Timber from Auroville - Graduation Project

timber from auroville. 1

2. timber from auroville


Graduation Project 2012-13

timber from auroville

Sponsor Upasana Design Studio

Student Aditya Doshi (Industrial Design)

Industry Guide Torkil Dantzer

Faculty Guide Rajan Iyer


The Graduation Project Evaluation Jury recommends

ADITYA DOSHI

to be awarded the Graduation Degree at the MIT Institute of Design, PuneIN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN (PRODUCT DESIGN)herewith, for the project titled “TIMBER FROM AUROVILLE“

MEMBERS :

NAME ORGANISATION SIGNATURE

on fulfilling the further requirements by *(subsequent remarks regarding fulfilling the requirements)

Chairperson of the Jury


acknowledgementI sincerely thank Uma Prajapati for giving me this opportunity to work in Auroville at Upasana Design Studio. My guide, Torkil Dantzer for giving me the opportunity to work under him , being patient while guiding me and for his support and encouragement throughout the

process. i also thank my college guide, Rajan Iyer, for supporting me and showing me the right direction.

I sincerely thank the dean, Mr Anant Chakradeo and the industrial design faculty team of MITID for always being there for me during tough times.

The whole team of Upasana deserves a special mention for their warm and giving nature.


content MIT Institute of Design Upasana Design Studio Prakrit - a unit under Upasana Janaki project

introduction

project summary

timber from auroville tree - a living organism wood - a living material moisture and drying

applications of wood

exhibition for wood

games from wood jenga gilli danda

Basic Line of Furniture

workspace organiser about the product user study user analysis market analysis

problem statement design directions ideation

concept development 3D model mock-up final 3D model

clothes hanger about the product user study user analysis market analysis

problem statement design directions ideation

concept development 3D model mock-up final 3D model

dimension drawing prototype design details

other explored ideas modular organiser room divider

conclusion furniture market in india market potential retrospection

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technical drawing prototype design details

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MIT Institute of DesignThe Maharashtra Academy of Engineering Education and Research (MAEER), was established as a society and trust with the sole aim of creating and developing professional education facilities to train the aspiring young generation and

thus to provide dedicated, ambitious and skilled professionals to serve the society and the nation at large.

MAEER believes that “The union of Science and Spirituality alone will bring Harmony and Peace to the Humanity” as said by Swami Vivekananda. The vision of the founders of MAEER is to create a “Centre of Excellence in the field of

Education and Research.” Since its inception, MAEER has been striving for the betterment of the society through value based education system. With over 50,000 students across varied disciplines under its umbrella, it has achieved

tremendous success in a short span of time and reflects excellence in the fields of Engineering, Medicine, Research, Management, Primary and Secondary Education, Peace Studies, Environment and Pollution control and also towards

promoting Human Values and attaining the ultimate goal of World Peace.

The motto of MAEER is “To harness the knowledge of Science and Technology forthe welfare of the society”


Upasana Design StudioUpasana was born in 1997, originally with one table under a tree, as a garment design and manufacturing unit. Her aspiration was to

create an open space for creativity and design in all its forms. Being born within the unique context of Auroville, the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother have been her inspiration at Upasana.

The spirit of work in Upasana is that work is not a way to earn one’s living, rather a way to express one and to develop one’s capacities and possibilities while being of service to the world.

At the campus, there is a production team of about 30 people that comes to Upasana from the neighboring villages.These villages are very much a part of Auroville and are tried to integrate the local population through work and by

providing a space to meet, socialize, learn and earn their living.

Upasana has become a platform where students and volunteers from different parts of India and abroad come to learn and contribute to ongoing projects. They learn through real life engagements and creative exploration of Socially Responsible Design.

Currently, Upasana is engaged in various fields including: developing social entrepreneurs, consumer literacy through brandcommunication, product design, sustainable fashion and facilitation of social projects in various parts of India.

The essential philosophy of the studio can be defined in one line –“There is only one user, the Supreme Self who dwells in all.”

Some projects are listed below: www.tsunamika.orgwww.smallsteps.in

www.varanasiweaver.orgwww.Tranquebar.in

Uma HaimavatiA graduate of National Institute of Technology - Delhi; she worked in the export field for 2 years in Delhi.She came to Auroville in 1996

and since then has been living in Auroville, and founded Upasana Design Studio in 1997.

