AHEAD OF THE CURVE

What happens when two architects decide to experiment with furniture? Innovation meets imagination and design marries drama.

Vakr literally translates as curve. It also happens to be the name of a Delhi-based experimental furniture studio by architects Devyani Gupta and Nehit Vij. Ask the duo what Vakr means, and they will tell you that it denotes the steep learning curve associated with the designing through material and technique explorations. That it is an amalgamation of the old and new techniques giving rise to timeless pieces. “We have been designing products for a long time now. Last year we met a small community of rattan weavers in Delhi. They inspired us to Design something that uses their craft. That is when we decided to come up with a product series that focuses on rattan as material. After a year of research and prototyping, we launched our brand this year in February,” says Vij.

The sculptural designs are interestingly all about sustainability. This means that all the materials used in the production of their products are sourced responsibly. “The main constituent of our furniture is rattan, which is a naturally renewable palm that grows in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. The weaving of rattan is done by a forgotten community of expert weavers who have dedicated generations to the craft of rattan weaving. Our effort to empower these people is the driving force behind all designs,” explains Gupta.

The young furniture studio currently retails their new collection the Lehar Series. “The range is inspired from the shape and form derived by the flexible membranes and structures when weight and pressure is applied on

them. A reinterpretation of how the form yields, morphing the structure to reach a stable point,” adds Gupta. The collection uses concrete, rattan and brass as materials and includes a side table, coffee table, ottomans and consoles. “We are customising dining and study tables under this series,” says Vij, adding, “We are also exploring reclaimed wood in some of our furniture.”

One look at the pieces is all it takes to realise that what was once nothing more than everyday furniture is now elevated to a work of art.

PRICE `40,000 onwards

AT @vakrstudio (Instagram)

SPIN DOCTORS Concrete and rattan floating end table (top) and coffee table (above) have been designed by Devyani Gupta and Nehit Vij (top, left)

BIGHT IDEAS (clockwise from left) A cart transformed into a six-seater dining table; a cycle is now a shelf to hold plants; poufs made from discarded tyres; an old window was repurposed into a bookshelf