique, we were successful in developing a range of lifestyle products targeted at the elite of India. One of the major challenges faced during this journey was in broadening the perspective of the artisans to accept newer design language and to create more complex products. Keeping them motivated towards the execution of experimental designs when explorations weren’t perfectly functional was another bump in the road. Another challenge was to ensure that the artisans trained in this project were able to produce the new designs without the supervision of the designer after the training workshops were over. To realise this, they were taught to read design drawings. This became a crucial focus of the skill development workshops.
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about
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DESIGN The National Institute of Design (NID) is internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost multi-disciplinary institutions in the field of design education and research. The institute functions as an autonomous body under the department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. NID has been declared ‘Institution of National Importance’ by the Act of Parliament, by virtue of the National Institute of Design Act 2014. NID has been a pioneer in industrial design education after Bauhaus and Ulm in Germany and is known for its pursuit of design excellence to make ‘Designed in India, Made for the World’ a reality. The mandate for NID is to offer world-class design education and to promote design awareness and application towards raising the quality of life by and through education to create design professionals of excellence to help meet India’s diverse design needs. To provide design intervention for craft, handloom, rural technology, small, medium and large scale enterprises, and outreach programmes for capability and institution building and sustainable livelihood, employment opportunities and economic growth. Over a span of the last 50 years, the institution has made it a point to lay emphasis on learning and to pursue innovation led designs through the development of the mind and skills of designers. The institute’s client servicing team facilitates students in getting involved with real life projects, which in turn adds value to the upcoming professionals giving them a taste of actual situations.
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
Photo credits: Bhushitendu Bhatt
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Furniture & Interior Design at NID The Discipline of Furniture Design deals with the creation and evolution of objects, structures and systems at human scale that aim to improve the quality of life in the immediate living and working environment, while looking at sustainable and innovative use of diverse materials and processes. It believes in a broad and interdisciplinary attitude for enriching the design activity and draws from experiences of Industrial and Environmental Design professions. The Programme provides an integrated approach to the design of furniture and interior objects and systems as part of one’s living and working habitat, while striving to redefine the boundaries of such elements with a systems perspective. The Furniture Design discipline encourages the students to develop a strong foundation of basics, which facilitates anticipation of the future. The institute achieves this purpose through a diverse pool of faculty who brings academic knowledge and work experience to their instruction. The programme aims to educate designers to handle all aspects of furniture design as one integrated user centric area of study; and their ability to integrate all such elements and systems into coherent wholes in various interior spatial contexts is considered to be important. Special emphasis is placed on the ability to develop self-made prototypes in order to test human and functional factors v/s aesthetics and use of materials. Furthermore, the students are expected to attain an understanding of a body of theoretical and practical knowledge and are trained to carry out design processes as a part of a team as well as independently. Their understanding of the domain of design is demonstrated through measurable learning outcomes during the programme. Students are not only expected to complete specific courses but also to develop critical and analytical abilities together with educational values that contribute to a lifelong learning attitude.
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
NID wood workshop
Overflow
FOLD
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
Geometric Stool
Dining Chair
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about the sponsor, The Asian Heritage Foundation The Asian Heritage Foundation is a non-governmental not for profit organization founded by Mr. Rajeev Sethi and driven by Asia’s creative skill to explore new paradigms of growth with design led initiatives. The concerns of The Asian Heritage Foundation encompass the cultures, traditions, public affairs, arts and sciences of all regions of Asia. Established in 1995, in New Delhi, the Foundation initiates programs that span research and documentation, training and transmission, promotion & conservation of the continent’s diverse heritage. It aims to support projects that reconcile the friction between people, technology and nature, the East and West that manifest in cultural production and services. The AHF has collaborations with certain State governments and multiple organizations that help them in carrying out services and implementing business models in various states of India.
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
AHF’s JIYO India’s skilled are among the country’s greatest creative and cultural resources and are a vital part of its self-organized economy. Yet despite their substantial contributions, rural artisans, craftspeople and performers, as vast repositories of traditional knowledge, have been largely left out of India’s explosive economic growth and remain among the poorest groups in the country. Due to the lack of sustainable employment opportunities in their communities, many have abandoned their skilled trades and migrated to urban areas in search of employment. Those remaining in the trade are often exploited by middle men and exporters and must supplement their income through other low paying jobs on farms, construction sites, or in factories.
In 2007, AHF embarked on this pilot project funded by the Japan Social Development Fund and administered by the World Bank. The pilot developed 12 clusters grouped by skill set in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. Intensive institutional capacity building and design skills upgradation were provided, with an emphasis on re-positioning traditional skills through design-led product development. The pilot culminated in the launch of a dynamic, new artisan brand with 3 lines of innovative handmade products: Jiyo for the niche premium, Jani for the young urban and Jiva for the rural market.
To respond to this, Jiyo was conceived by the Asian Heritage as it recognized the pressing need for new grass root models providing necessary training, markets and funding access to these communities.
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JIYO’s portfolio
Sikki Lamp
Andhra Leather Lamp
Sikki Tripod Table
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Sikki Stool
Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
Sikki Rocker
DEVI - wall partition
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
Snake Chair
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mentor at AHF, Mr. Rajeev Sethi Rajeev Sethi is South Asia’s leading designer and is noted internationally for his innovative contribution to preserving and celebrating the subcontinent’s rich cultural heritage. For more than 35 years, through his work in design and architecture, performances and festivals, exhibitions and publication, policy and program, he has identified ways to bring contemporary relevance to traditional skills of vulnerable artisan communities and creative professionals. Mr. Sethi has moved effortlessly from one discipline to another with his consistent vision for cross cultural and intermedial curatorial and scenographic practices creating some of the most memorable artistic endeavors setting world standards. His formative years were spent in Paris working with Pierre Cardin, and was mentored by designers like Ray and Charles Eames and eminent Gandhians like Mrs. Chottapadhya and Pupul Jayakar who encouraged him to direct his talents to India. This also underlies his creation of The Asian Heritage Foundation in New Delhi, and the brand ‘Jiyo’ Creative & Cultural Industries Pvt. Ltd. owned by artists and craftspersons of India. He has designed and curated award-winning exhibitions and events in Asia, Europe, Canada and America, for the United Nations and various international institutions. His three exhibitions for the Smithsonian Institutions in 1985/86 won him the tribute of being referred to as “India’s answer to Diaglieff” from the New York Times art critic John Russell. Two of these exhibitions, Aditi and The Mela, were perhaps “the most highly acclaimed exhibitions in the history of the Smithsonian”. The third, a path-breaking exhibition, The Golden Eye at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Museum of Design, New York, brought leading Western architects together with traditional Indian craftsmen to create unique prototypes for a global marketplace. Among his other on-going projects are directing the Art Programme for the new Terminal 2 at the Mumbai International Airport and the Hyatt Chennai Art Collection. He was awarded the National order of the Padma Bhushan from the President of India in 1985.
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
mentor at NID, Mr. Amresh Panigrahi Amresh Panigrahi has 10 years of work experience and has been teaching at NID since June 2010. He has a master’s degree in Strategic Design from Politecnico di Milano, Italy and a PGDPD in Lifestyle Accessory Design from NID. He holds a Diploma in Advanced Computer Arts from the National Multimedia Research Centre at the Center for Development of Advanced Computing, Pune and a bachelor’s degree in architecture from College of Engineering and Technology, Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Bhubaneswar. At NID, he has taught courses in Craft Design and Trend /Design Research and has guided students in projects on social innovation. A founding member of Innovative Design Engineering Animation (IDEA) Pvt. Ltd. (now known as Lumium Pvt. Ltd.), Amresh has been instrumental in the setting up, branding, and management of a design studio while working as an industrial designer. He has worked on a Glaucoma testing device project for the India Sight Screeners’ Foundation and packaging design for Radico Khaitan. As a design researcher with the Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay, he and his team designed a model petrol pump for Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.; this design has been replicated all over India. An avid researcher on social trends and social innovation, he has worked on projects as a team member and has also independently worked on projects such as Craftology, a collaboration between NID and London’s Royal College of Art on future of crafts and entrepreneurial possibilities with the same, a project with the Aga Khan Foundation for livelihood development of crafts persons working with bamboo in south Gujarat, and trend research workshops with Asian Paints, Samsung, and Renault’s design studio.
