Saturday, March 28, 2015

Book Range Bookmark & Magazine Rack Side-Table...


A few images of the recently completed Book Range Bookmark & Magazine Rack side-table... For additional images of the design please click here...




Thursday, March 26, 2015

MFA Stand at the Design Days Dubai 2015...

The MFA.DESIGN Stand at the Design Days Dubai 2015...
A few images from our MFA.DESIGN stand at the recently concluded Design Days Dubai... 

The work was tremendously well received, and the event's visitors seemed genuinely interested and existed about the work... 

Good times... 


Othman Kunji's 'Prayery' device...

The beads that result from the 'Prayery' process...

Malaz Elgemiabby's concrete spheres for capturing ones breath...

A screen-shot of Samreen Zahra's Chakhrah project...

To view the above design in an accompanying video please click here...


Marco Bruno (Motoelastico) and Hawa Stwodah's prototype for a regionally appropriate (in size) wallet...

Tim DeVoe's Lamp. For further examples of his work please click here...

The Finger-Table. To view it in more details please click here...

The 'Book-Range' Side-Table. For more examples of work please click here...


Wednesday, March 25, 2015

A Flip-Book gif of the 'Book-Range' Book-Mark/ Magazine Rack Side Table...


A short hand-drawn gif of our Book-Range Book-Mark/ Magazine Rack Side table... 

More to come soon, including images of both the design, and its recent exposure at the MFA.DESIGN stand at the Design Days Dubai... 

Good times... 

Strength Test of the Cu3o Cubes' Connection...


A short strength demonstration of the Cu3o design's hook & loop (Velcro) connection...

You can find out more about the design, and see more examples of compositions taking advantage of the material's above connective abilities, by clicking here...

You can access other designs of ours on our website Architects Independent...

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

A visit to AlSerkal Avenue, Dubai...


A few images from a recent visit to the Alserkal Avenue in Dubai's industrial area... The avenue is somewhat challenging to find, but it's certainly worth the effort... 

It would be nice to see a comparable initiative and courage be applied in Doha as well... Perhaps the Fire-station will be a first step... 
















Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Revisiting Cu3o - Short Animations showing the Workings/ Options of a Design...


The Robot Composition of the Cu3o Cabinet...

The Leaning Tower Composition...

The Three Finger Palm Composition...

The Tree Composition...

For more about the project please visit our website or click here...

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Pearl Tower Appropriations, Porto Arabia, Doha...

Proposal for a re-appropriated shell structure at Porto Arabia...

A few quick drawings for a ditty of an idea (a 'sketch-project'), exploring alternative renditions for some of the skeleton structures currently scattered around the Porto Arabia at the Pearl...

Wouldn't it be worthy - couldn't it be worthwhile - to explore a different aesthetic for the towers at the Pearl..?

Here the orientalized shell structures of the 'towers to be' are considered of superior allure to the completed products flanking them. Here a subjective stand is taken to contrast with the now objectified default represented by the completed towers... Here what isn't yet, but what could be, is (briefly) explored and celebrated... 

Instead of having a uniform, pastel beige, render (as is currently the case), the towers' facade units would here consist of a modular set of sliding panels made out of both wood and glass, predominantly placed a few meters in from the floor slab ledges for shading. The concrete floor slabs, joist and columns would be left as is. They would provide a regional rendition of weathered Brutalism and a notable contrast to the facade's wooden components... 
Using wood would not be as far fetched of an idea as it initially might seem, as there already are a number of wooden structural and facade components providing support and shade for pedestrians along the marina's walkway at Porto Arabia. There are also a number of wood types (cedar, poplar, even hemlock) that can withstand high fluctuations in both heat and humidity, as anyone who has visited a sauna can vouch for... Wood would also provide a much more tactile finish and surface, and would be an appropriate material to use in a residential context.

Above and Below: A close-up sketch of the proposed facade amendment...

 The detailing of the facades could be made bespoke (from an established template) according to the wishes of each unit's owner/ resident. They would be made offsite according to such specifications. The sliding screens, which would consist of both clear, semi-opaque glass, and striped wooden panels, would allow one to adjust the levels of light and privacy (as well as views out) according to need... The matte-finished and, somewhat ascetic and Nipponophile,wood facade would weather and age - acclimate - in harmony with the eventual staining of the concrete shell...

The design would provide a different, hopefully more contextual and responsive, take on what regionally influenced contemporary design ('Qatari Design') could entail...


Close-up of the above drawing...


A quick sketch (from my pocket-size sketchbook) of the facade proposal...

Tuesday, March 10, 2015