transcending
time
and
meaning
through making
*this project draws upon themes from eclecti
This project began with the idea that objects are inherently sustainable when they are cared for and stand the test of time.
From a young age, my family taught me what it means for an object to be sentimental, which translated into the care I have for making objects.
The dividers within the cabinet, made of piña, utilizes the fabric’s characteristics to create it’s own composition.
Piña jusi draws on cultural significance and materiality in shaping the way we value an object.
As a tribute to my upbringing, I wanted to create a family heirloom that houses these precious objects and serves as a shrine.
It’s movement and transparency allows for different levels of display, depending on what you choose to reveal and conceal.
material empathy + craft
= longevity
family
Antipolo, Philippines
fast furniture
When it’s time to relocate, it’s often more convenient to toss your furniture and start over from scratch than pay to move a large item to a new home. Cheaper, mass produced furniture often cannot be reassembled, and are made to only last about 5 years.
overconsumption
The e-commerce furniture market alone was worth more than $27 billion in 2021, and projected to reach more than $40 billion by 2030.
furniture waste
Each year, Americans throw out more than 12 million tons of furniture and furnishings, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 9 million tons of wood, metal, glass, fabric, leather, and foam waste ends up in a landfill.
how do we attribute personhood
to our artifacts?
how do cultural significance and materiality shape the value of an object?
ways of
housing artifacts
Looking at context and precedents, specifically around a religious framework. Catholicism was my first introduction to the idea of material objects having personhood.
material research
Piña jusi is a traditional textile originating in the Philippines. Much like organza, it is sheer, almost silk-like, making it light and airy, fit for the tropical climate.
The textile is made by extracting fibers from pineapple leaves and spun into thread. The thread is then taken to a traditional loom where they are woven together to form sheets of fabric. Often, it is hand embroidered with intricate lace patterns.
Piña is most commonly used in traditional Filipino garments, typically worn on special occasions. Men wear barongs, while women wear baro at saya.
field research
I collaborated with my mom on speaking with local artisans in the Philippines. They were eager to show us the whole process of creating this beautiuful, labor intensive textile.
Pictured to the right are the makers gathering the fine threads which are then taken to a loom.
It was only then that we learned that the traditional method of weaving piña was a dying industry. The workers expressed their gratitude in this collaborative process of sharing piña as a healthy material. It truly is a labor of love.
precious objects
collected precious objects from the people around me
a study of the relationship between people and their objects
working prototype
A quick 1:1 working prototype that served as my way of conducting user testing in the form of guest curations.
Later on, the same prototype was used for form finding, proof of concept and construction mockups.
guest curations
participants were asked to arrange the shelves and curate the objects within it as a way for me to understand how people form relationships with material objects.
plans for
construction
process
