work shortlisted for design of the year awards, furniture category

As the work I intended to make was site specific and required me to learn traditional inlay techniques, the British Council arranged for me to live there for a month to make the work. With the help of our Portuguese contacts I was able to work in the foundation of Ricardo Do Espirito Santo Silva for a month to learn the inlay technique and use the workshops. I had the kindest help from the three people in the workshop with me: Claudia, Carolina and Jorge who patiently taught me the techniques involved, lent me their tools and kept smiling throughout.
By using inlay techniques on the new slats I made for the benches I wanted to translate my thoughts of how people interacted on the benches. On some of the benches I redesigned some traditional D. Maria furniture designs, giving the benches a stately feel. On others I used patterns I found in a book of 1950’s Portuguese embroidery designs, in a bid to bring the familiar domestic imagery into the public space.