Design Philosophy“Design for me has grown in its boundary; it has become big enough to take every part of human life, even in evolution. Let’s

us design better life & lifestyles which makes a being grow within and without designing out thought”

uma haimavati torkil dantzer


PRAKRIT – furniture from Auroville wood

PRAKRIT is a unit under UPASANA with focus on Wood and Design.

Our main focus until now has been on securing and processing all the cyclone wood and setting up a Design workshop in CSR. But we have had some time to work on design samples, of which you see some copies here at the exhibition.

We are working on an ORGANIC Line, where wood is used in its natural form but with a contemporary design and with a high finish. Nature transformed into Furniture.

We are also working on a BASIC Line, simple, elegant, multifunctional furniture for Auroville homes and for sale in In-dia. There is a great need for furniture of good quality and design, and we will try our best to design and produce this.

Our aim is to produce furniture of very high quality, but at affordable prices. For this we need modern production meth-ods and machinery. The production will take place both in our own unit and in cooperation with other Auroville units.


Janaki: ‘House of Conscious Living’A community of consumers, producers, designers and dreamers of a conscious lifestyle.

It is not just another chain store.It is a space where the market endsand life begins with a new purpose.

It is a place to come together,merge and travel towards a greater joy.


Who is JANAKI?

Janaki has been name of our grandmother who stood in Indian family as wisdom tree. She cared and lived in a very conscious and sustaining way. She is harmony personified. It is our invocation to “Janaki” to bring a message of sustainable lifestyle to the world.

Objective of JANAKI

“House of conscious Living” is an exhibition, a communication and an interaction. Janaki is a search towards Sustainable living - as a shopping experience, paving a path for the future.


timber from auroville


introductionVery Severe Cyclonic storm, THANE, hit the southeast coast of India in December 2011.

Many trees fell in Auroville, which was one of the worst hit regions. A clean-up drive was setup byAurovillians and volunteers to clear all the trees. With all focus on cleaning up, it was obvious that

few had time and energy to think about processing the timber.

PRAKRIT – a unit under UPASANA – with a focus on design and wood – took up the challenge.I started my work in Auroville in mid-July, 2012. During this time, the team was completely focusedon the processing of wood. My first weeks in Auroville were spent on studying the material and its

properties. I had been on a few trips with my project mentor, Mr. Torkil Dantzer, in the Aurovilleregion for selecting the best wood. More than 2000 logs of different types of trees were selected

like Khaya, Work tree, Eucalyptus, Neem, Teak, Vengai etc and then put into a registration database.

A team was responsible for loading wood with cranes into trucks, and then for moving the logs to asawmill in a village around Auroville, where the team cut them into slabs, loaded them again and

shifted them to a site, where the slabs were carefully stored for air-drying. The team has nearlyfinished its work, and more than 300 tons of the best timbers are laying for drying.


project summaryThe project brief was to create products from the wood that was destroyed during a cyclone

that struck the south of India in 2011. Prakrit is a unit under Upasana with focus on wood anddesign. Its main focus until now has been on processing all the cyclone wood and setting up

a design workshop. Nevertheless, some time was also given on designing the samples.

Initially, my area of focus was to use the smaller logs of wood that could not be used for thecreation of large furniture items just as tables in the organic line of furniture for Prakrit.

I also worked on the Basic Line of furniture for Prakrit - simple, elegant, multi-functionalfurniture for Auroville homes and studio apartments, and for sale in India, at affordable prices.


Timber from cyclone Thane in AurovilleMany trees fell when Thane passed by Auroville. It was a huge undertaking to clear all these trees and many Aurovillians and staff from

LRM did a great job in collecting all the trees in two different sites in Auroville. With all focus on cleaning up it was obvious that few had time and energy to think about processing the timber.

PRAKRIT – a unit under UPASANA – with a focus on design and wood – took up the challenge.They considered setting up a saw mill in Auroville, but due to legal and practical reasons, this was given up.

A team was formed that loaded wood with cranes onto trucks, which moved the logs to a saw mill in a close-by village, Sedarapet, where the team cut them into slabs. All wood is stored as logs and inventory is made for each slab.


