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Text: Des. Vasisht Rajani, Teams Design, Chicago

Des. Vasisht Rajani’s earliest memories of design go back to his pre-teen years when he saw his first supercar drive in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. However, he was formally introduced to design in architectural college in 2015, as he didn’t find it suitable for his notion of product design. In his first year of design at the DJ Academy of Design, he found himself shuffling between industrial design and communication design.

He finally chose industrial design for his undergraduate program, and his curiosity led him to explore materials, processes, and other aspects of interior design. Later, he joined the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and finally discovered the depth of design and its effect on human lives.

Des. Rajani credits his parents being his influences, as they had introduced him to drawing, painting, animation, robotics, and photography at a young age. These factors led to his interest in industrial design as he enjoyed drawing, building things, and understanding how things worked. His design belief lies in creating user-focused products, which are sustainable, energy-efficient, and made from eco-friendly materials. They believe in timeless designs, thus staying in touch with technology and manufacturing.

He says, “I designed a series of traditional miniature furniture inspired by different time periods, themed on how design influences impact culture and sustainability. I focused on Rajasthani, Malayali, Goanese, and modern furniture. I used several kinds of materials such as wood, fabric, glass, cane and more to portray our tradition in its finest detail. In my project, I targeted how tradition and heritage play a major role in the sustainability and life of the furniture.

I also wanted to emphasize the various dying art forms of Indian traditional furniture and the making of intricate miniature furniture pieces. Here, I created twelve different types of miniature pieces using various tools, techniques, and machinery to achieve these intricately detailed pieces. These pieces of furniture were also exhibited in the gallery at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, which was open to students and the public.

As modern methods of manufacturing furniture develop, the quantity of identical furniture pieces has risen too. These methods are faster and cheaper, thus it loses their meaning and their personal value in a family. Pieces with personal and hereditary importance last multiple generations and are restored multiple times to preserve family stories and memories.”

He further adds, “Right now, I am currently working at Teams Design in Chicago, on projects focused towards industrial design. I design products that are user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, and innovative. On the other side, I am also widely exposed to other projects that focus on sustainability, materiality, manufacturing methods, and cost.”

Des. Rajani concludes, “Functionality is crucial in furniture design as it directly impacts the user experience. Functional furniture ensures that users comfortably interact with it as ergonomic considerations contribute to a positive experience. The key element, ergonomics is directly related to comfort and usage of the furniture for longer durations. By balancing aesthetics and functionality, furniture designers create pieces that not only look appealing but also enhance user experiences.”