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THE PROJECT • Initial Project Brief 14 • Objective 15 • Strategy for the project
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• Drawing the line 17 • Research Questions 18 • Methodology & Timeline
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Initial Project Brief To design and develop a range of furniture and coordinated accessories in Sabai Grass craft of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district for different kinds of spaces (hospitality, residential, retail etc) and contribute in generating livelihood for the Sabai grass artisans on a sustainable basis.
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
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Objective
15
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To study the techniques and the existing regional design styles to help develop a better understanding of the sabai grass craft
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To understand the material and socio-cultural and economic aspects related to it
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To introduce innovative designs (furniture and accessories) to expand the product range offered by the artisans which ensures a sustainable business for the community.
Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
Strategy for the project The aim of the project was to encourage further developments in the Sabai Grass craft that would motivate people to support it in future. One method of achieving this goal was to push the boundaries of the craft to develop unique and innovative products that would interest consumers. Traditionally, Sabai Grass craft has restricted its application to small scale products such as baskets and coasters. Keeping this in mind, development of products such as furniture and structural lamps would be an innovation and would serve the intended purpose. Hence, this approach was taken forward for the execution of this project. It was then decided that multiple workshops would be conducted, so as to facilitate a slow transition for the artisans into the acceptance of new and unconventional designs (compared to the exiting products). This would further help them visualize the intended products by adopting the strategy of moving from scaled down to full scale prototypes over multiple workshops. For each workshop, a select number of artisans from the two target villages of the cluster were chosen to be trained. This was done so that there was more focused training for these few, who could in turn educate the other artisans of the villages with their learning. Value additive techniques, such as natural dyeing, were to be taught once the execution technique of the final prototypes had been perfected by the artisans. These were some of the major strategies adopted for the completion of this project.
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
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Drawing the Line Sustainability of any business depends on the cycle of capital that enfolds over a given period of time. This means that while each product should draw a certain amount of profit, continuous sale of these products is equally important. Placing this theory into the context of this project, while exclusive large scale products aimed at the elite market were necessary for the upliftment of this craft, smaller scale products designed for the masses became necessary to keep the wheel churning. Other factors that weighed in were as follows: • The skill level & availability of the artisans would affect the execution of the proposed designs • Market linkages of the craft would determine the demand and supply of the products • Limitations of the material would dictate the the feasibility of designs • The target audience would define the design language and the scale of the products The challenge here was to draw a line between the number of large-scale high-end products and small-scale easy-to-sell products to be developed. Hence, it was decided that furniture and sculptural lamps for the elite market along with smaller lamps and accessories meant for the general public would be designed together.
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
Research Questions •
Understand the material, techniques used in the craft and the design language followed by the artisans
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Study the geography, the agricultural pattern and other local materials- grass, wood, bamboo, jute, palm leaves etc.
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Explore new concepts using the existing techniques (radial coiling, interlacing).
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Study other materials and techniques related to grass crafts, analyze and try to incorporate them in this craft.
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Build mock-ups of potential designs.
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Refine designs based on feasibility and sustainability.
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Methodology & Project Timeline
Planning & Prepping for workshops
Field Visit
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1 week
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2 weeks
Field Visit Overview
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1 week
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Skill & Product development on field Workshop 1 & 2
2 weeks
Initial Concept development
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2 weeks
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Reflections on Workshop 1 & 2
Market and Product research
RESEARCH
1 week
Prepping for workshop 3
OVERVIEW
Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
EXPLORATION
MOCK-UPS
Product Development on field Workshop 3
2 weeks
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Prototyping Workshop 4
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2 weeks
3 weeks
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Design Refinement
4 weeks
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Documentation
Prepping for workshop 4
FINAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
DOCUMENTATION
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THE RESEARCH • The state of Odisha
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• Mayurbhanj district of Odisha
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• Organizations making a difference
25
• Target Villages 26 • Sabai Grass craft 27 • Existing Product Range
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• Market Linkages & Challenges
33
• Market Channels 34 • Rutuchakra 35 • Ancillary Units 37 • Ancillary Units 33
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
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The state of
ODISHA
Odisha is one of the 29 states of India and is located on the eastern coast. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal from the north-east, Jharkhand from the north, Chhattisgarh from the west and north-west, and Andhra Pradesh from the south and south-west. Odisha has 485 kilometres of coastline along the Bay of Bengal on its east, from Balasore to Malkangiri. It is the 9th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. Odia (or Oriya) is the official and most widely spoken language in the state.
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
MAYURBHANJ district of Odisha Mayurbhanj is a land locked district with a total geographical area of 10418 Sq.km. It is situated on the Northern boundary of the state with district headquarters at Baripada. The district is bounded in the North-East by West Bengal, Jharkhand in the North-west, Baleshwar district in the South-East and by Kendujhar in the South-West. More than 39 % of the total geographical area is covered with forest and hills. The district comprises of 4 numbers of Sub-divisions with 26 number of blocks with 382 Gram Panchayats and 3945 villages. The district receives an average rainfall of 1648.20 mm per annum. Being away from the coastal belt, it experiences a sub-tropical climate with a hot summer, chilling winter with good precipitation. Red laterite soil dominates all over the district. Mayurbhanj occupies a unique position being endowed with lush green vegetation, different fauna and rich cultural heritage. The district has a rich mineral base and is home to the Similipal Biosphere.
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
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Trying to make a difference...
ORMAS ORMAS (Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society) is amongst other organizations, the primary organisation which works towards the development of crafts in Odisha and their promotion across the country. ORMAS comes under the aegis of Panchayati Raj Department, Government of Odisha and facilitates sustainable livelihoods for rural producers, under different poverty alleviation programmes. After identifying women involved in the activity, the district administration formed clusters with financial support. There are nine producer groups with 382 members that are currently promoted in the district. In the process they also provide training with designers and artisans of different crafts, capacity building, value addition, and adopting clusters. It also brings economic hope and promise to rural Odisha. ORMAS has collaborations with various organizations and governmental bodies to help them achieve their goals. Most recently ORMAS collaborated with NID to conduct design intervention workshops in Baripada and train artisans from neighbouring villages.
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
TARGET VILLAGES The project focused on two villages identified by the World Bank, namely “Guhaldihi” and “Kujidihi”, both of which were close to the town of Baripada in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. Both villages were 20 to 25kms away from Baripada and 40kms from each other. They each had their respective head artisans.
The primary school of Guhaldihi village Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
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SABAI GRASS CRAFT what is sabai grass? Sabai grass is grown in a wide part of Mayurbhanj district and is the lifeline of the tribal communities of the district. For many years these tribes have been in this trade. Sabai is mainly used for making Sabai Rope which are mostly sold outside the state for use in weaving Charpai (Cots) and in paper mills as a raw material. Sabai rope is also used in making Sofa sets, Chairs, Laundry bins etc. The main body frames of the Chairs and sofas are made in either bamboo, wood or iron and Sabai rope is interlaced or coiled over the frame to finish the product. The civil jail of Baripada is where the first set of such sofas and stools were made. Other items that are made range from car mats to screens and carpets etc.
the artisans All the artisans practicing this craft are women and primarily most of them are farmers. Farming is the primary source of income for the artisans. Their lives revolve around the agricultural calendar. An example of this is seen during the harvest season when these ladies are unable to practice the sabai craft. During these months, the production of sabai products reduces, as it is only carried out by women who are not engaged in farming activities.
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Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016 Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
The craft is beneficial to the artisans two-fold. Firstly, it adds to their regular income generated from farming. Secondly, it keeps the ladies busy during their free time. The artisans have formed SHG’s across the district. These SHG’s are currently being managed by NGOs and governmental organizations. Whenever the artisans receive a bulk order of sabai products, they work as a team at a common space in the village. Their working hours and the number of women required for the execution of the order, depends on the nature of the task at hand. On other days, the women create the products at home. The practice of this craft has liberated the women and has helped them to sustain a better livelihood. Earlier the artisans struggled to earn Rs.30 for a day’s work. Now, they easily earn Rs. 200-300 per day by producing sabai products. Other factors such as ease of access and low cost of raw materials, the use of primitive tools for the job, flexible working hours etc, adds to the benefits of practising this craft.
