Memoria Nofoa by Sergio Sesmero is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award Auro in Mamanu Meafale Competition Category.

AuroMeafale· 2021

Memoria Nofoa

by Sergio Sesmero

Client: ESNE - University School of Design, Innovation and Technology

A' Design Award Auro Winner in Meafale Category

54,111

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #117968

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Memoria Nofoa

O le Memoria o se nofoa e faia mai le ie sima (concrete canvas), o se ie e masani ona faaaogaina i galuega faufale ona o lona tumau ma le malosi. E fausia le nofoa i luga o se faataitaiga ua lomia i le tolu-itu i le PLA e mafai ona toe faaaogaina. E faapipii le ie sima i luga o le faataitaiga ma tuu ai e faamalo mo le itiiti ifo i le 24 itula. Ona faaopoopo lea o se resini epoxy e faatumu ai pu laiti ma faateleina ai le malosi. E fua le Memoria i le 1100 i le 900 i le 708 milimita, ma e malosi i taia ma e le ulu ai le vai. O le mamanu e tuufaatasia ai le faatumauina o le siosiomaga, le aoga faatino ma ni aafiaga fou o lagona.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Auro

O le A' Design Award Auro na manumalo ai Memoria Nofoa, o se faamaoniga matuā mamalu e tuuina atu i mamanu o le tulaga muamua, matagofie ma maoaʻe. O ē manumalo i le Auro o galuega fou tele, matuā vaai i le lumanaʻi ma susulu e faaalia ai le atamai, le poto ma le tomai o tagata mamanu. E faamoemoeina Memoria Nofoa e avea ma mea fou e matuā vivii, e faatulaga ai uiga fou ma tetele, e tuuina mai ai se tau e leʻi iai muamua. O lenei mamanu na manumalo i le A' Design Award Auro o se galuega ofoofogia, ua faaaloalogia, e aogā tele ma tuleia atu tapulaʻa o le faatufugaga, saienisi, mamanu ma tekonolosi. Memoria Nofoa e fatuina ai lagona malosi o le manaʻo, faaosofia le tuinanau, faalauiloa le fatufatuaʻi ma faamalosia i tatou.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Memoria is a groundbreaking furniture proposal based on sustainability, functionality and the creation of new sensorial experiences, by the usage of concrete fabric as the main manufacturing element. A very unusual material in furniture and generally used in civil constructions due to its high durability, resistance and sustainability. The project arises from a deep study of the changes taking place in society, and how these are affecting the forms of consumption in the youngest consumers.
Dimensions & Packaging: Dimensions: 1100mm x 900 mm x 708 mm. Material: Concrete Canvas Textile. Technical properties: Impact resistant, Waterproof, Stable Design.
Tags: Furniture, design, concrete canvas, concrete, sustainability, space.
Production Technology: It is created from the manufacture of a 3d printed PLA (totally recyclable and reusable) mold with shapes that serve as a guide. Concrete Canvas is applied to this mold, which we leave to set for at leat 24 hours. After its setting we can observe its hardness and resistence, but to make it even more consolidated, we apply an epoxy resin that filters between the pores of the material and cement, increasing its solidity and durability to more that 50 years of life.
Design Challenge: The design process of the Memoria chair finds its difficulty mainly in the creation of the concept. Also noteworthy is the process of selecting and acquiring the most suitable material to carry out the concept. Finally, some difficulties arise in the handling of the material, since the was not enough to make a large number of prototypes, this situation was solved by sending a sample of the Concrete Canvas to a geological materials analysis laboratory, whose results gave multiple solutions and proposals to help with its manipulation.
Research: The project arises from the study of the changes taking place in society, and their effects. These changes have an important influence on design, fulfilling objectives of sustainability, experience, interaction and identity. There were also analyzed the trends occurring in the furniture sector; a market that is in full swing and increasingly preparing to expand its borders to new markets. Memoria combines all these characteristics through innovative design, quality production and marketing.
Inspiration: It is aesthetically based on a maximalist or brutalist trend, but at the same time with a formal essence of a minimalist concept, Sergio Sesmero's furniture proposal contains an intellectual and cultural narrative, inspired by the Hegelian dialectic applied in Magritte's work. Thereby, a dialogue between revelation and concealment is created, all with the aim for the object to overcome its aesthetic, and creating a new one as a conclusion.
Project Duration: The project, started in Madrid, Spain, in September 2019 and finished in September 2020 in Madrid, Spain.
Operation Flow: By creating an aura that evokes mystery, questionability and reflection on the object beyond its pure functionality, Memoria plays with the senses, confusing at first the user and, in turn, showing different interpretations, narratives and stories depending on the circumstance and context of the user. Memoria responds questions, but generates new ones, creating a dialogue between opposites that are in a common point, expressing a simile of what happens nowadays and in today's society.
Team Members: Sergio Sesmero
Image Credits: Sergio Sesmero