The team now plans to continue the cutting of smaller wood – mainly Work Tree, into useful dimensions and store it for drying. This will add value to the wood and make it useful for the future building of Auroville.

PRAKRIT has helped establish a modern drying kiln in Sedarapet, and is planning to take some of the best wood for final drying here. This kiln could become a very important part in the effort to get better dry wood in the Auroville region.

PRAKRIT is also working with a plan of setting up a FINGER JOINING unit, where shorter pieces of wood is joined together and will give higher value of long pieces of wood or plates. It is a good process for value addition for cheaper smaller pieces of wood.


Tree - a living organismThe trees in Auroville are a bit modest, but some are still quite impressive. The biggest are Khaya Sengalensis where

some have a diameter of more than 1 meter. There are many different kinds of trees but the inner structure is similar.

The growth of a tree takes place in a thin layer under the bark, Cambium layer, where new wood and bark cells are formed.Outside the tree is protected by the outer bark, consisting of dead dry cells.

Below the Cambium is the newer sap wood, dead tube like cells, also called fibers, which transport sap from the roots to the leaves.

When sap wood cells gets older they become filled with gums, resins and colors and this part of the tree is called heartwood.Its main function is to give strength to the tree.

As the tree grows the diameter grows, cambium produces more sap wood cells and the inner part of these is turned intoheartwood. The thickness of sapwood remains more or less the same, but the heartwood becomes larger as the tree grows

bigger and thicker. The heartwood is the most interesting wood for furniture and construction as its qualities are much higher than sapwood.


Wood - a living materialWood is always in a balance with the surrounding humidity and temperature. When the relative humidity – the water content in the air – goes up, the wood absorbs some water and expands, when humidity goes down it releases the water and shrinks.

In Auroville with a high humidity and temperature, the balance point for wood will be moisture content of 15%. But it changes with the seasons, higher in the summer time and lower in the winter. The expansion is different from specie to specie but is around 1%, meaning a massive door 1 meter wide will expand 1 cm – something the design has to be able to adapt to!Rooms with air condition are much dryer and colder, and wood taken into these conditions will try to get in balance with the

humidity here and shrink further.

Expansion is only perpendicular to the fibers, not along the fibers. Expansion does not happen along the wood plank but only sideways. A panel door has horizontal wood rails, which does not expand, and this door type does

therefore not expand as much as massive door.Any construction or joinery work needs to take the wood expansion into consideration. The power of the expansion

is enormous and cannot be contained.


moisture and dryingA living tree contains a lot of water. Some trees have more than 200% water content, measured in relation to the dry weight.

Soft woods have more water than hard woods – and sapwood more water than heartwood.Timber has to be dried before being useable for building or furniture. Dried timber is much lighter and stronger than green timber.

Because timber shrinks a lot in the drying process it is very important to only use dry timber for any joinery work.The water in the wood is in a free and a bound form. The free water is in the tubular cells – the fibers and it fairly fast dries out,but the bound water has to travel from cell to cell to get out, and this is the reason why air drying of wood takes a long time.

Often up to one year – the longer time the thicker the timber slab is.

To dry wood logs would take a very long time, so the best is to cut up the logs in slabs and store them perfectly horizontal with adistance between them to allow air to circulate and dry the wood – air drying. The slabs are stored high so the weight of the woodkeeps them in perfect shape. The process can be speeded up by using kiln drying where the water is taken out be using heat and

mechanical ventilation. The drying period can then come down to 3 weeks.After drying, the wood has to be stored in a shaded covered place.


applications of wood from auroville


exhibition for woodPrakrit held an exhibition for the 1st anniversary of the cyclone. The purpose of the exhibition was to show

people in Auroville, the destruction caused by the cyclone to the Auroville forests, the clean-up work done which was followed by the processing of wood and its eventual applications in design.

I worked with another intern from France, Pauline Lamoot under the guidance of Mr. Torkil Danzter, the founder of Prakrit. The exhibition was open from 28th December until 11th January.

For this, we collected work done in art and design which were based on the cyclone by anyone fromAuroville. It was a display of two paintings, a sculpture, photography, a short film, installations and

furniture made by Prakrit -- a unit under Upasana, furniture made by Kenji, a japanese carpenter living in Auroville, musical instruments made by Svaram, a unit in Auroville.