Challenges & Opportunities •
During the harvest season, majority of the artisans are engaged in farming activities, this affects the production of the craft
•
Due to lack of facilities in most villages, either the women work from their homes or the ladies meet at a common place (usually a under a tree) to work. With proper facilities, the work output and quality can both be improved.
Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
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Sabai Grass plantation near Baripada
properties of sabai grass •
Sabai grass plantations grow on red volcanic soil and have strong fibers that are primarily used for rope. The tribal people called it “Bobei, Dauda or Bobei Ghasa” locally.
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The scientific name of sabai grass is ‘Eulaliopsis Binata’.
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Sabai grass is practically considered to be “The Money Plant” which ensures cash receipt throughout the year.
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The average length of a single strand is around 80-90cm. The long ones are higher in demand to make the best quality products.
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The lowermost part of the grass is brittle and yellow in colour, while, the central portion is the greenest and the softest part of the grass. The rear end of the grass is the driest part and is greyish brown in colour.
Challenges & Opportunities •
Products made of Sabai grass are susceptible to water. They are damaged by prolonged exposure to wet conditions. The damage to the product can be undone by drying it properly.
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The availability of the Best quality grass is limited to the months of November and December because of which the artisans are mandated to buy in bulk during these two months.
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If not stored properly, the grass starts drying and loosing colour
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Storage of grass during the monsoon is the biggest challenge for the artisans as well as for the grass vendors.
Aroop Ratan Guha • Graduation Project • 2016
the CRAFT •
“Coiling” is the most commonly used technique to make Sabai products like baskets, coasters, flower vase, pen stand etc.
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Binding materials play a major role in the look and feel of the final product. Depending on the desired look of the product, the binding material is chosen. Physical interaction is also a key factor in this decision.
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Bleached/Dyed jute rope and dried date palm leaves are the most extensively used binding materials. Products that are not used for food articles are bound with jute ropes and those for food articles are bound with date palm leaves.
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Products like floor mats are made using braided sabai or sabai ropes with the help of a wooden frame.
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Needles, scissors or blade and a measuring tape are the primary tools used in the craft.
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The rear brown end of the grass is always chopped off before the grass can be used for making products. The yellow bit may or may not be removed, depending on the design and the desired look of the product.
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Coiling technique involves the addition of fresh strands of grass at regular intervals. This ensures consistency in the thickness of the coil. The timing of the addition of the grass is crucial to the quality of the product.
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Currently the slimmest coils that the artisans make are 5mm in diameter.
Dyed jute being used for stitching the coils
Challenges & Opportunities •
The chopping off of the dry ends and the yellow bits of the grass substantially reduces the length of the grass, resulting in an increase of the quantity of grass required for completing a product. A smart way of using the undesired ends of the grass can help resolve this issue.
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Coils thinner than 5mm in diameter break easily at the curvature points.
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Due to unavailability of certain raw materials in different villages, not all artisans in a cluster can produce the same designs/products. Dried date palm leaves used for stitching the coils
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Existing Product Range The products currently available range from small coasters, floor mats, jewellery boxes to stools, bags, laundry bins etc. All the products highlight and make use of different properties of the grass like texture, colour, strength and flexibility etc. For instance, due to the rough texture of the sabai ropes, they are widely used to make floor mats. Sabai ropes when interlaced, have structural strength, which is used to make cylindrical laundry bags. Similarly, sabai grass’s insulating properties are used for making roti baskets. There is a belief within the community that sabai is “The Money Plant” which ensures cash receipt throughout the year. Because of this, most households have sabai products in Mayurbhanj.
Sabai - jute baskets
Coasters & Jewelery box
Laundry Basket
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Braided Sabai Floor Mat
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Decorative piece
Bamboo - Sabai Bench
Wood - Sabai stool
Centre Table
Hand Bag
Sabai footwear
Challenges & Opportunities •
The existing products, even though very simple to create, appeal to only a part of the market/audience. There’s a potential for these products to be contemporarised to target a wider audience.
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Currently, only chemical dyes are used in the current product range, which results in products with vibrant and bright colours with sharp contrast, primarily blue, pink, yellow and green. Also, chemical dyes are harmful to the dyer as well as to the user in the long term. Hence, natural dyes could be introduced to the products as an alternative. This would in turn result in subtler and earthy colored products. Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
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Current Market Linkages Individuals with their own sabai cultivation sell the grass to local traders/ rope makers, storing their own requirement of grass with them. Traders stock the grass purchased in the season and sell to rope makers either on credit or on cash payment or buy back to rope basis. To a major extent, grass is also transacted in the village weekly markets (haats) or Betnoti and Baripada weekly markets. Sabai grass artisans also buy their raw materials from haats. ORMAS has set up various marketing tie-ups with brands like Fabindia, Amethyst and Utkalika to sell the products across the country. It has also tied up with the forest department to sell sabai products to tourists who visit the Similipal sanctuary. The district administration of Mayurbhanj has a showroom - Mayur Shilpa - in Baripada, where these products are also available. It has also made arrangements to sell these through e- commerce sites, such as Flipkart, eBay, Jabong and Amazon. With the support of the state government, the products are marketed and exhibited in government exhibitions as well. The district annual sabai production is estimated about 20,000 metric tons, which fetches about Rs 300 crores. Sabai product as advertised and being sold on ebay.in
Challenges to the Craft Sabai products are extensively sold in Odisha and its neighbouring states, but its has failed to make a mark in markets in other parts of the country and the world. Sofa sets being made with sabai rope and bamboo/ wood are in decent demand, however, the trade in sofa is limited by the high transportation cost. Competition from its other counterparts in the market adds to the problem. The Handicrafts corporation is not able to provide a space/warehouse for the sale of this product because of the extra space it occupies as opposed to its low selling price. Thus, the market is limited to the exhibitions and local retail stores only.
Sabai products at the Mayurshilpa retail store in Baripada.
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Market Channels
Sabai Grass Farmers
Local Traders
Rope Makers
Local Markets / Haats
Artisans
ORMAS / NGO
E- commerce websites
Retail Stores / Brands
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Exhibitions
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RUTUCHAKRA I festival calender for artisans
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RUTUCHAKRA II farming calender for artisans
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Ancillary Units Many sabai products, especially furniture require frame work made with solid materials like wood, bamboo or metal. Carpentry •
Wooden frames (sagwaan, neem, mango etc) for stools and beds( khatiyas ) are made by the local carpenters.
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All the wooden work is done using basic hand tools (Axe, chisel, hand planar etc.). The local carpenters do not have access to electric power tools or complex machinery.
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Few carpenters in the town of Baripada have power tools like small hand routers and drilling machines.
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Since the carpenters do not have access to a lathe machine, all wood turning is done by chisels and files.
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Local wood is used for most designs. Non-local breed of wood is sourced from Kolkata.
Bamboo and Cane •
Wooden frames like this are used to make floor mats
Bamboo frames for furniture pieces are outsourced from Betnoti (a town very close to Baripada where bamboo artisans practice their craft). These frames are then woven over by sabai ropes.
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Certain species of bamboo (both hollow & solid) grow in abundance in Odisha. Others are imported from the North- east or from Bengal.
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The bamboo work done in this region is very simple and basic.
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Hollow bamboo is used for furniture pieces like sofa sets and arm chairs. Solid bamboo is only used for smaller furniture like stools.
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All iron and mild steel framework is outsourced from Kolkata.
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Metal frames are used in making laundry bins, dustbins etc.
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Metal frames of simple geometrical shapes are majorly used for the products.
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Sabai grass and Sabai ropes being transprted from the farms to the market. The sabai grass artisans then buy the grass and ropes from the market. Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design Bachelor of Design • Furniture & Interior Design • National Institute Of Design
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EXPLORATIONS • Planing for workshop 1
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• Workshop 1
- Objective & Methodology 42
- Concept Sketches 43 - Guhaldihi & Kujidihi 45 - Execution 47 - Explorations 49 - Experiencing the craft 51 - Observation & Analysis 53 - Next Step 55
• Planing for workshop 2
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• Workshop 2
- Objective 58
- Concept Sketches 59 - Design Developments 62 - Observation & Analysis 69 - Next Step 71
• Inferences 72
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Planning for Workshop 1 After completing the research on sabai grass and gaining a little insight into the properties of the material, it was now time to develop design concepts and plan exercises for the first workshop scheduled in Baripada, Mayurbhanj, Odisha. Conceptualising products without having experienced the grass firsthand was the biggest challenge here. This approach of understanding the material by first researching and then interacting was adopted to see the difference in ideas conceived before and after the interaction and to test the feasibility of the designs. For this “Skill Exploration” workshop, the intended focus was to be on form exploration and manipulation. This was intended to get the artisans acquainted with the concept of asymmetry and the beauty of abstraction. This would in turn also help them to open up to abstract design language.
