Desdeco (2013)

GENIUS LOCI

“Nullus enim locus sine genio est.”

-(Servius Marius Honoratus 5 b.C)

“Protecting and preserving the genius loci means; to realize the essence in ever new historical contexts. One can also say that the history of a place should be his self-realization”.
-Norberg Schulz, 1979

“The genius loci allows to be more attractive, more credible, more distinct giving an effective alternative to the classic market segmentation, which often do not take into account the authenticity of corporate identity.”
-Morace, 2001

Concentrate on thinking of something absolutely local, not imitable nor unplayable. Anything related to the one thing that can not move: the place, its history, its exterior and interior landscape, physical and cultural, its genius loci - the designation assigned to the Romans. And to boot, with strength, all its typicality, all differential characteristics. In substance and in form. In order to become non-reproducible.”

-Bucci, 2003

DESDECO

In a Hypermodernist society, where the interest for the craftsmanship sets the new guidelines of an increasingly elitist market, DESDECO® (inserted on the context) pop’s up as a bold response.
Inspired in a portuguese village, Paredes de Coura, the product goes deep in search of traditions and values that today are his identity. Finding the true soul in agriculture, making an interpretation to agricultural objects (like the monelha, canga, padiola and wood-net) crossing the design innovation with the meaning of craftsmanship. The transport of these values results in a product system that was designed based on simple fitting methods and mechanisms. Approaching new trends in the design culture, the piece of furniture becomes highly articulated, allowing the user many different ways to lean, sit and lay down. So that any of these positions becomes highly confortable, DESDECO® comes with two wool puffs entirely hand-made and a customized pillow that work perfectly as a support for the arms, back, legs, feet and head. This simple, exclusive and sustainable piece of design it’s a breeze of fresh air in the furniture field.

INSPIRATIONS

Loom: Used to fabric the typical textiles of the region.

Yoke: Common yoke of Paredes de Coura, used in the animals neck when driving the oxcart.

Yoke: Very typical yoke of the village, this was used for the same purpose but only in big traditional parties, this specific yoke demonstrated the agricultural power of each family.

Monelha: Another very typical object used in a agricultural context. The monelha (portuguese name) was to be used in the animals head when plowing the land, to prevent injuries when the oxcart hitted the animal. This one is special, and like the yoke, it demonstrates how powerfull a family was. They're hand-made and in wool, its a symbol of exclusivity.

Wood-net: To carry out the food produced in the field to the housing wood-nets were used. This net could be carried by people and also linked to the oxcart. The object wereextremely simple and like the padiola, were built based on fitting systems, in this case the pressure was chaged by cotters that kept the structure tighten up.

Padiola: Highly related to Paredes de Coura, padiola, its a very simple and pragmatic ladder with the peculiarity of being built based on pressure fitting methods.

THE PRODUCT