Interview about Dhyan Chaise Lounge Concept, winner of the A' Furniture Design Award 2020
Dyhan lounge concept combines modern design with traditional eastern ideas and principles of inner peace by connecting with nature. Using the Lingam as form inspiration & the Bodhi-tree and Japanese gardens as a basis on the concept's modules, Dhyan (sanskrit for meditate) transforms the eastern philosophies into varied configurations, allowing the user to choose his/her path to zen/relaxation. The water-pond mode surrounds the user with a waterfall & pond, while the garden mode surrounds the user with greenery. The standard mode contains storage areas under a platform that acts as a shelf.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsI designed several iterations of the chair and in the process of trial and error, came across a form that justified the essence of the Shiva Linga form while maintaining visual lightness.
I had initially planned on focusing on a garden only. Afterwards, I realized that focusing on a singular mode may be too specific, and such a form could do with more variations. I decided to go with 3 modes to show that the design could be adapted to fit different desires of customers. The standard is useful for storage, where you could place books. The water-pond is meant to provide good feng-shui with the sound of running water, and the feeling that you are surrounded by a shallow pond. The garden is inspired by the peace people get when they are close to nature and plants, and depending on the plants used, can even provide natural shade.
one chief technical challenge was how to ensure that the furniture doesn't provide any chance of leaking liquid, and this was met by creating a single-piece shell that would contain the water. another aspect was to keep the water shallow so as to reduce the water mass and save weight, while still maintaining the "pond" aesthetic and feeling.
Living in many cities, I have seen and experienced first hand the calming effect nature provides to someone who is constantly busy. The sad part is, many cities don't have sufficient green spaces, nor do they have sufficient greenery around apartment buildings and hi-rises. In such situations one needs to travel far from home to be surrounded by nature. I feel that with the Dhyan Chaise Lounge Concept, one could temporarily immerse themselves in natural surroundings without leaving their house.
The initial sketch was a very bulky design with a small tree behind the seat. it took several iterations to smoothen the design. The bottom half of the chair was inspired by work from contemporary furniture design, like those from Jean Marie Massaud. Lifting the bulk form from the ground and suspending it with thin legs achieved the "floating lightness" emotion I was aiming for
I realized that be it the water-pond, garden, or standard versions, the Dhyan Chaise Lounge needed space to accommodate these features. Providing space for soil, water, or champagne glasses & wine meant that smart storage solutions had to be made without compromising the form and shape of the chair. since the seat had a narrow contact area with the 'floating base', it provided space on the sides as well, and that meant even more practical storage space.
I believe that Dhyan Chaise Lounge Concept strives to showcase balance & contrast, following minimalist cues of modern design, but still harking back to ancient forms. Sometimes the best way of moving forward in design is to look back and learn from our past, and I think the Dhyan Chaise Lounge Concept aims to do that in a subtle manner. It shows that ancient forms and beliefs can still be relevant in our modern times.
I worked in furniture for many years, especially on workspace furniture design, and I believe that even though the design focuses on meditation & inner peace, one still needs to be pragmatic & provide some modern creature comforts to the user. The LED lighting would allow one to read while immersed in his/her nature, and the USB charging still allows the user to be in touch with technology if he/she wishes, especially if you'd like to play meditative music through the phone.
I believe that the Dhyan Chaise Lounge works as a design due to its proportions. the long lean-back attitude visually invites the user to lie down, while the plants or water pond allures the user with sight & sound. The rear end of the design was intentionally kept as constrained as possible, so as to avoid occupying excessive space. Even excessive size can conflict with inner peace, as it can become imposing. I wanted the design to be elegant and soothing.
I envision the Dhyan Chaise Lounge Concept to influence a more sensory field of furniture design, where a person is more aware of their senses & able to turn off their thoughts for a brief moment in time. I believe furniture should not just provide visual emotion but sensory emotion. With the sounds of nature like the water pond & sights of nature like the garden mode, I hope Dhyan Chaise Lounge Concept inspires more furniture design with a more intimate connection with nature or meditation.
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