The current design of furniture is highly influenced by socio-cultural practicies rather than functional requirments. Moreover, excessive usage of these kinds of furniture in our present day sedantary lifestyle, has been directly effecting our health. Many designers like Nanna Ditzel, Galen Cranz & Peter Opsvik who already have a big body of work on these lines provide great insights through their writings and projects.
These learnings started shaping up the project towards body conscious design thus forming the core idea of facilitating multiple postures and ease of body movements.
Next ,a detailed research of the contextual requirements was carried out. This also shed light on the use of traditional wisdom which was still prevlant in the rural areas of India. After thoroughly analysing the information & experiences gained through the project, a small range of products were designed to facilitate a healthy lifestyle for a young couple living in an urban areas of India.
The scope of work was too broad as these were lifestyle products & required major behavioural change from the user’s end. The design decisions therefore were made by speculating different scenarios of current and future needs, giving primary importance to natural postures & movements. It must be mentioned that the final designs are influenced directly-indirectly by our vernacular practices of floor based (without furniture) living.
body conscious design, future of furniture, multi-postural seating, wooden joinery, multi level seating arrangements
