ETHEREAL - a flight into magical fantasy with nature.

CONTEXT

In this great world of billions of people, reading is an addiction to many. From Libraries to study rooms and from bathrooms to bedrooms, there is no place in the world where there would be a man -but no book. 

   As architects and book lovers, we believe there is a requirement for something special about spaces with magic and silence, that helps us in running away from the world for a while. 

The idea of ETHEREAL is to create that space where people will sit, relax, read and enjoy.

CONCEPT

Life in metropolitan cities is known to be busy, ever-moving and stressful. In these fast-paced cities, it is near impossible to take time off and enjoy the beauty of sunrise/sunset or solitude.

Jaipur, the Pink City of India located in the largest state of the country is culturally rich and a popular tourist spot. There are beautiful Palaces and Gardens scattered in and around the city. People frequent these historical and natural retreats to amuse themselves from time to time and escape their daily hectic schedules. The Landscape Park is located near Dravyavati River and visitors come here for its delightful natural setting, riverside appeal and magical aura.

ETHEREAL Pods are placed throughout the park, to enjoy the beauty of the park as a whole. The pods are placed considering the sun direction and wind patterns of the beautiful Pink City. The Concept of the pod follows a small story...

"Bees visit flowers for honey and relaxation,

We visit ETHEREAL for magic and peace."

The design of the ETHEREAL pod is inspired by the story of Flowers and Bees. The idea is simple - ETHEREAL pods allow you to enjoy your personal space in the fast-paced city, creating a cosy private environment. The ETHEREAL pod is an attempt to allow people to sit, to appreciate life. Enjoy nature for a while and relax- taking some time off for reading. The shape is inspired by a flower with its head tilted downwards, to provide shade, a cosy enclosure with a unique form. 

The homely cocoon formed by the petals of ETHEREAL will be a magical retreat - away from the bustling city life.

OBJECTIVE

ETHEREAL pods are designed in a way that is simple and elegant along with being easy to construct and deconstruct. ETHEREAL Pods are made from materials available locally like Wicker, White Cedar Wood (Marandi) and a new material ie. Sandwich Glass. The materials and the lightweight nature of Pods make them easy to handle and portable. Wicker and Wood furniture craft being a locally known artform will make manufacturing the components easier and would also promote local artisans. ETHEREAL Pods will have small castor wheels attached to the base to make it easy to move to different locations around the magnificent park. The petal-like panels of ETHEREAL give an amazing form to the pod, and the alternative use of Wicker and Sandwich Glass provides just the right amount of natural sunlight comfortable for reading, work or leisure. 

Human comfort is the most important aspect of sitting spaces. The curvy shape of the ETHEREAL pod provides proper back support along with pillows and a mattress-like seating that lead to a comfortable sitting position, with enough headroom for people to stretch. Horizontally, ETHEREAL Pod provides enough space for people to partially lie and enjoy their reading or work leading to the maximum comfort of the user. ETHEREAL Pod also has a small compartment like a table for storing books, stationary etc along with a charging station installed in it for users needing a desk or charging point for their devices. The charging station can be easily and comfortably accessed by the user while placing their devices on the small desk provided.

The interiors of ETHEREAL Pod provide a cosy, homely, and magical experience to its users. The Wicker texture gives the user a feeling of nature and being tucked in cosily. The Sandwich Glass lets in soft golden sunlight and makes the interior space glow, while on the outside all you can see is a coppery metallic matt finish glass along with sunkissed strands of Wicker. This makes ETHEREAL alluring and comfortable for self-conscious people. 

MATERIAL

To make ETHEREAL aesthetic, efficient and easy to manufacture, locally available Wicker along with Sandwich Glass is used. The wicker used is lightweight, durable and waterproof and allows wind circulation with no water penetrating the dual surfaces used in the pod. The glass is three-layered along with one layer of copper finished micro metal mesh, which makes it durable. The Glass changes the natural light setting throughout the day, provides clear natural views of the park, and the outer facade has a golden glow which makes ETHEREAL have a fantastic feel. The Glass glows as the sun sets and stays translucent during the day giving the pod a magic element. Both the materials along with a wooden frame have a long life, therefore nullifying replacement costs. 

The interior has plush pillows for comfort and the seating is upholstered with high-quality soft Suede Leather. The seating is cushioned with PU Foam that is soft, bouncy and feels airy. The fabrics used have long lifespans and require minimal tending. The small desk placed inside the Pod is made from lightweight Wood and can be moved around with ease according to the needs of the user.

ASSEMBLY 

As portability is one of the most important design concerns. We tried to make, ETHEREAL - simple to assemble, with materials that are easy to use and procure. The Pod is light and as the number of materials used is less, the construction is simple and easy to understand. The wooden frame is made first using simple joinery methods and adhesive. After the frame is ready the Wicker Layers are nailed to the Bamboo panels that have been nailed to the wood frame. Lastly, the Sandwich Glass is fixed inside a groove made on the Wooden frame using rubber gasket

“We borrow from nature the space upon which we build” - Tadao Ando