Mexican designer Liliana Ovalle has designed a sofa based on the improvised furniture of the homeless in Mexico City.
Called Mugrosita, the chair consists of a metal frame with wooden slats, to which beanbags and blankets can be knotted.
It is the newest piece from her Mugroso Series (shown below) and was presented at Design Miami last year.
Here’s some more information from Liliana Ovalle:
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Mugrosita, a chair
I would like to share with you my latest project, a chair called Mugrosita, which was presented at Design Miami this month, as part of the exhibition “Call Out to the Americas: Latin America!”, organized by Design Miami. This was the first exhibition presented as a result of an ongoing research on the design scene in the american continent.
This project is a continuation of the Mugroso Series, which started with Mugroso Couch when it was presented in 2006 in the Royal College of Art degree show. The Mugroso Series are based on a photographic research where I explored the hectic historical centre of Mexico City, portraying scenarios of improvisation and poverty where people find the way of putting bits and rubbish together in order to compose functional everyday objects. The objects grow in what appears random and sometimes absurd compositions, following no planning or safety concerns. The results are beautiful collages of bright plastic colors and filthy bits of different materials, each one connected differently. The couch explored the aesthetics and logic of this “system”, translated into a an abstraction of dirt, mess, and improvisation.
The armchair uses the same system developed for Mugroso Couch, where basic structures and random elements are held together with bean bags and ropes, using the knot as a connecting system. The object grows in an intuitive way, sometimes questioning a logical order, just as they naturally appear in the urban landscapes of Mexico City. In this version a new element is added: a metallic grid, an object widely used by street vendors to display their merchandise, accompanied with tangled bags, old tape and more.
About Call Out to the Americas: Latin America!
Design Miami is conducting a research project to catalog the many talented designers originating from or working in the Western Hemisphere. Our first call for portfolios went out at the end of last summer and will be followed by studio visits and further investigation over the coming year. This exhibition is our first presentation of this research, representing a focused selection of work from Latin America. Combining established masters with promising newcomers, Latin America! demonstrates the rich diversity, quality and design thinking found throughout this side of the Atlantic.
Participating designers:
Tanya Aguiñiga/ Pedro Barrail/ Fernando and Humberto Campana/ Sebastian Errazuriz/ Estudio Manus/ Hugo Franca/ Pedro Friedeberg/ Hechizoo/ Liliana Ovalle/ Courtney Smith/ Joaquim Tenreiro
About Liliana Ovalle:
Liliana Ovalle (Mexico City 1977)
Product and furniture designer based in London and Mexico. Before entering the Royal College of Art (London 2004-2006), she ran Salon de T, where she developed a series of products, lighting and furniture.
Her work has been featured in different International publications (Furnish, by Die Gestalten Verlag, 2007, Domus, Elle Deco UK, Interni) and selected for design exhibitions in different countries (British Council, Milan; Paul Smith Space, Tokio; Changing Dimensions, London; Over Design Over, Perugia). In 2006 she was given the Talent Award by the British Council. One of her projects, Table Stripping, is now produced Milan-based Plusdesign Gallery.
About Mugrosita:
2009
Metal structure, walnut and mixed fabrics
90 x 88x 50 cms
Self-production
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:06 am
Fucking cool. Really like the deconstructed situation, very free, good use of proportions and colors. Latin america is the next wave.
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:02 am
It’s for sure that many people ( designers ) will totally not like this, but I f___ing love it ! Indeed the whole deconstructed look is awesome. Also the nonchalance looks way better than that horrible and totally forced project Front did for Moroso.
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:33 pm
I like the honesty & continuity of this – observing and examining through to the forming of concept, through to idea, through to execution. In my view the first photo of the chair makes it look comfortable,
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Liliana is one of Mexico´s best young designers, watch out for her, I´m pretty sure we´ll be hearing tons more about her never ending talent. And yes, off course latin america is the next wave, specially Mexico.
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Those homeless people, they’re sooo chic. So now.
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:29 pm
I WONDER HOW MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE WILL BE INVITED TO USE THIS CHAIR AS A “HOME”.? OR IF THE MONEY THIS CHAIR COULD GENERATE IF SOLD COULD TRULY BENEFIT THE PEOPLE WHO INSPIRED IT.. ?? HMMMM
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Geat project. I think it’s about improvisation, organised chaos and adapted use and implying that the proceeds should go to homeless people is just daft (squeed).
