Cool as Clay – Architect from Ahmedabad turns Mangalore tiles into sculptural furniture
In a playful intersection of sculpture and furniture, Ahemdabad based architecture firm Manoj Patel Design Studio has introduced unique roof tile-based furniture which is indeed cool as clay.
Fancy sitting on an earthly couch? A chair made of, clay blocks? Gujarat-based architect Manoj Patel, who has a knack for making exquisite items out of ordinary things offers an eponymous furniture range that elegantly, albeit rustically, parodies modern design and spartan chic.
This time he has chosen to work with clay roof tiles particularly from Mangalore to create the furniture which resonates perfectly well with ethical furnishing. The stunning pieces of furniture are eco-friendly and made in such a way that it stays affordable.
Over the years the architects across the world have been working with various kinds of material to bring about the articles which would work best for the climatic conditions we live in.
The use of clay and wood in outdoor furniture instead of stones and metal which are high heat conductors makes the sculptured furniture relatively cool and comfortable to sit under the sun. The furniture pieces made from these materials become usable only after sunset when there is no direct sunlight.
Apart from this, Manoj and his team have turned the existing profiles of numerous clay tiles into playful optical illusions that resemble a natural volumetric mass, to form outdoor chairs and benches as a backdrop against rustic spaces. It took six months to materialise the idea of using clay roof tiles as chief materials.
As they say, furniture is the plinth of our lives; as it turns us into sculptures so it always feels great to be intimately connected with nature so that life could actually imitates art.