Table made for the Organic Line of furniture by Prakrit - a unit under Upasana.


Musical instruments made from the cyclone wood by Svaram, a unit in Auroville


Cross section of a tree-bark to show the raw sidein contrast with processed, finished timber


Cyclone bench : One of two big 20cm slabs of a big eucalyptus log which was turned into a large bench in memory of Cyclone Thane.The design has cyclones symbolically moving counter clock wise as in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise as in the Southern

Hemisphere and with the Auroville symbol in the middle


The idea of a post-it tree where people write their comments abou tht exhibition and stick them up with the thought of adding a leaf to the dry branch which was Auroville in the after-effect of Cyclone Thane


Tables made by Kenji, a Japenese furniture maker who lives and works in Auroville

Thane - a painting by Audrey, an artist in Auroville


Different types of Auroville trees like Khaya Senegalensis, Work tree and Eucalyptus on display which are used as benches in the film room. A movie on the cyclone was made compiling clips from different videos taken by Aurovillians.


games made out of WoodInitially, my area of focus was to use the smaller logs of wood that could not be used for the creation of large furniture items like tables, as in the organic line of furniture for Prakrit. We looked at games or objects that can be made from

wood such as chess, various shaped wood blocks for kids to build with, small-sized cars, train engines, etc which would have a simple form, rocking seats, traditional games like ludo, gilli danda, pachisi, etc.

It was decided that gilli danda and jenga would be the two games.Why?

simplicity in form, easy to make easy to learn, understand and play

an Indian game that people are familiar with


jengaThe game of Jenga is a challenging game with significant physical intricacy. The game uses 54 hardwood blocks stacked in groups

of 3, oriented perpendicular to the previous layer. It was created by Leslie Scott. Players take turns to remove a block from thetower and place it, creating a taller and increasingly unstable tower as the game progresses.

Several variations of the game are available today like Throw’ n Go Jenga, Jenga truth or dare, Jenga extreme and Jenga XXL.The game is played with 54 blocks. Each block is three times as long as its width and one fifth as thick as its length: 1.5 * 2.5 * 7.5cm.

It was decided that our version would be twice the size, thus making it an outdoor game for kids and also more interactive.Due to the difference in size, the extra weight would have an impact of the looseness of the individual blocks in the tower. The blockswould be tighter, thus making it harder to pull out. A small difference in thickness had to be given to each block, thus making sure of

loose blocks available to pull out of the tower, making the game easier and exciting.

3 sets of sizes were selected: 29.5mm, 30mm and 30.5mm. Initially, the 54 blocks were divided equally into these 3 sizes. Aftertesting the first sample, it was decided that the smallest size blocks should be more in number, increasing the possibilities of loose

blocks in the tower. Thus, 50% of the blocks are 29.50mm, and 25% each are 30mm and 30.05mm.


gilli dandaGilli Danda is an amateur sport played in the rural areas and small towns of Pakistan and India, specially in Tamil Nadu

and Punjab. The game is played with two sticks : a large one called a danda, which is used to hit a smaller one, the gilli. This game is believed to be the origin of western games such as cricket, baseball and softball.

rules :step 1:- Toss the coin. The team which wins it can select batting or fielding.step 2:- A circle and hole made in the center from where batsman will bat.

step 3:- First player of team who is batting will bat and other team is spread in the ground to catch.step 4:- Batsman lifts the gilli high in the air with the danda hitting the gilli at one end (tapered) and quickly strikes it.

case 1:- Batsman not able to strike the gilli in 3 continuous chance then he is out and next player of same team will come to bat.

case 2:- Batsman strikes the ball and fielder catches it before it touches the ground then also he is out and next player of same team will come to bat.

case 3:- Batsman strikes the ball and gilli not caught then distance is measured from the center to where gilli falls and each danda is equal to one point.

step 5:- Each batsman of first team bat and we total the points team scored.step 6:- Now fielding team bat and batting team fields and the team which scores more points will win the match.


Basic Line of furniture for Prakrit - simple, elegant, multi-functionalfurniture for Auroville homes and studio apartments, and

for sale in India, at affordable prices.

