Rattan Clouds
| Client | Emporium of Modern Man (EOMM) |
| Program | Interior Refurbishment (Retail/Office) |
| Area | 68 m² |
| Status | Completed |
| Team | Kevin Lim |
| Beatrice Ong | |
| Photography | Khoo Guo Jie |
| Annimation | Playback Studio – Michael Yeoh |
| Year of Completion | 2015 |
Rattan Clouds is a collection of modular rattan capsules configured for seating, storage, display and lighting.
Inspired by the traditional South-east Asian rattan receptacles, Rattan Clouds reinterprets rattan in new modern forms for a retail shop.
A ground floor unit with lofty 4.7m ceiling space was to house both retail and office facilities for Emporium of Modern Man – a shop that sells lifestyle goods for modern-day sensibilities. Shop frontage was naturally prioritised for retail and the office facilities were pushed backwards with an adjoining access through a giant central pivot wall/door. The approach to the dividing partitions was minimal and light; white human-height wall/door with storage cabinets and a floating concrete sales counter.
The retail was to have a non-permanence quality with flexible options to accommodate exhibitions, installations and gatherings. Capitalising on the high ceiling space, some of these capsules would be suspended and lowered/raised to accommodate different events.
Working with traditional rattan craftsmen and using existing techniques of bending rattan according to different curvatures, Rattan Clouds was designed to meet multi-configurability, functionality and structural integrity. The initial spherical concept of containing an object was developed to form 2-3 piece modules that could be stacked to create multi-layered displays. Arched rattan also formed a strong base for seating. These Clouds were also made operable to create a split level for storage and display. In the various permutations of the basic form, half-spheres of these modules were removed to form flat surfaces for display. These modules were held up by a system of brass pulleys and stainless steel wires that could be lowered/raised by hand cranks. The last permutation of the module was to house halo-like illuminations that created shadow textures.
Rattan Clouds are a flexible, modular system that shifts according to the multi-usability of the space, adding a light ephemeral touch to the retail experience.
