Ricardo Carneiro

Department: Contextual Design

Exploded Rituals

Architecture has always been a source of
fascination for me. Perhaps this is because
of my father’s work as a bricklayer and
the houses and buildings he showed me.
Perhaps it is because I have worked many
times in a construction company, and I have
been able to observe closely the progress
of many different types of buildings. For me,
architecture implies teams of workers, large
scales, heavy materials, and long periods
of hard work.

I am also fascinated by the difference
between architecture and design. They can
be similar in terms of process and material,
but they tend to be completely different
because of their scale.
After much experimentation, I noticed that
the user could be more involved with the
objects I developed. By creating a space
where all the furniture is connected,
I inadvertently denied the user any power
of flexibility or freedom. However, we all use
objects, whether we call it manipulation,
practice or usage. In daily life we develop
rituals from repeated interactions, such
as preparing the breakfast, including the
coffee, fresh orange juice, toast, etc...

An analogy can be drawn between largescale
architecture and the simple appliance.
If you look at a simple building, you find
floors with different spaces that each serve
a particular function. They are linked by
stairs or corridors, and they let a flow of
people go inside and out. Finally, water and
electrical services are incorporated into the
building.

My final proposal is about showing the
process from the coffee bean to the cup of
coffee, creating a stronger ritual with diverse
and complex movements and mechanisms.
Taking care of the coffee process means
being closer to the object and also to the
final result - in this case, the coffee.
You will follow the transition from the
green bean to the hot coffee. The object
will consist of many elements including a
roaster, grinder, steam engine, different
containers for the coffee, water and sugar,
a delivery system for the cups, a gas bottle
and many gas burners, and everything
connected by an open framework.

Video