To accomplish this, we create objects that enable the use of the home space in a more exciting, as well as functional way. The first step in this process is the identification of the concept, followed by aesthetic development. The most dif-ficult part of this process is to define the object in terms of its function and cost. What follows is a long journey through each step

of the product development.


workspace organiser


about the product

Organiser--papers--stationery items--space for computer--storage--table-top

A workspace unit that is used to answer a few e-mails, do basic paperwork, which needs something that can holda computer and basic essentials for a study table.


Rigved Ranade

Industrial Designer24 years old

home workspace

Time spent / day -- 6-8hrs

markers -- pens -- pencils -- stationery cases--papers-- sketchpads -- books -- scissors -- scale

speakers -- headphone -- computer -- vacom tablet -- chair -- objects

All kind of work done here including surfing the net, sketching, tablet, 3D modelling, rendering

storage -- space for computer -- stationery organiser -- tabletop -- papers

user study


Nalini Mangwani

Graphic designer23 years old

home workspace

Time spent / day -- 4 - 6 hours

books -- letters -- stationery case -- papers -- sketchpad -- circulars / forms -- diary -- pens -- folders

laptop -- charger -- landline phone -- phone charger -- objects

wok done here includes softwares, sketching, general surfing, phonecalls and paperwork

storage -- space for laptop -- stationery organiser -- tabletop -- papers


Alok Thakurdesai

Designer and manager33 years old

office workspace

Time spent / day -- 4-6 hours

papers -- books -- pens -- folders -- CD’s -- diaries -- tiffin -- post-its

laptop -- charger -- desktop computer -- chair -- objects -- softboard

work done here includes surfing, emails, paperwork, softwares

storage -- space for laptop -- space for computer -- organiser -- tabletop -- papers -- soft-board


Aditi Damle

Illustrator22 years old

home workspace

Time spent / day -- 6 - 8 hours

books - diary -- pens -- folders -- diary -- stickers -- post-its -- sketches -- letters -- board-pins

laptop -- vacom tablet -- headphones -- charger -- speakers -- chair -- softboard -- objects

alot of sketching, doodling, surfing, paperwork, softwares, stickers, pin-up posters

storage -- space for laptop -- stationery organiser -- tabletop -- papers -- softboard


Faizad Hussain

Manager36 years old

office workspace


papers -- folders -- stationery stand -- post-its -- boardpins

computer -- speakers -- charger -- softboard -- chair -- objects

surfing internet, paperwork, emails, softwares, posters

storage -- space for computer -- stationery organiser -- tabletop -- papers -- softboard


Vishak Kanangot

Engineer34 years old

Office workspace


diary -- books -- pens -- stationery stands -- papers -- post-its

computer -- headphones -- various objects -- softboard

sketching, 3D modelling, paperwork, drawings, notepad

storage -- space for laptop -- stationery organiser -- tabletop -- papers -- softboard


Priya Joshi

Businesswoman27 years old

home workspace


magazines -- books

laptop -- charger -- notepad

surfing, emails

?


user analysis

space required for laptop / computer / iPad

storage space for books, folders, papers, bags

stationery items include various kind of objects

lots of space required on tabletop for handy objects that our frequently used

a free space on tabletop is necessary for sketching, paperwork, reading, notepad

speakers, headphones, landline phones used often in workspace

use of post-its, stickers, posters on softboards

more than one person using the same workspace in the house

kids in the house use the space for homework, crafts, etc

workspace unit sometimes includes lots of compartments for storage space, makingthe unit as tall and wide as 6 -8 feet

softboards could be an important part a unit with various activities

the space also holds a printer / scanner in some cases


makeshift workspaces used large, 4-6 feet tall, 3-4 feet wide study unitsavailable in the market

long tables with sections / partitionsseen used in offices

study units constructed against a wall


study tables for kids tables used on the bed

market analysis


wall-mounted study tables used in some homes

personal computer units


a need for an organiser for stationery and other objects which includes storagefor papers and space for a computer


Incase of studio apartments, the workspace is combined with the living and dining area. With the con-straint of space in a small-sized apartment, a separate study table did not clearly fit the bill.

