Calicut Co. is the brainchild of Nityan Unnikrishnan and Rukminee Guha Thakurta, partners both in life and design. Their journey began by crafting furniture for friends. The works gradually grew into a collection of designs that paved the way for Calicut Co. Both trained in design, Guha Thakurta’s graphic design expertise along with Unnikrishnan’s training in industrial design and his artistic flair converged to bring this project to life. In this conversation, Guha Thakurta offers insights into their creative process, design philosophy, and Unnikrishnan’s unique approach to furniture design.
CREATIVE PROCESS
A lot of time is invested in developing a design, and it involves tons of drawings for each product. Full-scale, handmade drawings follow, which are then shared with the carpenters whose suggestions and inputs are incorporated. We usually cut rough models in light, cheap wood before finalising the piece, fixing its proportions and details. Complex pieces like chairs are tested before we give them the go-ahead. Often the use of a piece provides us with feedback that we take into account for future editions. We did not actively seek out furniture design projects and we never really ‘started’ Calicut Co. It has been, like everything with us, a slow, evolving engagement: personal growth as designers; not a business plan.
PARTNERS IN DESIGN
My partner, Nityan is an industrial designer: he studied ceramics and has an understanding of materials. He has worked with traditional artisans all over India—in metal, bamboo, leather, terracotta etc. Inspired by lathe-turned forms and the regional idiom his interest in furniture and architecture can often be seen on his canvas as well. They feature in a particular manner in his paintings: almost as important actors rather than props. My role in the design process is at the discussion and feedback stages. The drawings, design development and production are made and supervised by Nityan. He has been collaborating with very experienced and skilled carpenters for years.
ASPIRATIONS
We have been making furniture for friends for decades and we hope that people who get our furniture will enjoy them for the unique language they employ and their build quality. We don’t have any goals for Calicut Co. Everything we do as work in our lives are ideas or things we greatly enjoy making, discussing, taking time over, thinking hard about and we hope that those who live with our furniture really enjoy them and find them aesthetic and comfortable.
DESIGN AESTHETICS
We are insistent on functional and sensible use of materials. Our sensibilities evolve as we live, think and (hopefully) grow as people. Some of the furniture was drawn decades ago, some were drawn just a few months ago so it is almost as though they are made by different people but we have worked mainly with wood and we have drawn inspiration from various designers whose work in furniture we grew up with such as George Nakashima, Gajanan Upadhyaya, M.P. Ranjan, Mini Boga and so on. We hope to try out more materials, collaborate with others and make new products in the future. The ‘aesthetic’ is not a final thing in any sense. It is something that will continue to evolve.
IMPACT OF FURNITURE
It is not only important to have, for instance, a chair that supports your back, or a shelf that does not buckle under the weight of books, but to be surrounded by beauty or harmony—of materials, forms, patterns, colours. They have an impact on our minds and bodies and how we feel in a space. For us the most inspiring homes have been those we have seen in India’s villages: those that are made with local materials and loving labour by the same people who inhabit them. They seem to grow right out of the soil and they don’t need architects or interior or furniture designers to make vibrant, functional homes and objects of daily use that also respond to weather conditions as far as their resources allow. This is not design that is taught in schools but design as lived experience. This too has inspired our work.
Words Paridhi Badgotri
Date 21.09.2024