Viceversa is a multifunctional book rack, designed to enhance the visibility and accessibility of books while integrating seamlessly into its surroundings.
Collaboration with FUCINA
This project, undertaken during a workshop at DOMUS Academy, was a collaborative effort with FUCINA, an esteemed Italian metal company renowned for its meticulous metal manufacturing and intricate joinery techniques. FUCINA's expertise lies in seamlessly joining metal, even transforming heavy elements into seemingly lightweight structures through bending, welding, and leveraging metal's reflectivity for an illusionary effect. Inspired by their craftsmanship, we incorporated these principles as the main design concept throughout our project.
Inspiration and Concept
Drawing inspiration from Piet Mondrian's early paintings and Olafur Eliasson's The Weather Project, Viceversa explores the balance between form, function, and perception through basic geometric shapes. The project challenges conventional book storage by creating a piece that blurs the lines between utility and aesthetic, emphasizing minimalism and spatial harmony.
Design Process
It went through extensive design iterations to achieve the ideal form. Through trials and real-life mock-ups, we meticulously determined the best size and ergonomic features for users, ensuring seamless integration next to a sofa. This process enabled us to strike the perfect balance between elements, resulting in a functional and aesthetically pleasing book rack.
Viceversa is a book rack that uses mirrored surfaces and geometric shapes to store, display, and mark reading progress, offering a unique interaction with books and space.
The rack features half-circles and squares on a mirrored surface, creating the illusion of complete shapes and cleverly marking the page where the reader left off.
Design and Technical Details
Each element of Viceversa is meticulously designed to serve its purpose, utilizing contrasts in material weight and form to achieve a delicate balance and simplicity. The design's manufacturing process emphasizes precision and quality, ensuring each book rack is a testament to the craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Viceversa adds value by providing a functional yet artistic solution for book storage, inviting users to engage with their space and the objects within it in a meaningful way.
As a product designers, Viceversa embodies our exploration of how everyday objects can transform our interaction with space and narrative through simple yet profound design principles.
Viceversa is not just a book rack; it's a narrative piece that reflects on the interplay of shape, reflection, and utility, encouraging a deeper appreciation for design and its potential to influence our environment.
This product was prominently featured on both Designboom and DOMUS Academy's website as a highlighted project, further highlighting its innovative design and recognition within the design community.