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WORKSHOP 1 SKILL EXPLORATION
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Objective of the workshop The primary objective of this one-week workshop was to get acquainted with the craft and develop an understanding of the techniques involved, the level of skills required and to identify the scope for new design developments by conducting exercises to explore different techniques and material properties along with other methods of creating products. This skill exploration workshop was conducted in Baripada, Odisha to study and understand the system and the work culture of the artisans and their respective villages.
Methodology •
Observe the artisans making products
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Interviewing the master artisan about their work culture and ecosystem
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Conducting scaled down form exploration exercises focusing on asymmetry
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Trying out different techniques to make products
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Analyzing the developments and identifying design directions
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CONCEPT SKETCHES
Form Undulation concepts
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The idea of leaving loose ends
Twisted form concept
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Guhaldihi village ORMAS has set up about ten handlooms in this village. This latest intervention has kept these artisans occupied with bulk orders for table mats and rugs. At present the demand for these new designs is higher in number than the older sabai coasters and baskets. Guhaldihi has an abundance of date palm leaves, one crucial raw material used for stitching sabai coils which is not easily available in other villages.
Unfinished sabai rugs 45
Artisan chopping off unwanted grass to finish the sabai rug
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Kujidihi village Artisans in Kujidihi focus on production of sabai baskets, coasters, floor mats and upholstery of cane furniture. The artisans in this village work with jute and nylon. They do not have access to palm leaves as date palm does not grow in this area.
Braiding of sabai grass
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Artisan in Kujidihi trying out new designs 46
Execution The products that the Sabai grass artisans generally make are all very symmetric and restricted to basic geometric shapes. To inspire new ideas and open opportunities for new designs, the exercises were planned to challenge the conventional thinking of the artisans.
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EXPLORATIONS Displaced vertices
Open - Ended
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Wavy coils
Twists & Turns
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Experiencing the craft I think it is of utmost importance to understand the properties of a material first-hand, before suggesting it for any particular usage. This drove me to create explorations in the craft to better grasp the qualities of the material, such as the texture, strength, flexibility, pliability, etc, along with to understand the level of skill required to produce a certain product and estimate the amount of time taken for the same. This would also enlighten me about the possibilities of the material and guide my concept explorations for the products to be developed. I felt that working alongside the artisans would strengthen my bond with them and would further encourage them to work towards a common goal along with me. It would also help me elaborate my vision to them and validate the possibility of producing the concepts developed. I began by trying out the simplest sabai coaster. It helped me to understand the basic steps and to analyze the importance of each step. Once I got the hang of it, I created two of the complex explorations. The undulating coiling concept, which the artisans were not completely comfortable with, I tried two iterations of it myself to demonstrate the process I had thought possible. Once it worked out, the artisans were quite receptive of the technique and explored it with their understanding.
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Approved explorations
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Observations & Analysis •
Skill - Not all artisans share the same level of skill. Some are quick learners while others need extra time to improve. Due to this, a total of eight artisans were selected for the workshops to follow. These eight artisans would then train the rest of the group.
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Attitude of the artisans- There is a varied view towards the craft among the artisans. While some enjoy practicing the technique and the tradition, there are others who approach it simply as a means of income. The enthusiasm to explore with the material and innovate new products also varies according to this view point. Due to this, along with the differences in skill level, there was a difference in the quality of work produced by the artisans during the exploratory exercises of this workshop.
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Material - Sabai is a very versatile grass. It is long, flexible and when used as coils, it has great strength. But except for the middle portion of the grass (the softest part of the grass), other parts of the grass tend to break when creating edges or sharp bends. The trick is to slightly wet the grass to soften it while bending.
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Technique- The radial coiling technique used to create the majority of the products is a quick way of producing small scale products. Application of the same technique to make large scale products might need some alteration to ease the production process. There is an opportunity for exploring other textile or basketry weaving techniques to suit our needs.
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Time - The time taken to make one small coaster is half a day, while that to make a big floor mat is one or two days. Going by this logic, an estimated time for producing a furniture piece might be quite high (6-7 days roughly). This can only be validated by testing it out.
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Form creation - The radial coiling technique permits simple geometric and symmetrical forms. Alterations in this technique might open up possibilities to explore different forms.
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Structural strength - The radial coiling yields a certain amount of structural strength. This depends heavily on the tightness of the stitch along with the thickness of the coil. If worked out well, it can produce strong structures. Other products made using interlacing require the support of hard materials to provide the necessary structural strength. Exploring methods to eliminate the need for these added materials can give us interesting results.
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Aesthetics - Currently sabai products follow a basic symmetrical aesthetic language. This opens up an opportunity to introduce asymmetric and contemporary aesthetic values to expand the product portfolio.
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Cost - Sabai is a low-cost material, currently sold at seventeen rupees per kilo. Other raw materials used (jute, date palm leaves, nylon) are cheap as well. Products made using only these materials are one of the least expensive ones. When materials like bamboo, metal and wood come into play, the cost goes up due to added craftsmanship. Along with this a major part of the costing is the labour charge for producing a product. During new product conceptualization, these factors need to be taken into account.
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Next Step •
Further design developments and skill exploration workshops to be conducted with the selected eight artisans to have a more focused and controlled learning environment
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Plan exercises such that the artisans would feel encouraged to try out variations in the radial coiling technique to explore new design directions
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The next workshop would also focus on experimenting with innovative form creations and would attempt to achieve them while implementing the currently practiced technique or other textile/basketry techniques
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Attempts to structurally strengthen furniture or lamps to be explored using only sabai. If that fails, try to achieve it with minimal use of any hard material
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Along with all the above explorations, introduction of the artisans to contemporary aesthetics and design styles is important
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Thinking of ways to reduce time and cost of production for large scale products
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Planning for Workshop 2 The interaction with the material and the artisans, during the first workshop, helped develop an understanding of the craft and the skill set required for it. This experience further aided in visualising opportunities/scope for further developments in the project. The next step was to scale up explorations from the initial exercises and to check their feasibility and application. Keeping this in mind, exercises for the next workshop were planned and it was decided that the workshop would be conducted in New Delhi at the AHF office. The idea behind this was to expose the artisans to different kinds of design and culture. They would get the opportunity to go through Mr. Rajeev Sethi’s collection of art and objects of design from all over the world, which in turn would open their minds to new designs and accelerate idea generation. Plus the opportunity to interact with Mr. Sethi personally would help them understand the reason for the introduction of intervention in craft.
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WORKSHOP 2 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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Objective of the workshop •
Observe the change and note the difference when the explorations of workshop 1 are scaled up. This would help us understand the aesthetic factor of larger scale sabai products better
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In the process of scaling up designs, identify and explore new techniques of product making
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Testing the structural strength of sabai furniture made without the use of any hard material
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CONCEPT SKETCHES 3-way seating with sabai grass
Sabai seating
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Addition of metal wire to reinforce the coil
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Lamp concept where the coil would eventually unwind
A seating in which the coiled structure reinforces itself
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DESIGN DEVELOPMENTS
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Sabai Stool CONCEPT On the road to testing the structural strength and durability of structures made solely with sabai grass, this stool was the first to be explored. The concept was to create a seating with sabai craft free of any supporting elements added for structural strength. This was to be achieved by coiling the grass to form a frustum such that the structure would reinforce itself and sustain the weight of a person. EXECUTION The process followed started with an 8 inches wide flat coiled surface that was created for the top. The coiling then continues to create the height of the structure. On reaching the 18 inches’ mark vertically, the direction of coiling is reversed till it reaches the top again. The top is deliberately left open, so that the space between the two concentric sides can be used to hold/pick up the stool. It takes a total of 7 days to finish. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
The sabai stool, even though a successful execution of the concept of achieving structural strength only using sabai and rope(jute), took nine days to complete.
