Dezeen Magazine

From a Lost City by Christian Vivanco

Mexican designer Christian Vivanco has developed a multi-functional work surface and storage unit inspired by the informal architecture of shanty towns.

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Called from a Lost City, it has an informal structure and employs mixed materials: oriented-strand board (OSB), bamboo and polycarbonate.

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"The origin of it was a conversation with a Brazilian friend about the situation in the favelas, the violence and how people survive in such a hostile environment," says Vivanco.

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"In the end, this people is as happy or more that any of us, finding in simplicity the joy of life. I tried to recreate the feeling of this life experience in this furniture, not only as a design exercise, but also as a expression of respect for those favelados."

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Here's some more information from Christian Vivanco:

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'From a Lost City' is an exercise about today's social behavior.

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Inspired by the Shanty towns all around South America, from las ciudades perdidas in Mexico city to las favelas in Rio de Janeiro, FALC tries to preserve the improvisation's essence, the grid's absence, the disorder's liberty.

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In this case we are witnesses of a relationship between fabrics, wood sticks and boxes in different dimensions and materials (osb, bamboo and polycarbonate), all together to show us a different piece of furniture with a complete and efficient functionality.

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We can use it for storage, work surface, desk or kitchen furniture.

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Its drawers come in different sizes, for different necessities (office, kitchen, workshop, bedroom, living room, etc.).

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Shanty towns are units of irregular self-constructed housing that are typically unlicensed and occupied illegally. They are usually on lands belonging to third parties, and are most often located on the urban periphery.

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Shanty town residences are built randomly, although ad hoc networks of stairways, sidewalks, and simple tracks allow passage through them.

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Most are inaccessible by vehicle, due to their narrow and irregular streets and walkways and often steep inclines.

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More Dezeen stories about Christian Vivanco:

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