and publishing
Nomado is an independent book publishing and printing company. Our name Nomado comes from the terms nomad and mado. Nomad, meaning wanderer, stems from our company ethos of flexibility. Mado, the Japanese term for window, is an homage to the ground our company set roots in: 401 Richmond. Similar to our furniture piece, the buildings history of tin lithography is one of the many reasons why this site is perfect for our printing company to be situated in. Inspired by the existing structure, in particular the uniquely arched windows in our space, the ‘mado’ in Nomado is a reflection of our appreciation of the stories that existed before us.
Our design was inspired by a vital aspect of the book making process — the printing press, playing with the idea of pressing into the existing structure and leaving an imprint of our story. The pressing motion is reflected in the floor where the various floor levels act as a zoning mechanism, creating designated areas for each of our main activities: reading, publishing and printing. In maintaining the essence of the site, we were also inspired by the fabrication of tin lithography. The motions of carving and scratching associated with tin lithography were the driving force behind the design of the ceiling in this space. The “scratched out” ceiling design is patterned with carved out curves that aims to reinforce the uniquely arched windows.
a. SHIPPING AND MAIL
b. WORK SHOP
c. HEIDELBERG
d. STORAGE
e. BACK ENTRANCE
This drawing takes on a new representative approach to Nomado, an office redesign of a reading, publishing, and printing company. Using a mixture of Ottoman and Persian miniature drawing styles, this drawing emphasises the playful printing and publishing processes of Nomado while also highlighting and reinterpreting different architectural elements. The window is reinterpreted in the form of pockets of space to form visual boundaries in the drawing. Different perspectives and configurations of space depict the different function of the office.
When liminal spaces like motels become spaces for longer term stays, one yearns for a sense of self and personality in their space. In my redesign of the Haven Motel, flexibility is the driving component; within the bounds of each room, the user will have the ability to shift the modular set of furniture provided in the suite to their liking in order to accommodate themselves and others. This hybrid motel strives to revive the interior of motels in the 50's and 60's, a peak time for motel culture, in order to tie back the design to this sense of autonomy with the motel. Through a geometric language of curves, long lines, and timely materials, colours, and shapes, a connection is made to the history of motels and the time period which is being evoked.
Four Legs heavily takes precedence from a South Asian vernacular furniture piece called a charpai. A charpai is a cot, a bench, a bed, a seat, a table, etc; it is essentially what you make of it. This furniture was usually made of wood framing and jute or cotton rope woven to create a seat/surface. Four Legs uses the charpai as inspiration to create a flat pack seat/table that can be widely used in a western and eastern context, using the same concept of a multi-use surface. In one orientation, the furniture piece can be used as a seat with a storage rack below, and in the other orientation it can be used as a table with a storage rack below.
The Four Legs furniture system employs a sustainable fabric twine made using old clothes and household textiles in its seat and also in its storage in response to the amount of textile waste produced nowadays due to rapidly shifting trends. Hand woven fabric twine has been woven onto frames made of wood offcuts, forming the table and seat, all assembled together using wood joinery methods, and secured with chicago bolts. The design and construction of this piece allows for easy put up and take down, and the flat pack nature allows for easy, low effort transportation. This universal design can be implemented anywhere in the world; fabric and wood scraps can be found virtual anywhere in the world. With a user manual, a person in any country can adapt the design to suit their available wood and fabric supply. Four Legs is able to give materials that would have otherwise mostly likely ended up in landfills a second life.
