LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL: THE WICKER STORY

Wicker story is brainchild of PRELAB DESIGN STUDIO, an Architecture and design practice based out of Hyderabad. It was founded in 2018 by Priyanka Narula who is an architect by profession. The project was a response to a prolonged quest to define the future of design in the Indian context. Their work involves the translation of digital processes for complex geometry for easy adaptability to Indian craft and material systems. Wicker story, apart from being an effective tool to realise customised and complex geometries, also transcends scale and geometry and defines new protocols for design. Their products are 100% sustainable and offer a zero waste production methodology.

Constantly attempting to create a symbiotic amalgamation of art, architecture, product in the precinct of craft and parametric design methodology and thus celebrating the context of culture, colour, tradition and values in India.

Craft and material
The studio predominantly works with cane and rattan basketry. Basketry, an age-old practice involves carefully weaving strands of fibre over and under each other to create a 3-dimensional form. This art of weaving can be utilised to produce complex 3D geometry.

A lot of research has been put into different material applications for the warp and weft. A simple weave, yields varying applications simply by tweaking material scales and properties. By focusing on material systems, they are able to interrogate its application to interiors or architecture, rather than designing a stand alone product.