The Making Of - The Concrete and Wood Strip Table, Doha...

A few images of the process of making the concrete profiles for the Concrete and Wood Strip Table. The profiles were made at the R&D Lab of Readymix Qatar in the old industrial area in Doha. The beech wood frame and profiles/ strips were made by the Gulf International, a carpentry shop also based in the old industrial area (unfortunately I didn't have a chance to take any photos of this process of making)... 

 The various raw materials are weighted, poured in and combined within the mixer... 

 A number of, very accurately measured, additives are added to the mixture...

 Slooow pour... 

 Two separate batches were made, one using a larger aggregate, stained white, that allows liquid to pass through the volume of the profile. The second batch, using a slightly gray stained concrete, provided a set of concrete strips much more solid and weighty... 

The concrete strip moulds (also made by Gulf International)... 

 The concrete is poured/ scooped into the moulds...

The highly textured aggregate is compacted within the moulds...  

The now filled moulds are evened out...  

The completed casts...  

The 'other' batch of concrete casts...  

A porous concrete strip...  

 A non-porous concrete strip...

An early rendering/ rendition of the Concrete & Wood Strip Table...  

Renderings of the concrete moulds...  

A 3D (Z-Corp) printed model of the Concrete & Wood Strip Table... 

The Concrete & Wood Strip Table...

The Concrete and Wood Profile table, made for the Made in Qatar exhibition organized in conjunction with the Tasmeem Conference that took place this March. The table is made up of a beech wood frame, onto which a number of concrete and wooden profiles can be composed to fulfill a variety of different uses. Two different profiles were used, made out of three different materials, these included beech wood, to match the table-frame material; a white stained porous concrete, which allowes liquids to drain through it; and a slightly gray stained concrete, a solid, bulky (concrety) profile... The table can be  for both interior and exterior use - as a reception desk in a foyer to a side table for a garden barbecue... 

 A wood (Bulk) profile

 A porous white stained concrete (Slim) profile

 A concrete (Bulk) profile 

A chariot of profiles...

The table during the setup phase of the Made in Qatar exhibition, March 2013...

Finger Side Table...

The Finger-side-Table, was made out of beech wood in Qatar. The design was initially exhibited at the HBKU Student Center during the Tasmeem Doha Conference... 

The two table formats (referred to as 'C' & 'H' tables, based on their profile appearances) can be combined and adjusted to accommodate a variety of functions. A set of support paraphernalia (a bookmark, box and tray) can be slotted in between the 'fingers' when needed... 

For images showing early models and prototype click here... 

Coming Soon - MFA Thesis Exhibition at VCUQatar...

A few (iPhone) images from the upcoming MFA Thesis Exhibition being constructed and assembled here at VCUQ that will be showing the work of our (soon to be recent) Graduates... Exciting times are afoot here on the top floor of the new wing... 

An Extraordinary Ordinary Exhibition at the La Fontaine Art Centre in Manama, Bahrain...

Manama Reflections, Bahrain 2013 

Later this week, staring on Saturday April 20, I, along with architect Maysam Alnasser, who's showing some of her sculptural work, will be exhibiting at the La Fontaine Art Centre in Manama, Bahrain. The exhibition is titled 'Extraordinary Ordinary' based on one of the subtitles from this blog's sister blog, the Kuwait School blog, on which I'll probably post samples of the work that will be on display over the next few days/ weeks... 

The pictures are depictions of, often quite off the cuff, reactions to various quotidian textures, patterns, urban features and artifacts of mostly city based paraphernalia that I've come across, and found worthy of documentation, during my travels over the past few years... 

The Tasmeem Doha Event Begins in Three Weeks...

The biannual Tasmeem Doha Conference begins in three weeks time. It's the biggest Design Conference of the MENA/ GCC region that, this year, not only includes a two day talking-heads component, but also five days of Student Labs, done in collaboration with the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art; a set of Academic Research Workshops, a number of exhibitions by both regional and international artists, designers and architects, and a film festival. The keynote speaker is Rem Koolhaas... 

There's still much to do during the next few weeks (I'm co-chairing the event) but I think it's going to be a very exciting and interesting eight days... 

Work in Progress - Finger/ Fork Side-Table, Doha...

A few images of an ongoing project, scheduled to be completed for one the exhibits at the upcoming Tasmeem - Doha Conference/ Labs/ Workshops/ Exhibitions, taking place between March 10-17, 2013... A set of the side-table that, as it stand, is being produced in two different formats, can be unified in a similar manner to crossing fingers (or entwined fork-spokes) which, in unison, allow for a surprising number of different compositions... 

The final set, which will include a number of bespoke paraphernalia (more of those at a later date) is scheduled to be completed within a month... More images of the piece to be posted then... 

Above & top: An initial prototype of the 'C' rendition of the side table... 

Above and below: Initial 3D printed models of the side-table...