The most essential part of this furniture is the table-top to work on. This can be provided by any other table in the house. Thus, a concept was revised that can be used upon any table-top which would cre-

ate a workspace that can be moved away when not in use.

After user research and market research, ideas through sketches and our assumptions, a mock-up was made from plywood to see the proportions of the product.

Later, another prototype was made with some additions to the design, which gave us a clearer idea of the functionality and aesthetic appeal of the product.

The table for which it has been designed is from the Basic line of furniture for Janaki. Nevertheless, the idea is for the product to be used upon any table-top.

design directions and process that followed


drawers

open shelves

storage options

softboards

Ideation


shelves for various types of objects


stationery

books / diaries / notepads

computer / laptop / other wires


concept development

an exercise to select the side profile of the chosen concept

--dimensions--weight--ergonomics


3D model made to try various dimensions with regard to the dimensions of the table.weight of the product -- ergonomics -- proportions


Pictures of intial mock-up made from plywood, to understand the proportions of the productDimension -- 220mm * 1000mm * 170mm


aesthetic additions and deletions -- new proportions -- new side profile -- functionality check -- strength


technical drawing


Later, another prototype was made with some additions to the design, which gaveus a clearer idea of the functionality and aesthetic appeal of the product.


The table for which it has been designed is from the Basic line of furniture for Janaki.Nevertheless, the idea is for the product to be used upon any table-top.

Dimensions -- 250mm * 1000mm * 200mm


Product kept in different environments in the office to check its functionality and feel its presence.


different angles at which an iPad can be placed on the unit

fixture at the centre of both the side panelsprovides strength to the product

groove can be used to keep pens, pencils and other similar sized objects

an attempt to reduce the weight of the product. The back panel is reduced in size but manages thejob of preventing things from

falling off the back

flat top to keep objects

leaving enough free space on the tabletop is important and that was considered while giving dimensions to the product

design details


cloth hanger


about the producthanger -- shoes / slippers -- organiser -- frame -- space-friendly -- clothes

An organiser that provides space for clothes, shoes and bags. Wall-mounted or free standing, it can consist of hanging rails and shelves. It is also used as a hanger for various kinds of clothes and also to dry clothes. A display stand. An open wardrobe.


Sanyam Rajdeva

Architect24 years old

lives alone in a 1BH apartment

-- furniture in the house includes a cupboard, table, shelves and mattresses on the floor-- a cupboard provides storage for clothes but used clothes and jackets are seen on the

table and bed-- various objects like jackets, shoes, boots, bags, sport shoes, helmet, socks, sunglass-

es seen lying around the room-- uses slippers at home

-- has guests over at his house once in a while

user study


Suman Mazumdar

Textile specialist28 years old

lives with 1 more person in a 2BHK apartment

-- furniture in the room includes a computer unit, study table, shelves, a bean bag-- various objects like bags, biker gear like a leather jacket, gloves and helmet,sport

shoes seen lying around the place-- storage space in the table is used for clothes

-- a jacket, few used shirts and a helmet seen lying on the table and bed-- has guests over at his house once in a while

-- common shoerack at the maindoor for everyone in the house


Prerna Thacker

Marketing25 years old

just moved into a temporary space

-- furniture in the room includes a bed, stool, 2-3 feet tall shelving system-- a temporary guest who plans to spend 3-5 weeks here, before finding a permanent

place-- storage space required for clothes, shoes and various objects needed for daily use by a

woman--


user analysis

space required for hanging used clothes, incase of no hooks

people use hangers used for jackets, suits and shirts, specific clothing items that need to be kept neatly

some people dont have all essential furniture items in the house due to constranit of space

makeshift spaces used for shoes in some cases

clothes lie around anywhere in the room when there are no hooks to hang them

no specific storage for bags

people moving in a room temporarily still feel the need to organise the things that they would use daily.

most users have guests visiting them at their houses once in a while

indian users are not so familiar with the concept of an open wardrobe

clothes hanging on hooks on the inside of a cupboard can get shabby

various kinds of cloth racks used to dry clothes


wall-mounted cloth racks

storage for shoes and bags

market analysis


railings used for cloth hangers

free standing cloth racks

cloth racks that lean against the wall

wider ones used as open wardrobes


a need for an ‘organiser’ for small flats or studios that can be used to hang clothes which also provides storage for other objects like bags, shoes and a helmet


design direction and process that followed

A cloth hanger was developed with the possibility of selling it as an ‘organizer’ for small flats or studios. Often there is not space to to put up hooks for clothes, so this is a free standing option for hanging your clothes nicely and store your shoes.

