ADAYA: Recreating Crafts and Experience

Abstract

In Pakistan, craft was a dominant and necessary aspect of daily life, preindustrialization. Now, on account of mass production and consumerism, society has adopted a throw away culture instead of the sustainable lifestyle that was pursued in this region historically. The products utilized here are designed for a different consumer market with differing needs, lifestyle and identity; hence, in this region there is an essential need to produce products that are designed within this cultural context with a design intent that consumers can identify with, that adapts to their specific needs, something that fits within the socio-cultural context of Pakistan. The most apparent cultural aspect of this region is craft, locally and globally, and the world renowned oldest craft prevalent here has been pottery dating back to the-Indus Valley Civilization. Pottery, an extremely functional, soulful craft is now on the verge of dying out because it has not evolved to adapt to contemporary user requirements due to lack of proper documentation, lack of capital and lack of collaboration. However it is still perceived that food items prepared in earthenware are healthier and more delicious. This led to the consideration of tea, which is an equally significant and ever-present facet of Pakistani culture. Primary research revealed in the subcontinent, as in China, tea was consumed in clay pots, a tradition that is altogether extinct now. The solution identified itself in the form of a product aimed at preparation of cooked tea which has a 100% penetration rate in Pakistani households. The current electric kettle only caters to teabag consumers (15%, non-exclusive) and with the increasing urgency of the non-renewable energy crisis it is unsustainable to waste gas for producing tea 3 times a day per person. The product would be a realization of reestablishment of one cultural facet (pottery) and acknowledgment of another facet (tea consumption), unified for a cross-cultural collaboration with a contemporary product (the electric kettle).