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The production process was both tiresome and laborious
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The entire structure of the stool compresses to some degree when under weight, this raises concerns about its long term usage and shelf life
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Low Floor Seating CONCEPT A low floor seating was the next product that was explored in this workshop. During the previous workshop, while creating the undulating form exploration, the idea of bilateral undulations was conceived. This idea was scaled up in this workshop and conceptualised as a low floor seating furniture. EXECUTION It started by forming a ring with the grass and coiling around it. This was done both to reduce effort of stitching unnecessary coils and to provide a cavity which would allow breathing space for a comfortable seating surface. The coil was undulated bilaterally once the flat surface was 18 inches in diameter. This was done till the undulating top coil was 10 inches in height and would now act as a lumbar support for the user. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
The low floor seating takes seven days to complete. This increases the cost of the product which can be a losing point against its competition in the market
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Even though the seating was very comfortable to use, over time it might deform as the tight stitches are not strong enough to hold the structure and form.
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Wavy Lamp CONCEPT Another family of products which was explored on a smaller scale in the previous workshop, and was further developed in this one, was the “skewed forms”. The idea was to use this form as a lamp. The challenge here was to increase the amount of light passing through the surface, since the coiling technique created an inappropriate surface for lamps. In the process of scaling up the form, the technique of creating “knots” with the entwining material in between coils was developed. This would further add flexibility to the surface and make it more pliable. The addition of knots would allow more light to pass through the surface and could be used to create an interesting play of light and shadow. The amount of light passing through would depend on the number of coils and the thickness of the entwining material. EXECUTION Unlike the previous explorations, this exploration was not constructed with the conventional radial coiling method. Instead, linear coils, with the grass running back and forth along the form, was interlaced with jute to keep the coils in place. The coils were made in sets of five different lengths. In total seven such sets were created. On completing the surface, it was distorted and locked at three different points to achieve the skewed form. A light source was placed in the middle to test the lighting effect created. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
The linear coiling requires sharp bends in the coils, which resulted in the breaking of grass at those points. Even wetting the grass did not help in this case.
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Cubical Wall Lamp CONCEPT Another exploration of the “displaced vertices” exercise conducted during workshop 1 was the geometric form of a square. This exploration was further developed by scaling it up in this workshop, with the idea of using it as wall lighting. The design was made with the traditional coiling technique with a jute rope. To add translucency to the product, knots were used in between consecutive coils. The vertices of each consecutive coil were displaced by a certain factor to achieve the distortion. EXECUTION The first step was to complete the flat square surface with an edge length of ten inches. This was followed by the distortion of the form while coiling it in the upward direction. Once it was completed, a light bulb was placed in the middle of the product and tested on a wall. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
At the corners of the square form, the grass tends to break
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Maintaining consistency in the displacement of the corners in consecutive coils was a continuous challenge.
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Twisting Lamp CONCEPT The second form explored in the “displaced vertices” exercise during workshop 1 was a triangle. The principles were the same as that of the distortion of the square. The intended application of the scaled up distorted triangular form was for that of a hanging lamp. EXECUTION The scaled down model from the previous workshop was used for reference while exploring in this workshop. Unlike the scaled down model, the scaled up version started with a sabai ring and not a coil. The ring was transformed into a triangle in the first few coils after which the distortion commenced. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
The breaking of grass at the corners can be rectified to improve the look and feel of the lamp
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Divergence Lamp CONCEPT The technique of creating spaces between the coil by knotting, led to the conception of a range of hanging ceiling lamps whose sole purpose would be to play with the inter-spaces to create interesting effects of light. Simple 3-D geometric forms were chosen as the most apt for this exploration. EXECUTION All lamps were started by making a sabai ring for the bulb holder. Progressive coiling in the downward direction was done for two inches, after which the coils grew sideways. After reaching a width of ten inches, the coils moved in the downward direction again till completion. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
Stitching with knots raised a new issue in the technique of coiling, which was concealing the points of breakage in the jute rope (where the old rope ended and the new rope was added).
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Observations & Analysis Continuing with the traditional techniques and materials: •
Radial coiling and jute as the stitching material were used in the production of majority of the explorations as the artisans were the most comfortable with it. This made the exploratory exercises less tiresome for them and they were quicker in responding to the instructions for the new developments.
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The sabai stool and the low floor seating were made only with sabai to highlight the structural properties of the grass that can be achieved with the correct technique and treatment. Though the structures created were not as strong as their counterparts in the market (cane, bamboo etc.), these explorations have opened up opportunities for the grass.
Tweaking the techniques •
The alterations made in the radial coiling technique with the introduction of knots in between coils has given way to a new range of products that can be developed and also added another aesthetic value to the products.
Costing •
Considering the change in size, time taken to produce and quantity of materials used in each exploration, will guide our decisions while material selection and design developments.
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Changes observed: •
Scaling up forms from the first workshop helped us develop a realization of the factors that come into play in the process. Understanding the way the material had to be treated in the scaled up versions and the changes in the parameters and proportions will help us visualize bigger products better.
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The aesthetic factors changed as well. The diameters of the coils and jute ropes used also had to be manipulated according to the respective designs. For example, in the low floor seating, the thickest sabai coil (12 mm diameter) was used.
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Bigger needles were required to produce the larger products (stool, low floor seating). This was required as the jute ropes used for these explorations were thicker than the ones the artisans usually work with. Moreover, the thicker coils mandated the use of a stronger piercing(needle) material.
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The scaling up process has helped us develop an idea about the time it takes to create larger products. This will help us plan the future workshops and also act as a design constraint/parameter while conceptualizing new ideas.
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The sabai stool and low floor seating explorations were both labor intensive. The labor that went into making the scaled up designs will be one of the key factors to be considered while developing final concepts.
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The sitting postures of the artisans also changed when the prototypes reached a certain size. Earlier they have never required chairs/stools to sit on while working.
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INFERENCES from workshops 1 & 2 The first two workshops were crucial in understanding the craft and analysing various aspects and elements of it, the skill of the artisans being the key element. Sabai is a very versatile grass and the radial coiling technique that is used in making majority of the products has a lot of opportunities for further development. The inter-spaced coiling technique explored in the second workshop can be further developed into an independent range of lamps and most importantly be used to make more translucent surfaces, which earlier would have been difficult. New luminaire designs with different tweaks in the craft/production techniques can further yield interesting results. Few possible directions that can be explored in the workshops to come can be, playing around with the diameter of the coils in which the grass is coiled, making chain clusters with sabai ropes and stitching them together, increasing and decreasing the number of knots in between coils to create different levels of translucency.
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Next Step •
From the inferences of workshop 2, it was decided that the focus of design developments shall be on lighting solutions, rather than furniture, as the latter is labor intensive and time consuming, while lacking the desired strength.
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Concepts recognised with great potential are to be developed further according to the opportunities of exploration identified in the same.
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Introduce the artisans to technical drawings used in the design field so that accuracy in the execution of complex designs can be ensured for the future.
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Research on target spaces (public spaces such as hotels, restaurants, airports, etc.) and visualize concepts keeping this context in mind.
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Plan for the schedule of future workshops keeping the time, material and labor constraints, as observed in this workshop, in mind.
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PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT • Revised Project Brief
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• Further Research 75 • Planing for workshop 3 80 • Workshop 3
- Objective 82
- Concept Sketches 83 - Design Developments 86 - Observation & Analysis 99 - Next Step 101
• Inferences 102
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Revised Project Brief To design and develop a range of lamps and small accessories in Sabai Grass craft of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district for the hospitality and retail sectors and contribute in generating livelihood for the Sabai grass artisans on a sustainable basis.
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Further Research To understand the target space and audience better, conducting a study was essential. For this purpose, I looked at spaces like hotel lobbies, restaurants, airports etc where luminaires of the large scale are used and needed. The way the lamps complimented the spaces, the aesthetics of the products placed there, the kind of lighting used, the materials and most importantly the scale of the product were the key points that were noted from the study.
