Interviews with Sana

The main focus was to achieve a design that is easily manufactured by women. The weight of it, the size, the structure and the materials are all picked specifically to be handled by women during the making of it to to the shipment.

Tow terms, which is about 6-8 months

El-Masnad is a cultural expression where I want to make a social impact on people's contemporary lifestyle by meeting a local aspiration through design and making.

All of these are an option. Whatever is faster will be my choice.

I believe that the furniture that we own have a great impact on our lifestyle. and I wanted to make a statement about the contemporary lifestyle of Arab Gulf region of this time.

First, Peter Opsvic wrote a book that was a great inspiration for me. The book and his designs attempts to overcome our stereotypical sitting habits and show how the norms of sitting nicely and still can be broken. Second, The lava sofa for Cor furniture designed by Studio Vertijet received the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany in Silver, in 2009. Also, won red dot award in 2007. They were able to make something playful that appropriate the lively families. Third, the Body Props. By Olivier Peyricot, IDSland. Manufacturer: Edra S.p.A., Italy. This project was developed to introduce new philosophy of comfort where it embraces the floor as a living space.

The Arab Gulf Countries.

El_Masnad is an Arabic word that means everything you lean on. It used traditionally to describe armrests.

I Created ideations through sketches and physical mock-ups in 1⁄4 scale for structural elements and fabric design by using laser cutter. I Prepared production drawings for fabrication. Including: 1⁄4 scale model with dimension for metal tube frame. Digital file for hot wire milling on foam. Generated pattern design in Grasshopper, and produced files for CNC stitching. Produced files for felt cut on CNC machine using Grasshopper, Pepakura, and autoCAD. Rendered the design in five different suggested environments using Photoshop, KeyShot.

I worked closely with my master advisors during my research who's skills are at the top of the furniture design realm.

Technology has a big role in my design, specially, since the business model is initially intended to be produced and supervised by women. As mentioned in question 12, the structure is carved by a CNC machine to eliminate any requirement of physical handling.

Yes, I Conducted a qualitative Research process to understand the demographic, market and fabrication method.
Then, I synthesized research findings and articulated insights to inform and inspire design outcome, linking research threads together in frameworks to achieve desired design.

One of the most difficult challenges was finding Saudi women willing to participate in taking pictures. The Second challenge was to see the demographic dramatic lifestyle changes as an outsider, which is critical to synthesize the research findings for the design outcome. Lastly, was Understanding the relationship between the designers, makers and consumers.

A teacher recommendation.

I learn a lot about manufacturing and taking the design idea from the studio to fabrication.

El_Masnad was my thesis design study. Now, I am in the path to discover ways and tools to bring more concept og living on the floor to reality.

Design is empowerment.

I love to explore the concept of floor as living space and make more fun Lounge Carpets.

I love to explore the concept of floor as living space and make more fun Lounge Carpets.

I am interested in computational design. I am now advancing my scripting skills using the famous Grasshopper software for Algorithmic Aided Design. I was exploring a lot with it,and actually, the stitching pattern on El_Masnad is an artistic representation of graph of information. Specifically, it is about Saudi women.

At 3:00 a.m. weather in my dreams or awake. 3am is when dreamers go to work.

I try to focus on the Human-Centered aspects, and I try not to neglect, as much as possible, the environmental friendly aspects.

Meditative

For my designs, I think when it can give back to community and culture.

Appearance

Smart material and programming.

The last one was Grand Design Exhibition Bologna Design Week. The next one, is Decofair in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Nature, people, trends and Zaha Hadid.

I live in L.A. a wonderful place, however, I grew up in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Awonderful place too. I loved it.

I haven’t yet.

Designers are beauty makers, so they can help you emphasize or your beauty in creative ways.

50% research, 25% thinking & 25% doing

My travelling bag, wii, my mascara packaging design, how my bed positioned so I can see the full moon at 10 p.m. every month

Not a day is similar to the next. there really an absence of routine.

Do not stay up late, if you figured out how, teach me!

Cons, Staying up late. Pros, finding your own independent voice.

Stay up late, I don’t know any other way :-D

Research and analytical abilities.

29.First, Sugar.
Rhino, Grasshopper – Photoshop. Re-Thinking seating book by Peter Opsvic.

I don’t, I just isolate myself from people.

It depends.

“Which color should I pick for my bedroom?” ;-p

Saudi Design Week, Dubai Design Week, Rushaid, Waed, Ashary and Art direction.

The work that has a balance between the physical, like in making, and the intellectual, like in coming up with the concept.

Make more floor furniture.

I work by myself, however, I look forward to meet other designer and team up with them in fun group projects.

I am currently working on a small, but fun job. I am creating an interactive design for a Partí™ in an architectural conference to show case their patterning abilities.

By e-mail