Part of the Project
For Ebrahim Assur, design has always been part of life.
Drawing inspiration from people, the way we live and interact with our surroundings is what informs Assur’s designs.
An industrial design graduate of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Assur creates conceptual furniture pieces that experiment with form and materials.
In the design and manufacturing of his ranges, Assur uses a variety of processes including routering, laser-cutting, moulding, upholstery and hand crafting.
A desk lamp, standing lamp, lounge chair, side table and clock are some of the piece currently in Assur’s collection.
Ideation forms an important part of the design process for Assur. This involves research, conceptual design, the various iterations, trial and error, and then the final design selection.
Each of Assur’s design are created around a particular theme and influenced by iconic designs and designers.
His Embelic lamp is inspired by process of metamorphosis, with the light serving as a metaphor for the “birth of light”.
In a more playful vein, the Boomerang light is a four-in-one desk lamp that can be rotated into four different shapes and styles, like a boomerang. At the fourth turn the lamp goes back to its original shape.
His Ellano lounge chair, Assur explains, was inspired by Dieter Rams’ iconic SK4 sound box. “It’s fashioned with pure white recycled synthetic leather and American oak wood to create an elegant aesthetic,” Assur says.
Assur believes objects should be multifunctional and finds the process of development to be the most challenging part of the design process.
Assur was part of the Emerging Creatives programme at Design Indaba Expo 2013, an experience that he describes as “truly amazing”. He adds that the reaction to his work was positive and that he got some vital feedback about his designs.
Currently Assur is working on a faucet design for Cobra Taps. The piece will form part of a new range for the sanitary ware manufacturers.
