Silver Winner of the International Architecture & Design Awards 2023
Dual Domes
Product
Interior Design Elements
Built / Professional Category
Architect / Designer:
Kawther Alsaffar
Studio:
Studio Saffar
Design Team:
Designer: Kawther Alsaffar
Factories: Boulos Bzre Foundry, Roomani Machining
Client: Studio Nesef, Tobys Estate
Copyright:
Photographer: Mohamad Chehimi
Country:
Kuwait
Dual casting is an irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind casting process using an unexpected combination of two metals. The results of dual casting are painting-like artworks fabricated with the sand-casting methods developed with Alwafi Foundry in Kuwait.
Sand-casting is a reproducible craft process with untapped potential. The sand-casting moulds in Alwafi Foundry use sand from the neighbouring Nile River, requiring only the addition of water. While this method of using sand for casting was originally employed by craftsman to save on cost, its natural utility makes it sustainable and easy to recycle. It also reveals the beauty of the casting process, and of the raw imperfections that are usually masked and removed in more modern casting methods. The act of pouring multiple metals into single moulds pushes the limits of the casting techniques, and allows Dual Casting to be easily produced in a variety of metals and finishes.
The Dual Domes are the largest castings produced using this dual casting process. They are a feat of mastery and craft, and have pushed the limits of fabrication possibilities. The results are an active demonstration of process and experience, and a celebration of a community of craftsmen and designers in Kuwait and the Middle Eastern Region. They’ve brought together talented craftsmen, from all walks of life. And they highlight the strength that Kuwait’s society provides through sharing and supporting one another. They give power back to those who deserve it the most. It has brought us joy to see that this work can make a difference to creators, who are used to being told their craft is too expensive and too slow.
History is filled with people who have used design to persevere against difficult circumstances. It can be challenging to express what day-to-day life is like in different parts of the Arab world, due to generalisations and stereotypes. Creatives are not only competing against these predefined ideas of a nations product culture, but also with a global network of established industries.
An expanded notion of product design can help elevate these different localities. By promoting this ethos the Saffar brand will be part of a growing conversation on the value of experience based culture and craft.
Dual casting is an irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind casting process using an unexpected combination of two metals. The results of dual casting are painting-like artworks fabricated with the sand-casting methods developed with Alwafi Foundry in Kuwait.
Sand-casting is a reproducible craft process with untapped potential. The sand-casting moulds in Alwafi Foundry use sand from the neighbouring Nile River, requiring only the addition of water. While this method of using sand for casting was originally employed by craftsman to save on cost, its natural utility makes it sustainable and easy to recycle. It also reveals the beauty of the casting process, and of the raw imperfections that are usually masked and removed in more modern casting methods. The act of pouring multiple metals into single moulds pushes the limits of the casting techniques, and allows Dual Casting to be easily produced in a variety of metals and finishes.
The Dual Domes are the largest castings produced using this dual casting process. They are a feat of mastery and craft, and have pushed the limits of fabrication possibilities. The results are an active demonstration of process and experience, and a celebration of a community of craftsmen and designers in Kuwait and the Middle Eastern Region. They’ve brought together talented craftsmen, from all walks of life. And they highlight the strength that Kuwait’s society provides through sharing and supporting one another. They give power back to those who deserve it the most. It has brought us joy to see that this work can make a difference to creators, who are used to being told their craft is too expensive and too slow.
History is filled with people who have used design to persevere against difficult circumstances. It can be challenging to express what day-to-day life is like in different parts of the Arab world, due to generalisations and stereotypes. Creatives are not only competing against these predefined ideas of a nations product culture, but also with a global network of established industries.
An expanded notion of product design can help elevate these different localities. By promoting this ethos the Saffar brand will be part of a growing conversation on the value of experience based culture and craft.
Studio Saffar
Founded in 2014, Studio Saffar is a design studio based in Kuwait that creates products rooted in local craftsmanship. Its focus is on developing crafts that challenge the generic definition of luxury and promote local grittiness. It works to contribute nuance to the global conversation on experience-based cultural design. The studio’s products aspire to be personally informed, locally defined, and universally desirable. In-depth exploration of Kuwaiti craftsmanship shifts the conversation from superficial representation to authentic cultural identity in a global context, expanding the notion of product design not just for Kuwait, but for all countries battling their own constraints.