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Errr…. Campana
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:05 pm
I like it, a lot. Yes, its influenced by The Campanas & Co, but in a positive way, there’s no copy, not even close, similar backgrounds, thats all.
Ovalle have great conceptual projects and in my humble opinion is one of the few Latin-American designers that its not afraid to experiment away from their own culture without losing it.
I like it.
February 2nd, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Zoolander was a documentary?
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:18 pm
This is for a fairy tale bar a doll house ? too fancy to be true. the homeless people are more creative and honest. they rethink and turn the waist in shelters no in ornamental trends.
February 2nd, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Upcoming additions to the product line include: a bed made from artfully arranged newspapers and filthy blankets; and a colourful, mobile wardrobe unit that doubles as a grocery pushcart.
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Offensive in a way that I can not quite put words to. Using this piece of furniture would be an excercise in futility and frustration, as the ties and ribbons and sacks would just shift about underneath one. This would succeed as a piece to engage people in conversation, but little else. Reminds me of the young fashion designer whose recent season offered nothing but deconstructed clothing based on ‘bag people,’ again offensive, in that the pieces were made of silk, worsted wool and the likes and would be unaffordable to even the well-off amongst us. People will rail against me here, but as a designer with a M.S. who used to be a social worker working on behalf of mentally ill homeless people in the inner city, I just get sick to my stomach at this.
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Smells like irony!
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Reminds me of the derelicte campaign on Zoolander. I think that sums it up for me.
February 3rd, 2010 at 1:41 am
Good execution and interesting concept.
But sometimes certain concept should just stays as a concept..
This concept seems to bring an insult to those homeless people. They beg and pray to live each day better with whatever they can find to keep warm. It should serve as a reminder to the society and not an inspiration to cash-in on. The basic fundamental role of a designer – solving problems.
February 3rd, 2010 at 2:59 am
great !!!!
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:05 am
Oooh I’m so thrilled to see this article! Liliana has been getting a lot of attention here in Mexico. Most of her work takes inspiration or taps on specific Mexican habits and cultural phenomena. She has some really good work, you should check it out.
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:56 am
This is a very good project in wich the abstraction of the daily life in Mexico City is reinterpreted in a simple and colorful furnishing, Ovalle is a very good designer and with a brilliant future and proudly she is of Industrial Design Faculty of la UNAM, MX
February 4th, 2010 at 12:56 am
did she also do something to make the situation better for the homeless on only analyse how they live and use things .. not seeing that many need more help then having their worlds stylish interpreted for designer furniture lines? ??
designers should be more on the barricade doing something deeper then only be inspired by looking at peoples situations, but trying to make also changes for these people. are we not designers to make situations into better preferred ones?
never the less, i do enjoy the work , nice details
February 4th, 2010 at 1:53 am
every time i wake up from a hangover i have a bed like this, though my design process is not so careful… do you use the same process in designing your objects?
February 4th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
relax, this project is not intended to help the homeless. She is only sharing her inspiration … which is great!
I like the modularity of this object: you can give each of your guests a beanbag and put the coffee&biscuits on the naked frame (coffeetable). Well done, love the colours
February 5th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
I had the chance one to see this project explained by Ovalle on a lecture she gave in Mexico City last year in February, at UNAM, Mexico City. From what I recall this project was not exactly based on the idea of homeless people (if you have a look at the explanation on her website it doesnt really mention anything related to it). From what I understood it was more inspired on circumstances that happen quite often here in Mexico City. If you get the chance to visit Mexico City you will find this kind of things in all levels, in construction sites, gas stations, street vendors, etc. The pictures show more something you would find in a street market. To me is more about celebrating this kind of behaviour rather than making any social comment on it.
February 5th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
This is typical Dezeen!
Liliana only mentions “portraying scenarios of improvisation and poverty”, but Dezeen, in its now traditional and narrow post-colonial view of the world, decided that “homeless” was more appropriate for the third world designers.
Even the pictures are of street vendors, not homeless people.
Now, of course, this comment will be edited out pretty soon!
February 6th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
This one needs a maid…
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:48 pm
why? but why? is another useless sofa realy necessary?