Pallas Project Coffee Table Mestre Josa by Gua Arquitetura |
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| DESIGN NAME: Pallas Project PRIMARY FUNCTION: Coffee Table Mestre Josa INSPIRATION: Master Josa's houses have a refined and carefully thought-out detail. Thin structures that defy the laws of physics and can only be built based on empirical knowledge of local conditions and the native woods that Master Josa has accumulated throughout his life working with carpentry. Josa’s works are an inspiration for that furniture. Moreover, the visibility brought by PALLAS PROJECT can be crucial in reversing the devaluation of the carpenter’s craft through the eyes of the riverside people. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Have you ever thought about creating furniture and design inspired by the Amazon? Better yet, studying in-depth how artisans in this region handle the rich materials of the forest, such as wood? Moreover, being able to combine the ancestral know-how of local carpenters with the technological knowledge of professional designers? It's Pallas Project: a collaborative furniture collection between prominent national designers and Amazonian carpenters, under the creative direction of Gua Architecture. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: a coffee table with interchangeable tops inspired by the ornaments of Amazonian riverside houses. When removing the ornamental tops, this table reveals a large hidden interior storage space. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The research project started in 2021 in Murucutum Island, nearby Belem - Para - Brazil. The colaborative design process started in 2022 in Murucutum Island, nearby Belem - Para - Brazil. FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Furniture Design |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: But how exactly does the process of creating a Pallas piece of furniture occur? Firstly, there is a meticulous search for a perfect connection between the carpenter and the designer, mediated by Guá Architecture. Then, the designers embark on a one-week immersion in the Amazon, diving into the riverside universe with the aim of creating genuinely Amazonian furniture in partnership with carpenters. As a result, a prototype piece of furniture is created, which will be industrially reproduced by the VEDAC factory. Material is a priority in the Pallas Project. For this, we rely on the support of VEDAC, a local company with an FSC seal, which rescues traces of hardwoods disregarded by the traditional industry due to knots and other organic characteristics that impact uniformity in the pieces. These actions, along with others such as combating monoculture and using sustainable management, preserve the ecosystems of the Amazon region emphasizing the importance of responsible use of natural resources. Most importantly, there is the possibility of tracking this wood through a QR Code system, ensuring the sustainability and legality of the entire chain from the exact georeferenced extraction location of that tree. End-to-end Sustainability. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: width 1.5m x depth 0.6m x height 0.37m TAGS: amazon, furniture, social design, carpentry, brasil, brazil, brasilian furniture, coffee table, pallas, riverside RESEARCH ABSTRACT: The project emerges as a result of an extensive three-year research study (named carpinteiros da amazonia) conducted and conceptualized by Gua Arquitetura, located in the Amazon, in the city of Belém, state of Pará. During this period, the team established a research headquarters on Murucutum Island, where they dedicated themselves to cataloging and documenting the rich tradition of Amazonian carpentry. Beyond this island, they also explored Combú Island and Marajó Island, the largest fluvial-maritime archipelago on the planet, consisting of about 2,500 islands. They also ventured into the municipality of Acará, 66km away from the capital, Belém. All these regions have riverside dwellers and people who directly engage in forest-related activities and sustainability. At Gua Arquitetura, we understand the imminent risk of losing this valuable oral knowledge, as the newer generations show little interest in preserving it. Motivated to reverse this situation, we conceived the furniture collection Pallas to bring visibility to Amazonian carpentry and spark the interest of a new generation of carpenters. With this purpose in mind, we sought out some master carpenters who could contribute to the project, aiding in the revival of this cultural tradition. Through a collaborative approach, we aim to collectively reflect on new projects and solutions that can preserve and catalog Amazonian carpentry for future generations. CHALLENGE: The biggest challenges of this project were the great difficulty in accessing riverside communities in the Amazon, as well as the high costs involved with plane and boat trips to meet the project's carpenters. To make this project viable, we had to carry out research and audiovisual documentation on Amazonian carpentry, which lasted 3 years and required the acquisition of island land to better connect with the carpenters. This entire research project was financed by gua architecture without any government or private funding. ADDED DATE: 2024-02-27 15:18:38 TEAM MEMBERS (4) : Designer/Creative Director: Luis Andre Guedes, Designer/Creative Director: Pablo do Vale, Carpenter: Master Josa and Assistant Designer: Joene Louchard IMAGE CREDITS: all imagens: Jeferson Cavalcante. |
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| Visit the following page to learn more: https://www.carpinteirosdaamazonia.com.b |
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NAME: Gua Arquitetura PROFILE: A blend of tradition and innovation is the DNA of Guá Architecture, an office that takes pride in its Amazonian roots, respecting the ancestral knowledge of the region and combining it with new technologies - thus creating authentic architecture. What we value is the ancient traditional knowledge of vernacular-amazonian-architecture that arises from the unique visuality of the amazonian riverside people. What inspires us are the colors, shapes, languages, thoughts, feelings, cultural manifestations, imagination and architectural wisdom of the traditional riverside peoples who, through natural or induced remoteness, built and protected their unique way of seeing the world. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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Pallas Project Coffee Table Mestre Josa by Gua Arquitetura is Runner-up for A' Design Award in Furniture Design Category, 2023 - 2024.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Gua Arquitetura. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Gua Arquitetura. |
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