nmbello Studio’s Design to Make the Users Life Easier
Nifemi Marcus-Bello is an industrial designer who seeks to make the users life easier. Based in Lagos, Nigeria Nifemi is the founder of nmbello Studio, a design studio that creates furniture with Nigeria’s urban consumer in mind.
Empathy is at the heart of nmbello Studio, identifying with the needs of the end user. He draws on the values of African culture to inform his design process. A process of letting go of preconceptions and approaching each new project with fresh eyes and a fresh perspective. Many of his designs tackle social issues. For example His Introverts Chair with its high woven back that curves around the sides to mimic a cocoon that encloses the user within looks at ways to address the need for privacy in public spaces.
Nifemi’s sources local materials such as wood, raffia and metal. A proponent of made in Africa Nifemi’s LM Stool came about while exploring manufacturing options in his home country. Having found a factory that used sheet metal to produce casings for generators Nifemi began experimenting with the traditional stool playing with the idea of how much of the form could be removed before the design became unstable and therefore impacting its functionality. His Ké2 Chair design was an exercise in pushing and exploiting the properties of laminated plywood and tubular steel to come up with a product that is both comfortable and durable.
The need to move furniture around crowded cities with ease inspired TEBUR, a table that can be assembled, flat packed and carried by one person. The demands and high costs of city life also inspired the AKPOTI, a multi-functional piece of furniture that can be used as a side table, stool and storage box. Neat and compact to fit into small spaces the design was conceived as a part of a team working on the Afaraline for NLÉ Works, the architectural practice behind the Makoko Floating School.
nmbello Studio designs for life.
For further information about nmbello Studio visit: www.nmbello.com
[Image credits: All images sourced from nmbello. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]
