From Mad Design Studio / Rawan Mukadas
+ 17
- region:
98㎡
Year:
2021
Photo: Mohammed Ashkanani
A description of the text provided by the architect. The young potter behind From Mud felt the need for therapeutic and magical art of clay sculpture in the heart of Kuwait City. Space was born in this way. Comfortably seated on the ground floor of 1967 modernist architecture at the textile market in Kuwait City, the Zen workspace draws inspiration and texture from beautiful clay crafts and their simplicity. The studio’s overall approach is conveyed through clean lines and a soothing palette that reflects the binding theory behind the studio’s own spirit.
The beginning of From Mud began with observing the movements that occur while making with clay. From the movement of the potter himself to the line of fluid formed by the clay itself. One of the most attractive features is the light distribution, which mimics the concrete façade of a building, casts uncomplicated shadows on the space, and ensures privacy through grooved glass. As a continuation of the façade itself, the combination of steel and maple wood on the surrounding shelves creates a calm and functional environment that reinforces the young potter’s mission to make clay art available to everyone.
Briefs- From Mud is a clay-based design studio. The brief explanation was to give structure to the space of discovery, research and creativity, to incorporate skills of all levels and create a finished product to take home. Requirements included storage and shelves, kiln rooms, semi-private rooms, and lounge areas for the daily life of the potter.
Key Challenge- Optimize space for maximum storage and efficiency.
Main products used- Solid Malaysian and plywood maple wood, manufactured on-site and off-site by local artisans. Adjustable shelf system and brackets made of stainless steel, powder coated metal, and grooved glass. The importance of natural and proper light in making clay became an issue, so it was important to emphasize the light throughout the design phase. By interpreting the façade of the building as the rhythm of the surrounding shelves, we can see that the shadows of the façade interact and juxtapose with respect to the interior at different times of the day. Next, grooved glass was introduced to create translucency and ensure privacy as needed.
Client- Aisha Alsaif, a Kuwait-based ceramist, felt the need for a treatment space in the heart of Kuwait. Her mission is to make design accessible to all through clay, throughout history and through teaching different techniques from around the world.
Project peculiarities- Kuwait’s textile market, widely known as “blokat,” is seeing a wave of regeneration in which creative initiatives such as From Mud live in such spaces.
In the urban sense, the building that From Mud calls home was once the largest shopping center in the city. It defined a new and modern urban environment that acts as a covered market. Today, retailers remain at street level, but the upper floors are tired. Spaces like From Mud are transforming the structure of the city, introducing young energy and pulling the audience into a much neglected space. The façade of the building is protected from the harsh sun of Kuwait by concrete plates that can only be imagined as reflections of fabric pallets sold downstairs. This was converted into an internal adjustable shelf as an ode to the outside.
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