Using the same product in groups ad clusters for extra large spaces
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The kind of material used for the product
The change in context and space governs the visual language of the product
The scale, form and the placement of the lamp in the space
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Sculptural property of the lamp comes into play when the lamp is not in use
Different placements of the same product
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The balance in the number of products used in the space
The colour and temperature of light used
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The importance and role of indirect lighting
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Planning for Workshop 3 The third workshop which was to be nearly three weeks long was scheduled in Baripada, Mayurbhanj. These three weeks would help to calculate the time required to create multiple pieces of each design. The primary focus of this workshop would be to produce products with the best possible quality. The purpose of this was that, once this workshop is completed, the details of fixtures and finishing could be finalised for the execution of the final prototype. There would also be a focus on using complementary materials (bamboo or wood) along with sabai, depending on the designs. Lamps meant for big-open spaces (hotels, airports etc) were conceptualized as a part of the design development exercises. Another important task for this workshop was to teach the artisans to read and interpret design drawings, and to educate them about the basics of drafting (plan, section, elevation, 3D view). Some of the designs planned for this workshop required bamboo framing for reinforcing the structure of the lamp and providing extra stability as well as durability. For this purpose, bamboo artisans in Betnoti (20kms from Baripada) were approached, as they were the nearest skilled bamboo artisans in the district. This workshop was to be the last workshop before the final production of the selected designs.
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WORKSHOP 3 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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Objectives of Workshop 3 •
Train the artisans to construct larger sized lamps as compared to the ones explored thus far. These would be targeted at public hospitality spaces such as hotels, restaurants, airports, etc. This would be a new experience for the craftsmen as the size and aesthetic of these products would be significantly different from the ones created earlier.
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Develop compact table accessories: Small table accessories are products with a constant demand in the market. Development of a range of these products in the craft would ensure sustenance in the market.
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The details of select designs from the previous workshop, that were identified as potential concepts, were to be explored further.
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Introduce the artisans to the details used for representation of designs in technical drawing by designers.
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Sabai ropes were identified as potential for design developments, hence exploration must be conducted in this area.
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CONCEPT SKETCHES
“Cocoon” inspired lamp using sabai rope
Nested ceiling lamp
Varied coil thicknesses + Inter-spaced coiling
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Bamboo frame for a big ceiling lamp
Cane weaving for the joinery
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DESIGN DEVELOPMENTS
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Bowl CONCEPT The idea to develop sabai serving bowls was conceived as a development to the existing containers created by the craft. Simple yet elegant forms were explored in this workshop for the same. EXECUTION Coiling with dry jute ropes was used to execute this design. The first step was making the basic coil. The coiling then commenced in the upward direction to create the depression of the bowl. Once the desired shape was achieved, the direction of the coiling was reverse to complete the design. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
With a relatively simple design, the bowl presented a challenge in the form of the consistency of the coils when flipping the direction of the coil. This can be solved with time and practice.
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The bowl has the potential to be a quick selling product in the market.
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Small Bowl CONCEPT A smaller version of the sabai serving bowl with the same idea behind its inception as its bigger version. EXECUTION Coiling with dry date palm leaves was used to make the bowl. It took half a day to complete one piece. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
This simple bowl is close to the traditional designs. It could be a good addition to the traditional product range.
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Serving Tray ‘ek’ CONCEPT The undulating form concept led to the development of this design. A serving tray was conceived keeping in accordance with the previously explored design direction.. EXECUTION Strips of dried date palm leaves were used to stitch the coils of the grass and create undulations. The placement of consecutive coils dictated the direction of the undulations. A small depression was created in the middle of the tray to make space for a smaller bowl (sabai or glass) to be placed there, as an added function. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
The wave structure was tricky for the artisans to visualize and create. This created the need for me to demonstrate the ideal technique to achieve the intended form.
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Serving Tray ‘dui’ CONCEPT An iteration of sabai tray ‘ek’, the sabai grass tray ‘dui’ was designed to be a centre table piece for decorative purposes. Aromatics, flowers or dry fruits could be assembled in the different undulated depressions. The differently sized depressions would offer the user versitality and convenience.. EXECUTION The material and process remains constant through the two sabai tray creations. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
The ovular form of the bowl led to a quick increase in the size of the tray, even with only two compartments. The original concept had more layers of compartments to be added, but considering this situation, the structure was restricted to two compartments.
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Cocoon Lamp CONCEPT During one of the exploratory exercises in the workshop, the idea of creating density variation using sabai rope chain clusters was conceived. The clusters could be stitched to each other to create interesting translucent forms, which were ideal for lighting applications and created very interesting play of light and shadow. Using sabai ropes of different thicknesses, many explorations were possible. To start with, the simplest form that could be achieved using this technique was explored. EXECUTION Long lengths of sabai chains were made, which was followed by making the first ring of the form. The chains were stitched with a thinner sabai rope, so that it would blend in with the entire three-dimensional surface of the lamp. Through the exploration process, the third mock up gave us a polished “cocoon” form for the lamp. The lamp would require internal framework to reinforce the chain surface.
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Mock up 1
Mock up 2
Final Mock up
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
During the execution of the first mock up, it was a challenge to achieve a clean and well defined stitching detail of the whole lamp.
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Once this hurdle was crossed, the next challenge was to achieve the
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The third mock up was a success in achieving the refined cocoon lamp, but the finished lamp started denting at places where pressure was applied, especially when someone picked it up.
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Increment - Decrement Lamp CONCEPT One of the initial ideas, i.e. to explore the possibility of playing around with the diameter of the sabai coils, was explored in this workshop. It was paired with the “inter-spaced coiling” technique to add to the functionality and aesthetic value of the surface created for luminaire objects. EXECUTION The process began with the ring made for the bulb holder. The coiling process commenced after this. The base coils started as the thickest coil of the lamp, with knotted stitches between consecutive coils. As the coiling progressed in the upward direction, the thickness of the coils gradually decreased to the last coil (thinnest). When the lamp was lit, it created an interesting play of light and shadow. For its application at a larger scale, a 3-foot high floor lamp was also explored.
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Mock up 1
Mock up 2
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
This lamp has the opportunity to explore variations in the thickness of the coil used and the width of the gaps created between the coils.
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Thick ‘n’ Thin Lamp CONCEPT To materialize the range of ceiling hanging lamps solely dedicated to highlight the “interspaced” coiling technique, simple three-dimensional ovular forms were created. EXECUTION Making the sabai grass ring was the first step, around which the inter-spaced coiling process continued. Due to the simplicity of the form, the desired result was achieved conveniently. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
Due to restrictions of technique, the base of the lamp could not be completely covered. This would undesirably leave the light source exposed to the onlooker. This concern would have to be resolved before the execution of the prototype.
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Transforming Triangle Lamp CONCEPT Of the two forms explored in the previous workshop for the form distortion concept, the triangular one had the potential for further development. In this workshop, the same was planned with certain alterations in the process, such as, to avoid broken grass strands in the vertices, the sharp corners in the coils were to be replaced by soft curves. EXECUTION The process of distortion was the same as the one followed in the previous workshop. The only change here was the soft bends, in place of, the broken corners (vertices) of the triangles. The addition of softer bends ensured a smoother distortion as well as gave a transitional aesthetic to the lamp. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
The earlier challenge of breakage at the vertices was fixed by using a thicker coil.
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The challenge now realized was to maintain a consistency in the displacement of the vertices of the consecutive triangles.
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Wavy Lamp CONCEPT The skewed lamp concept was further explored in this workshop. The intention was to create larger iterations of the previously explored concept. This was planned so that these could be grouped together and hung from the ceiling to create beautiful lighting effects. EXECUTION The process followed was the same as the one used in the previous workshop. Two larger sizes were explored in this workshop. There were three sizes now, small, medium and large. The three sizes, together, made a beautiful cluster of lights. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITY •
On scaling the lamp up, the surface became flimsy. This proved troublesome while turning to achieve the intended structure of the lamp.
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Observations & Analysis •
The small-scale products such as the serving bowls and trays were easier and quicker to execute. The structure of the serving trays was a tricky area, but once practiced, it could also be perfected and built with the same speed.
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The Sabai serving bowl set was identified as a product with the potential to sell quickly. Being simple and inexpensive products, these might have a constant demand and help sustain the craft and craftsmen in the long run.
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The size and form of the Ovular Serving tray needs to be finalised, keeping in mind the unexpected increase in size due to constraints of the technique. This could be perceived as a challenge and an opportunity to innovate.
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The journey of the development of the Sabai Chain lamp was adventurous and we were able to achieve an interesting multi functional product that could act as a sculpture and a lamp depending on whether it is unlit or lit respectively.
