Interiors
Interior Products

The Conversation Bench
Brand: Tania and Sandeep Khosla (in collaboration with Mangrove Collective)
Client: Tania and Sandeep Khosla (in collaboration with Mangrove Collective)
Entrant: Tania and Sandeep Khosla

Baby Blue Elephant

Entry Title:	The Conversation Bench
Brand:	Tania and Sandeep Khosla (in collaboration with Mangrove Collective)
Client:	Tania and Sandeep Khosla (in collaboration with Mangrove Collective)
Entrant Company:	Tania and Sandeep Khosla
Description:	The Conversation Bench explores the dialogue between two materials – concrete and wood, as well as two contrasting aesthetics – the austere and the decorative. The elemental form of the concrete is juxtaposed with a flourish of botanical motifs hand-crafted in wood, cascading down its surfaces. The interplay between the two, heightens each other’s inherent beauty. Tactile and sensorial, the bench prompts the user to pause, linger and have conversation. For the carving, we studied traditional techniques and motifs. Flora and fauna are common themes in hand-carved wood. The botanical in the bench is interpreted from an old scientific illustration of a honey-suckle. So while familiar to the master-craftsmen, the rendition of the flowers was new for the medium, and pushed his craft in an exciting way. We used a local species of Acacia wood, more sustainable than other hardwoods suitable for carving. The originality of this piece lies in the combination of an FRP mould used in industrial production, with the hand-skill of a master-carver. The concrete is first pre-cast as a single piece, and the wood gently sits into the negative spaces. The carving precisely lips over the concrete, requiring a high degree of accuracy in making.
Individual Credits:	Tania and Sandeep Khosla (Design)
Individual Credits:	Mangrove Collective (Production)