Provocative Objects: Xcent Stool

25 September 2024 -

The Xcent Stool (Fig. 1) was designed by Hardik Gandhi in 2012. He designed this with reference to one of the most basic forms of Indian seating, the cane mooda, which retails at a price of about £7 (Fig. 2). This stool is a modern reimagining of the traditional one. He named it thus because he believes that the design of this stool will ‘complement a room’s décor and therefore be an accent piece of furniture.’(1) According to him the letter 'X' is the highlight of its versatile structural detail, and hence its name.

The mooda over time has come a long way, surviving many adaptations and design eras. In essence however, it has stayed a humble object and ubiquitous in the Indian landscape. It is an object that is unique because of its varied usage. It is seen in its original form (Fig. 2) across rural India, in homes and is popular in roadside highway eateries.

In the middle and upper middle classes, more creative versions (Figs. 3 & 4) with the use of colours and unusual weaving patterns can be seen.

These new and modern remodels as seen in the photographs have been fashioned to keep up with the times. Since each piece is handmade and handcrafted by craftsmen individually, each one is unique in its design. Gandhi has used the constantly evolving mooda design to create the Xcent Stool which is a contemporary avatar of the traditional object. His design is unique in that it is a total visual transformation in terms of materials and lines.

He conceptualised it (Fig. 5) from the viewpoint of keeping the basic design as close to the original as possible yet making it relevant to the modern consumer by minimalising the lines to make it elegant. These stools come in a variety of colours. The steel that has been powder coated gives it a classic form and appeal. It has been made to be sturdy and therefore can also be used as a step ladder unlike the cane mooda. He has taken the mooda one step further by making the seat detachable. This allows it to be used as a table top too, as seen in the images (Figs. 6, 7 & 8). The seat is attached by a magnet to the body of the stool.

As the pictures indicate, with its distinctive design of a circular X-shaped structure, the Xcent Stool is a multipurpose one, masquerading as a seat, side-table, step-ladder and a foot-rest, all-in-one. Of note is its seamlessly built wire structure that appears as one single wire wrapped around.

This stool is crafted entirely by hand (Fig. 9) except the upholstery of the seat. The structure is constructed of mild steel which requires an immense amount of precision to make it appear seamless, so that the joinery is not visible. ‘All the metal bending is done by hand, but the corner radius is achieved by a mould or a so called jig-fixture.’(2) Admittedly, in both the circumstances the machine could have performed the job with greater precision, but in this case for Gandhi to work with trained craftspeople made it unique because of their knowledge of fabrication.

These stools sell at approximately £90 each. It is clever to design objects that link into the cultural psyche because of their recall value but are priced at almost ten times the price of the original because they are design objects. The consumers for this would be the upper middle classes and people with small home spaces. This is a departure from the traditional mooda which is viewed as an outdated aesthetic and too conventional for modern homes. It is a sleek and contemporary design solution for an interior space, where it could be used for more than one purpose. Hence, catering to a larger audience across age-groups and demographic locations who would appreciate its adaptability and are cognizant of its cultural value, therefore the price.

Gandhi combines sense and sensibility to build an object that is culturally sound. He tries to create things that coalesce with Indian people and their surroundings. He says that this stool was born out of memories from his childhood and the indigenous way of using furniture.(3) Many designers are using quintessentially Indian objects as their sources for inspiration, using Indian craft skills to create the objects that are contemporary in their visual appeal and sometimes in their usage, while continuing to engage with tradition and heritage.

References

(1) Email interview with Hardik Gandhi, May 2020

(2) Email interview with Hardik Gandhi

(3) Email interview with Hardik Gandhi