Colour of Sound | Indoor Collection

An Arabic music connoisser with an oud collection commissioned Manmade Studio to custom design some of the furniture for their private home. We wanted to highlight the nuances of the oud's form so we met with a famous local oud craftsman, who spoke modestly about the philosophy behind making a oud and the creativity of the process. While orating, the craftsman utters a phrase  that would become the defining character of this collection; "the colour of sound". He was describing how each oud is different; one is darker, and one is redder, one is peachier, and one is brighter! It is quite fascinating to know that oud-making involves this level of synesthetic comprehension.

 

Concept Statement

After learning about the synesthetic philosophy of oud-making, each furniture piece was developed based on rhythm, the framework or structure of musical rhythm, and the creative playfulness that happens when the musician strums the strings to give the melody more character. The 'neck' or 'arm' (which is where the strings rest and the fingers pluck) becomes the primary motif that is repeated to create the furniture piece's own structure and rhythm, the bronze strips add to this rhythm but also add colour (literally this time), this colour makes a second appearance but as a copper mesh this time with light emanating from behind it, and two suspended oak columns emanate from the front, washing the oud collection with light that highlights their most brilliant features. From there, every other piece of furniture starts with the
same story but goes on to have their own endings.

 

Photographer
Samos @architectureinmind

 

Materials
oud display wall -  oak, copper, bronze stainless steel, LED, copper plated steel
desk - grey travertine, bronze stainless steel, reconstituted walnut, copper, copper plated steel,
tv media console - oak, copper mesh, bronze stainless steel, LED, copper plated steel,
ghetra rack - oak, canvas, copper,
balcony door - bronze stainless steel, oak
linear diffuser - bronze stainless steel