Char Ki Kursi

Category: Design*

This project is all about cohesion in design aesthetics and functionality. I have taken inspiration from my identity being of Pakistani heritage and blending it with my British nationality, to create a design piece that embodies who I am. In a world of minimalism and constraints in design possibilities, I aim to push the boundaries by utilising sustainable materials through primarily using Leather and Wood. The seat pattern was inspired by the Pakistani game of Ludo, which is nostalgic to my time in the country and a piece of Pakistan that was bought over by my grandparents. The game revolves around the 'game of life' with the aim of players moving around the paths to get to 'home' at the centre of the board. The game is made up of of 4 players, 4 paths and 4 counters for each player. This piece is called Char Ki Kursi translating to the Seat of Four, due to the use of 4 in every aspect of the design, from the number and multiples of 4 being used through material i.e. 4 wood legs and multiples of 4 leather strips and the involvement of 4 people surrounding the seat; this is due to the game inspiration in the seat pattern, from Ludo. This gave the product its multi-functionality aspect of being a seat but when not in use, it can be used as a game board. The frame of the seat is inspired by traditional Pakistani seating used by designers and manufactures there, it consists of 4 wood legs connected by 4 dowels. I have used Walnut wood to make it fit into the contemporary aesthetic style. In traditional Pakistani seating, weaving with cords is used however, I have used Leather strips as the primary material in the piece to create an original statement piece, distinctive from traditional and standard weaving to create the game board path. Wood is a regenerative sustainable material; the leather used was given to my university course through 'the leather surplus project', where leather offcuts that would have been discarded by companies, is given to university students to give it a new life. Along with that, I have also used Stoneware ceramics of the game counters, a renewable resource which is made from clay.