Suryakala
A Brutalist Sundial
Suryakala is a piece to observe and appreciate time through an animal that embodies the vibrancy of our planet.
It elicits warmth with its contrasting elements.
Exhibited at Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair 2019
within forecast exhibition.
Appreciating cyclic nature of life with TIME
For generations, human development has been powered by the cyclic nature of sunlight and the seasonal changes of our planet. Timekeeping itself began with devices powered by the sun, i.e. Sundials.
Hence, Suryakala is a love letter to our beautiful planet.
Pattern Making
The amalgamation of modern & olden techniques gives it a modernist story.
Utilizing processes like SLS 3D printing, laser cutting, and VMC, the pattern was constructed in the precision of tens of microns.
Mold Making
I made a modular mold to capture the fine details and the base with different processes.
Plaster for its structural ability, and RTV silicone for a perfect transfer of its details.
Gnomon
Made out of Brass, the gnomon came to be with water-jet cutting, milling and lastly, the human touch of polishing by hand.
It complements the cold appearance and raw features of concrete.
LEARNINGS
As this was the first project during my master's programme, I used the opportunity to step out of my technical mindset and get acquainted with the workshop facilities. From romanticizing the interpretation of the "cyclic" focus of our project to the brutalist nature of design, I enjoyed every aspect of it as an engineer.
That's not to say that my technical background didn't contribute into its making, since I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this without having the confidence brought upon by it.