After user research and market research, some ideas were thought for structure of the product in which a hanging rail for clothes was the standard component

A structure was selected and then developed to increase its strength and presence.

components -- fixtures -- functions -- dimensions -- weight -- proportions -- ergonomics

a mock-up of the frame and the 3rd leg was made from wood to check its presence and proportions after which ideas for the shelf were developed

the shelf was made after which all the components were brought together to do the assembly of the product


space-friendly

railing for cloth hangers

open wardrobes

shelf for shoes and bags

Ideation


free standing frame of wood that can open

to become a room divider

organic form for shelffoldable stand with railing


concept development


Initial 3D model

to understand the proportions and dimensions

check the different components and fixtures required

usability and aesthetic additions

different environments that it would fit into

mechanisms and fixtures


Final 3D model

change in dimensions andproportions

change of material selection

screws, lock mechanism and fixture selection

height of bottom frame reduced to 200mm off the ground

functionality check

clothesrack when folded


dimension drawing of shelf


cloth hanger being used as a display stand for Janaki cloth hanger when folded


height of the frame is 6 feet. This was ergonomically decided according to the height at which the user would hang

clothes

bottom shelf is strong and low enough for the user to stand/sit and wear and remove

his shoes comfortably

increase in weight and size was considered while giving dimensions and proportions

hook acts as a locking mechanism for the angle of the stand

hook fits into a hole in the 3rd leg which locks the frame when

it is folded

design details


A cloth hanger was developed with the possibility of selling it as an ‘organizer’ for small flats or studios. Often there is not space to to put up hooks for clothes, so this is a free standing option for hanging your clothes nicely and store your shoes.

It can also be used as a portable, free-standing, foldable, mobile display unit for shops.

An open wardrobe and clothes rack is an effecient solution for people living in small spaces.

It is a free-standing object that can be folded away when not in use. Thus it is a smart organiser to have around the house that can fit into any environment because of its simple and clean approach towards the environment.

It is a minimalistic construction consisting of a frame, hanging rail and a shelf. Its function is evident in its simple construction

and provides space for clothes, shoes and bags.

There is also a possibility of the frame being used as a mirror stand. This can be a handy use around the house or in shops.

An effort was made to design this product as a piece that was more furniture than a basic rack for clothes. It works well in many different environments since its expression is clean and minimalistic, and it is the individual person that gives character.


other explored ideas


modular organiser


A product that can fit into any environment where an organsier is needed. It can be used in an office, a shop or as a jewellery box for

women. An optional partition is provided in the centre of the biggest box which acts as rails for the smaller boxes. Boxes of different sizes slide over each other which can be arranged according to the need.

The biggest one is designed to be used for A4 sized papers and other boxes of different sizes enables storage for other objects.


room divider


Room dividers are meant to separate spaces in an apartment. This is an idea which acts as a room divider that can also be used as an open wardrobe. It is a free standing object and frames can be add-

ed or removed according to the requirement of the user. Each frame has to be kept at an angle to the next for the product to stand.


conclusion


The furniture buying process can be a complicated one in India. Potential consumers buy furniture through retailers and not directly from a manufacturer. There are many ways for retailers to buy products; from manufacturers, agents representing manufacturers, and from large

purchasing companies. Price, quality and design are the first criteria for retailers to buy products in order to meet the customer needs.

Various types of raw materials are used for furniture making in India. The key raw materials include wood, metal and plastic, with bamboo and cane also being used in some cases. Wood accounts for nearly 65 per cent of all furniture made in India. This includes several types of

indigenous wood, as well as imported wood.

One-stop shopping chains for home building solutions have come up in large cities, such as Arcus in Gurgaon and KSS Home Pro in Ban-galore and style spa furniture. Other chains include HomeStop, HomeCentre, HomeTown.Another development has been the emergence

of specialty furniture chains, such as, Usha Shriram Furniture Industries, OCL, Pace Furniture, Indoors and Renaissance Home.

