HALO
Designed a ceiling lamp using Sabai grass craft, blending traditional techniques with modern aesthetics while gaining hands-on craft documentation experience.
Project Type :
Craft Documentation
Sector :
Handicraft
Role :
Product Designer
Project Duration :
8 weeks
CRAFT DOCUMENTATION :
The goal of this project wasn’t to create something extraordinary, but to learn how to adapt, find our place, and thrive within real-world circumstances. We documented the entire process and it was quite a journey. From scrambling for last-minute tickets to eating the same meal for a week, from midnight arguments to laughing at jokes no one understood.
The result is a custom handcrafted product, documentary movie and a suitcases full of memories.
FIELD VISIT :
The craft documentation project was a great opportunity to travel, explore, and gain hands-on experience. My team of four colleagues and I journeyed from Delhi to a small village with a heart called Baleshwar in Odisha.
Stepping into a place surrounded by beaches and forests felt incredible, though we soon found ourselves among unfamiliar faces speaking a language we couldn’t understand. Communicating our ideas was difficult at first, but we were fortunate to have a supportive and kind mentor to guide us. By the end, we still couldn’t exchange words but somehow, the smiles said everything.
SABAI GRASS CRAFT
WHAT?
Sabai grass weaving is an integral part of the craft traditions in agrarian regions of Odisha, India. Artisans use this durable and eco-friendly grass to create ropes, baskets, mats, and home décor items. The products are known for their intricate weaving patterns, sustainability, and versatility, making them both functional and decorative.
Efforts to revive sabai grass weaving focus on blending traditional techniques with innovative designs.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
We had a constraint to work around wall baskets, so we focused more on patterns rather than form. We enjoyed taking walks there, but the most intriguing sight was the crabs that emerged in the evening, creating fascinating patterns with their movements before the morning waves washed them away and left sand with veins.
UTILITY :
Originally, natural brown tones and minimalist motifs echoed the resourceful lifestyles of tribal artisans. With increased exposure to urban and global markets, artisans began incorporating more vibrant colors and complex patterns.
PRESENTING HALO :
BOOK DOCUMENTATION
VISUAL DIARY ON YOUTUBE
REFLECTION :
While the project focused on documentation and learning, the final product ended up being quite generic. I stayed too safe, designing only within what I was told was possible. Looking back, I realize I could have challenged some of those ideas and explored ways to innovate the tradition through new forms of use.
More Projects
HALO
Designed a ceiling lamp using Sabai grass craft, blending traditional techniques with modern aesthetics while gaining hands-on craft documentation experience.
Project Type :
Craft Documentation
Sector :
Handicraft
Role :
Product Designer
Project Duration :
8 weeks
CRAFT DOCUMENTATION :
The goal of this project wasn’t to create something extraordinary, but to learn how to adapt, find our place, and thrive within real-world circumstances. We documented the entire process and it was quite a journey. From scrambling for last-minute tickets to eating the same meal for a week, from midnight arguments to laughing at jokes no one understood.
The result is a custom handcrafted product, documentary movie and a suitcases full of memories.
FIELD VISIT :
The craft documentation project was a great opportunity to travel, explore, and gain hands-on experience. My team of four colleagues and I journeyed from Delhi to a small village with a heart called Baleshwar in Odisha.
Stepping into a place surrounded by beaches and forests felt incredible, though we soon found ourselves among unfamiliar faces speaking a language we couldn’t understand. Communicating our ideas was difficult at first, but we were fortunate to have a supportive and kind mentor to guide us. By the end, we still couldn’t exchange words but somehow, the smiles said everything.
SABAI GRASS CRAFT
WHAT?
Sabai grass weaving is an integral part of the craft traditions in agrarian regions of Odisha, India. Artisans use this durable and eco-friendly grass to create ropes, baskets, mats, and home décor items. The products are known for their intricate weaving patterns, sustainability, and versatility, making them both functional and decorative.
Efforts to revive sabai grass weaving focus on blending traditional techniques with innovative designs.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
We had a constraint to work around wall baskets, so we focused more on patterns rather than form. We enjoyed taking walks there, but the most intriguing sight was the crabs that emerged in the evening, creating fascinating patterns with their movements before the morning waves washed them away and left sand with veins.
UTILITY :
Originally, natural brown tones and minimalist motifs echoed the resourceful lifestyles of tribal artisans. With increased exposure to urban and global markets, artisans began incorporating more vibrant colors and complex patterns.
PRESENTING HALO :
BOOK DOCUMENTATION
VISUAL DIARY ON YOUTUBE
REFLECTION :
While the project focused on documentation and learning, the final product ended up being quite generic. I stayed too safe, designing only within what I was told was possible. Looking back, I realize I could have challenged some of those ideas and explored ways to innovate the tradition through new forms of use.
More Projects
HALO
Designed a ceiling lamp using Sabai grass craft, blending traditional techniques with modern aesthetics while gaining hands-on craft documentation experience.
Project Type :
Craft Documentation
Sector :
Handicraft
Role :
Product Designer
Project Duration :
8 weeks
CRAFT DOCUMENTATION :
The goal of this project wasn’t to create something extraordinary, but to learn how to adapt, find our place, and thrive within real-world circumstances. We documented the entire process and it was quite a journey. From scrambling for last-minute tickets to eating the same meal for a week, from midnight arguments to laughing at jokes no one understood.
The result is a custom handcrafted product, documentary movie and a suitcases full of memories.
FIELD VISIT :
The craft documentation project was a great opportunity to travel, explore, and gain hands-on experience. My team of four colleagues and I journeyed from Delhi to a small village with a heart called Baleshwar in Odisha.
Stepping into a place surrounded by beaches and forests felt incredible, though we soon found ourselves among unfamiliar faces speaking a language we couldn’t understand. Communicating our ideas was difficult at first, but we were fortunate to have a supportive and kind mentor to guide us. By the end, we still couldn’t exchange words but somehow, the smiles said everything.
SABAI GRASS CRAFT
WHAT?
Sabai grass weaving is an integral part of the craft traditions in agrarian regions of Odisha, India. Artisans use this durable and eco-friendly grass to create ropes, baskets, mats, and home décor items. The products are known for their intricate weaving patterns, sustainability, and versatility, making them both functional and decorative.
Efforts to revive sabai grass weaving focus on blending traditional techniques with innovative designs.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
We had a constraint to work around wall baskets, so we focused more on patterns rather than form. We enjoyed taking walks there, but the most intriguing sight was the crabs that emerged in the evening, creating fascinating patterns with their movements before the morning waves washed them away and left sand with veins.
UTILITY :
Originally, natural brown tones and minimalist motifs echoed the resourceful lifestyles of tribal artisans. With increased exposure to urban and global markets, artisans began incorporating more vibrant colors and complex patterns.
PRESENTING HALO :
BOOK DOCUMENTATION
VISUAL DIARY ON YOUTUBE
REFLECTION :
While the project focused on documentation and learning, the final product ended up being quite generic. I stayed too safe, designing only within what I was told was possible. Looking back, I realize I could have challenged some of those ideas and explored ways to innovate the tradition through new forms of use.