Silla 8 is the result of an exercise in which flat plywood sheets are curved under pressure and in a simple way (without machinery), using different structures as support. Instantly and without molds, this process generates what end up being seats and backrests.
The resulting pieces consist of two frames joined together and stripped of any decorative element. Together with the backrest and seat, they create a comfortable, light, and uniquely designed chair.
The final version is made of solid koto wood and poplar plywood, making it ultralight.
To enhance its visual uniqueness, I collaborated with the artist Claudia Valsells, with whom we developed a series of color combinations that reflect her exploration of beauty. The chair conveys the tactile nature of the artwork through the palette; because what can be touched is tangible and brings us closer to its reality.
Each chair is painted in more than one color to emphasize the meaning of each when contrasted with the others.
7 Sillas 8 is the result of a collaboration that is not normally seen in the world of art and design; it is a dialogue between disciplines that converges on a common and unlikely final point for each of the participants and, ultimately, an excuse between two professionals that ends with a good friendship.
Foundawtion is a non-profit organization that carries out vernacular projects to address architectural needs in economically disadvantaged areas. CEM Kamanar, led by the Daw Office architecture studio, is the first project of this foundation: a school for more than 500 high school students in Thionck Essyl, a village in the Casamance area, south of Senegal.
This manual is a project in collaboration with Bendita Gloria for the foundation. More than the result of the work done, these pages contain everything that was necessary for the manufacture of the furniture collection designed for the CEM Kamanar school.
A collection that has sought the most optimal relationship between efficiency and comfort, prioritizing making things as easy as possible for each stage of the process: from design, material selection, construction, and/or maintenance.
The school in operation in 2020.
Throughout the design and manufacturing period of all the furniture, workshops and related projects were carried out to raise funds and promote the project.
A good example is L'Art de Construir, a workshop organized by Ester Rovira and in collaboration with Claudia Valsells. During a week and with a group of more than 20 children, more than 30 chairs from the collection were manufactured and painted.