The reduction in tariff rates along with increase in market access has increased imports and decreased the value of production. The indian market has recently become liberal to foreign trade as we can see examples like the most recent announcement of Ikea coming to India. Other established international companies like the K K Birla joint venture, Gautier, with Groupe Seribo of France and Nolte, the German

furniture brand, Featherlite, Durian, Godrej Interio.

All these large manufacturers comprise 15% of the furniture industry. The major part of this industry, approximately 85% is the unorgan-ised sector. The wooden furniture is the major part of this non-organized sector, which caters mainly to home furniture demand.

Household production largely produces sofas, dining tables and seating while professional production mainly produces for offices and companies. Various sectors can be found in the Indian furniture industry. Within these sectors, manufacturers are not as specialized in the

production of a particular kind of furniture as in other industrially advanced countries.

furniture market in India


Consumer buying decisions are mostly based on style, design, perceived value, quality, and price of the furniture. In India, upper segments of the population contribute the major purchasing power. However the middle class of consumers are also attracted to foreign

Companies who are selling in the Indian market. This segment of the population significantly becomes a market for consumer products including furniture. The location of the consumer as well as income is strongly connected to the consumer purchasing power in India.

Environmental concerns such as awareness of how deforestation impacts climate change and the effects of toxic finishes on the air inside homes have led furniture buyers to demand green furniture. Manufacturers are transitioning into greener resources and ways of

production. In the last decade furniture imports rose due to lower costs, but the concern for a smaller carbon footprint is behind the be-ginning of a gradual shift towards locally manufactured furniture.

More and more people are moving towards city centres and this means that more people will be packed into tighter smaller spaces. This presents opportunities for architects, designers, home developers and manufacturers to create products and experiences that satisfy

changing lifestyle needs. This will create new opportunities for consumers to rethink the way they want to live in those spaces.Since our living spaces are shrinking, there has been an increase in furniture with a smaller profile. Large furniture pieces seem out of

place in today’s shrinking homes. A preference for a more contemporary style could also be seen as a reason.Since rooms are smaller, more streamlined furniture seems to be the logical choice for consumers making an efficient use of the available

space. Small space living increases the demand for efficient furniture.

The increase in competition among various job sectors in the industry and the fresh approach of the new generation contributes to more young professionals travelling through the country as their job demands. The number of people living alone in rented bachelor apartments has seen a rise in recent years. Cities like Pune, Bangalore and Mumbai have a large population of young students and professionals who

are looking for affordable, space-friendly, multi-functional furniture for their temporary homes.

market potential


retrospectionThe time spent in Auroville and Upasana was a great learning experience for me, not only about wood but also about life and

its possibilities. The experience and vibe of working in a natural environment was peaceful, thus creative.

Upasana Design studio is a place where people are the central focus and all the projects, products and resources are to help people to grow and develop into their full radiance. Upasana has dwelled into various kinds of socially responsible design projects successfully, with a view of reviving traditional Indian textiles. This has made a huge impact on the well-being of the rural famers, craftsmen and traditional Indian cloth workers all around the country. Their message of organic living and sustainable lifestyle is slowly spreading all around through

the business ventures.

Janaki project is a social experiment in conscious living - a search towards organic methods - an encouragement of a sustainable lifestyleMy contribution to the project was all about timber where i saw its transition from a tree to a finished piece of furniture. It was important to learn the behaviour and properties of wood and the processes involved in making high quality furniture pieces. Just being around Torkil Dantzer was highly informative and inspirational, due to his knowledge about the material. Since he was Danish, his inputs in my projects

were interesting due to its European nature and the influences can be seen in the kind of ideas that were explored.

Upasana is a family of 40 people working together rather than a company. They welcomed me into their family with a smile on their faces and left me as one of their own.


thank you


Aditya [email protected]

Many trees fell when cyclone Thane passed by Auroville. This was seen as an opportunity to transform destruction

into creation. This reflection can be seen in the tables made by Prakrit. The other products have a clean and minimalistic expression, which is not just a piece of furniture, but it is the

individual person that gives it character.

Timber from Auroville - Graduation Project

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