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In the case of the Gradient lamp, it was observed that there is a requirement to explore, finalize and detail out the thickness of the coil used in each part and the number of knots used in-between the coils.
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The Skewed lamps were appreciated by the mentor and the firm. It was conceptualised that the design could be grouped with different sizes of the same to create an interesting effect.
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The Distorted triangular lamp and the Interspaced coiling lamp were successful explorations also, but a fixture to partially cover the visible light source had to be figured out as a final detail in both the cases.
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All the designs executed in this workshop were completed within the respective time estimated for each. The time and material consumption calculation was hence accurate and can be used to estimate the final cost of production.
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Next Step •
Figure out and finalise the details of finishing, installation, light source fixtures and structure, including framework as and when required, for all the products.
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Construct technical drawings for all the lamps which the artisans shall read to produce the designs accurately.
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Plan and organise a natural dyeing workshop for the artisans, to explore color combinations of the final designs.
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INFERENCES This workshop was the stepping stone in finalising the designs to be prototyped. What was left now, was to finalise the details of the structure and finishing to be applied to the same. An exploration in natural dyeing could be a fruitful value addition to the craft.
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FINAL TRAINING • Planing for workshop 4 104 • Workshop 4
- Objective 106
- Natural dyeing Workshop 107 - Outcome 112 - Dyeing workshop observations 114 - Final Products 115
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Planning for Workshop 4 The final design development workshop for the sabai grass artisans was scheduled in AHF’s New Delhi office. Before the finalised designs could be prototyped, it was crucial for the sabai artisans to learn the craft of naturally dyeing grass. For this reason, master artisan, Mr. Abdul Jabbar of “Tie & Dye craft” from Bhuj, Gujarat was requested to conduct a two-day workshop for the same. Bamboo and metal (Mild Steel) frames were made for the lamps and were fitted with light fixtures (bulb holders, wires etc.) respectively. Design drawings for all the lamps and accessories were made in order for the artisans to read and respectively, produce the products.
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WORKSHOP 4 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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Objective of the workshop •
To produce final prototypes of the selected designs with all the finishing, fixtures and structuring details intended for the products.
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Training the artisans in natural dyeing techniques for sabai grass by tie-and-dye artisans from Bhuj. This would in turn lead to an exchange of ideas and innovation between the craftsmen, along with enabling the sabai craftsmen with the knowledge to add natural color to their products.
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Try out different color combinations for the selected designs, from the results achieved during the natural dyeing workshop. This would be a value addition to the designed product range.
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SABAI NATURAL DYEING WORKSHOP This was a two-day workshop in natural dyeing conducted by a master artisan of “Tie & Dye craft” from Bhuj, Mr. Abdul Jabbar. This was an integral part of the final design development workshop which was organised at the AHF office in Delhi. It started with an introduction to basic natural dyeing processes, raw materials and a brief knowledge of the basic chemistry involved. On the second day, the artisans dyed the grass themselves under Mr. Jabbar’s supervision.
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1. A demonstration in the caution to be maintained while dyeing and intimation about the safety gear required for the same. 2 Mr. Jabbar mixing dye powder to regular water before boiling for the preparation of dye bath. 3. The instructors adding alum to hot water to create a mordant bath, in which the grass shall be dipped before dyeing to help fix the color. 4. Sabai grass and jute ropes soaked in the previously prepared alum solution.
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1.A wooden stick being used to mix the indigo dye bath. The wood is also used to check the resultant color of the dye. If the dye looks slightly greenish, it indicates a well prepared dye bath. 2. Jute rope dyed in indigo, spread out to dry in the sun. The final color would only be evident once it dries completely, as the dye slightly changes color while drying. 3. Sabai grass being soaked in indigo dye bath.
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4. Sabai grass drying after dyeing in indigo. It being indigo dyed, the grass will continue to give out color throughout its life, while maintaining it brilliancy at the same time.
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1. Mrs. Kalpana preparing an alum solution for the first time. 2. Soaking sabai rope in the alum solution prepared in the previous picture for getting the rope ready for the dye-bath. 3. The craftswomen preparing a “Harda” dye-bath by referring to the notes from the earlier demonstration 4. The artisans working together to remove the dyed sabai ropes from the “Harda” dye-bath for washing.
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Mr. Rajeev Sethi interacting with all the artisans and sharing his inputs on the dyeing process and craft.
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The Outcome The workshop was a success. Sabai ropes absorb dye well. This results into brightly colored material. When the dye is added to the natural color of the grass, it creates interesting tones and shades. The color palette thence obtained, was subtle and earthy, as was intended. The colors together work well in combination with the natural color of the grass. This workshop was an experience to grow for all involved. The two crafts had never before worked together, and so this workshop provided a good opportunity for an exchange of ideas. This also provides further scope for development in both the crafts.
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DYEING WORKSHOP OBSERVATIONS •
It was observed that sabai ropes absorb dyes better than the grass. It was speculated that this might be because while making sabai ropes, the fibers in the grass strands break open resulting into more open pores to absorb the color.
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Results of dyeing sabai grass can be improved by soaking the grass in alum solution for longer hours (1-2 nights). This helps the grass absorb more concentrated color. In addition to the prolonged dip in the alum solution, dyeing the grass while boiling the dye solution, further improves the results.
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Jute being a vegetable fiber absorbs colour relatively quickly with good results.
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Dried date leaves on the other hand hardly absorb any color. Soaking the leaves in alum solution overnight did not seem to create much difference. Some colours that were successful with palm leaves were very light tints of the actual dye.
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FINAL PRODUCTS
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Pinnacle
the floor standing lamp EXECUTION •
This lamp is made using the conventional coiling technique
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Bleached jute ropes are used to bind the grass in this design.
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“Inter-spaced” coiling technique has been used in the floor lamp to increase the translucency and reduce its visual rigidity
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A grass ring of 25mm diameter is made first, through which the entire lamp will rests on the metallic frame
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The coiling starts with the grass ring at the bottom and the thickness of the coils gradually decrease till the last coil of diameter of 5mm
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There are particular number of coils of a certain diameter, and that decreases as the diameter reduces, for example, 8 coils of diameter 25mm, 7 of diameter 23mm and so on.
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The whole lamp was made by the artisan by reading the full scale drawing
Turning the grass to create the base ring 117
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The artisan needs to constantly keep checking the thickness of the coil to maintain consistency and produce a good quality product.
The artisan using a compass to check the diameter of the coil
Using a measuring tape to verify the reading
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The artisan used a 1:1 scale drawing for reference to ease the task of quality control and reduce the chances of making errors
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A full scale drawing for this particular design is crucial due to the scale of the lamp.
The artisan needs to constantly check the number of coils with the full scale drawing
Verifying the width of the lamp at different points to maintain a consistent transformation
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When not in use, it acts as a sculptural element in the space 121
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Twist
the ceiling hanging lamp EXECUTION •
Inter-spaced coiling technique has been used in the floor lamp to increase the translucency
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A grass ring with a piece of metal wire is the first coil. The addition of the metal wire makes it easier to bend the ring and get the desired shape, in this case a triangle.
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A 1:1 scale print of the first ring is used by the artisan for reference.
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The distortion starts after the first five triangular coils.
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The distortion is achieved by shifting the corners in each consecutive coil.
Creating the first three triangular coils. Coil displacement starts after this step
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Controlled addition of grass ensures consistent thickness of the coils
Stitching and making knots needs extra precision
Metallic frame with the bulb being stitched to the lamp
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View from the bottom 127
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Turn
the ceiling hanging lamp EXECUTION •
The first coil starts with a metal wire in it. The wire makes it easier to get a perfect ovular coil. Coiling is done using the inter-spaced coiling technique.
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The distortion is achieved by shifting the curvatures in each consecutive coil.
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Reference to a 1:1 scale drawing ensures consistency in the shape.
Using a 1:1 drawing for reference
The artisan checking the shape and size of the base ring 129
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View from the bottom 133
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Looped
the ceiling hanging lamp EXECUTION •
This design is made using the “Sabai rope chain” stitching technique
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The chain cluster is stitched together using very thin sabai rope, so that it blends in with the entire structure.
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The desired form is achieved by the way the chains are stitched. Tight stitches give a closed, compact form whereas loose stitches give free flowing, open forms.
