Alcove Candle Light
A candle holder inspired by in-situ niches in medieval Indian architecture.
Designed in local clay using the traditional handmade process of press-mould brickmaking. By using locally available clay, each Alcove is unique to its time of creation, location, and composition, giving it a distinct identity.
Year: 2021
Concept and Design: Kenneth Roddrigues, Tanay Kandpal
Design Engineering: Kenneth Roddrigues, Vishal Mehta, Gaurav Edwankar, Nausheen Fatima, Isha Shah
Product: Object
Material: Refractory Brick
Process: Press Moulded & Fired
Finish: Natural
Dimensions: 160 X 80 X 100 mm
Product prototype and in development by Casegoods
The alcove is designed to fit any standard tea-light candle that sits flushed into its base exposing only its flame.
CONTEXT
Alcoves or tiny in situ niches were common throughout the Mughal and Rajput empires' forts and palaces. These were decorated with wonderful decorations and patterns and served as meeting places for various jesters as well as entrances to the big palace, temples, and mosques. These niches served as places of shade, prayer, and talk.
The Alcove is inspired by this lost tradition.
PROCESS
White Cement + Fine Crushed Brick Powder
White Cement + Fine Crushed Brick Powder + Red Murram Soil
3D Printed Prototype - PLA
Soil + Recyled and Crushed Terracotta
Alumina + Silica + Lime + Aggregate + Iron Oxide
PROTOTYPING
Alumina + Silica + Lime + Iron Oxide
Alcove gives equal importance to both light and shadow expressing the two opposites that complete each other.
The candle holder is designed to be made of local clay used in brickmaking in India, to show the versatility and timelessness of the material used.
The design aims to have a strong presence in a space, whether the lamp is illuminated or sitting dormant.
All photos © Case Design and CasegoodsThe Alcove is a product that I really enjoyed working on as it fortified my interest and love in Indian traditional practices and materials. Together as a team, we worked on resolving every minute dimension to ensure that the piece comes out of the mould. I was able to play around with a number of materials and material compositions while prototyping this product to understand the strength and nature of bricks. We always intended this product to be made using bricks and brick-making processes of press moulding and firing. For me, bricks are used so widely as building materials that they are often ignored and through the Alcove I feel we are giving homage to this building material and giving it a new purpose and use.