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The chains are made from the starting diameter of 15mm and slowly increases to 55mm in the last chain.
The first bamboo ring being stitched to the chain cluster for reinforcing the lamp
Kamala ji stitches the chains to achieve the desired form
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A metallic frame with the bulb is placed at the top and stitched to the chain lamp.
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Three circular bamboo rings are used at three different heights to get the desired form.
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For the dyed variant of the design, pale olive green sabai ropes are used for the stitching and dark olive green sabai ropes are used for making the chain clusters.
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The chain lamp comes in two sizes, the smaller one has only two bamboo rings as compared to the larger one that has three bamboo rings.
Kamala ji has to constantly check the width of the lamp to avoid any mistakes
Closing the lamp by stitching the last chain
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Orange Looped the ceiling hanging lamp
EXECUTION •
A smaller lamp for the “Sabai rope chain” family of lamps, with a simpler form
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For the chain cluster sabai rope dyed in “Madder” is used while rope dyed in “Indigo” is used for the stitching.
Kamala ji uses her knee to hold the lamp in place while stitching the lower portion
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Shell looped the ceiling hanging lamp EXECUTION •
A bamboo frame is used for reinforcing the form of this lamp.
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This design is made in two parts. Both halves are made using “sabai chain ropes” and are stitched on the bamboo frame, using the frame as guide/mold.
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The two halves are then layered with banana fiber paper.
The first set of chain is stitched to the frame
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Kalpana Ji making the sabai chains before she can start stitching
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Once dry, the top half is first stitched to the frame. The lower half is then stitched to the upper half in such a manner that the lamp can be opened up like a hinge mechanism.
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The electrical connections are done on the frame.
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The addition of the paper serves two purposes, it hides the internal electrical work as well as disperses the light when the lamp is lit.
Kalpana Ji uses the frame as a guide to make the chained surface
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Banana Fiber paper being stuck on the sabai chain surface
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The paper after pasting, is dried in the sun
Kalpana Ji takes out the wire through one of the chains
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LED bulb connections on the bamboo frame
Stitching the two halves together 148
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The banana fiber paper helps disperse the light & hides the internal circuit work 151
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Infinity
the ceiling hanging lamp EXECUTION •
This lamp was made in linear coils, with the grass running back and forth along the form, was interlaced with jute to keep the coils in place. The coils were made in sets of five different lengths.
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The grass bundles are stitched in a set of ten different lengths. It starts with a length of 16 inches, then 15 inch, 14inch and so on till 8 inch.
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The final product has seven such sets.
Malati ji stitching the linear coils
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Concentrate the ceiling hanging lamp EXECUTION •
These lamps were made in a sets of three, all in different sizes.
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The “inter-spaced coiling” technique was used for these lamps.
Metal frame being stitched to the lamp
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View from the bottom 163
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Rotate
The serving tray
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Serve
the serving bowl
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Serve compact the serving bowl
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Present
the serving bowl set
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SUMMING UP • Design critique & recommendation 170 • Reflections 172 • Team Credits 173 • References 174
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Design critique & recommendation The decision to create large-sized lamps, which was a big jump from the small sized accessories the artisans were used to making, was made specially to challenge the craft and the techniques and to introduce a new kind of range of products to the craft which would in turn cater to a much wider audience than the current one. The idea behind these developments was also to encourage further design interventions in the craft once people saw the potential and opportunity in the material and the craft. All the final lamp designs developed in this project were appreciated by the sponsor and the nature of interventions made in the production techniques and material treatment were very well appreciated as well. The craft holds a lot of potential for further innovation thanks to the versatility of the grass and the skills of the artisans and their ability to absorb new knowledge and techniques well. Interventions in areas like designing sustainable business models is necessary. Infrastructure building will also be a big step in the development of the craft. Connecting the state tourism with the craft can also help to spread awareness about the craft which in turn will aid the market value of the craft. The next step new product development for the craft can be in the direction of other interior products like partitions/ screens, wall hangings and other similar products.
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REFLECTIONS Looking back to my decision to take up a craft based project, I feel content and happy that I have tried to make a difference for the artisans of this craft and all the people associated with it. This project, has been a real learning curve for me in this journey of becoming a designer. All the responsibilities I was entrusted with, starting from the planning of the workshop to the execution, coordination with the state government officials and managing the artisans have taught me the importance of leadership and management. The exchange of ideas and knowledge with the artisans has been a very enriching experience. Up until now I was used to making furniture and other products with wood and other hard materials. The fact that working with a linear material is a completely different ball game and the difference between the conceptualisation and production process while working with soft material(grass) and that with hard materials, is something I realised through experiences while working hands on with the material. All the responsibilities, decisions made and the critique from my mentors has really helped me grow as a person. The project has helped me realise the importance and need for design interventions in the Indian craft sector and the impact it can have on the people. ‘It is our responsibility as designers to bring about a positive change and aid the sustenance of crafts and the artisans employed in them’, this has been one of my most crucial takeaways from the project.
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The group of artisans who made it all happen From the left: Ajij Kevar(dyeing artisan),Malati Singh, Kalpana Jenas(sabai grass master artisan), Jayanti Mohanta, Purnima Naik, Usha Naik, Rupa Naik, Mina Singh, Kamala Singh, Mr. Abdul Jabbar(dyeing master artisan)
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TEAM CREDITS MASTER SABAI ARTISAN
MASTER TIE & DYE ARTISAN
MASTER ARTISAN at AHF
JIYO Team
Ms. Kalpana Jena
Mr. Abdul Jabbar
Mr. Anirudh Chatoi
Ms. Utpala Daftary
JUNIOR SABAI ARTISANS
JUNIOR TIE & DYE ARTISAN
Mr. Ghanshyam Bhatt
Mr. Joy Moitra
Ms. Malata Singh Ms. Meena Singh Ms. Rupa Naik Ms. Jayanti Mohanta Ms. Purnima Naik Ms. Kamala Singh
Mr. Raheem
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Mr. Vinod Mehta Mr. Narayan Ms. Shreya Kanoi
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REFERENCES Websites & Online Links “Buy Handicrafts Online, Bags, Jewellery And Home Decorative Products”. Mayurshilpa. Web. 15
“Standardised Portal Of Mayurbhanj District”. Mayurbhanj.nic.in. Web. 19 May 2016.
June 2016.
“Wikipedia”. Wikipedia.org. Web. 2016.
Das, Teesta et al. “Sabai Grass Craft”. issuu. N.p., 2010. Web.
“Sabai Grass”. Utkalika.co.in. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 July 2016.
Indian Institute of Crafts and Design,. Sabai Craft. Jaipur: AIACA( All India Artisans and Craftworkers
SAL LEAVES & SABAI GRASS CRAFT. 1st ed. DHIRENDRA SINGH, 2016. Web. 14 May 2016.
Association). Web. 10 May 2016. Kundu, Sibdas. “Sabai Grass Industry Reinvents Itself”. The Telegraph 2016. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
The Role Of Sabai Grass Industry In The Economic Development Of Mayurbhanj District Of Orissa. 1st ed. Baripada, Mayurbhanj, Orissa, India: Asit Ranjan Satpathy and U.N. Sahu, 2016. Web. 19 May 2016.
“ORMAS :: Odisha Rural Development And Marketing Society”. Ormas.org. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. “Pinterest”. Pinterest. Web. 7 June 2016.
Books Lauson, Cliff. Light Show. 1st ed. Print.
Byars, Mel. 50 Chairs. 1st ed. Crans-Prés-Celigny, Switzerland: RotoVision SA, 1997. Print.
Levine, Faythe and Cortney Heimerl. Handmade Nation. 1st ed. New York: Princeton Architectural
Caborn, Colin and Ian Mould. Integrated Craft And Design. 1st ed. London: Harrap, 1981. Print.
Press, 2008. Print.
Ranjan, Aditi and M. P Ranjan. Handmade In India. 1st ed. New York: Abbeville Press, 2009. Print.
Moss, Peter. Asian Furniture. 1st ed. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Print.
Jaitly, Jaya. Crafts Atlas Of India. 1st ed. Print.
Penner, Richard H, Lawrence Adams, and Stephani K. A. Robson. Hotel Design. 1st ed. New York: Routledge, 2013. Print.
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