Datecrete Console 0.1 by Sara Abu Farha & Khaled Shalkha

2022. Console.

Datecrete, brass plated stainless steel, silver coated Belgian mirror.

175 (L) x 118 (W) x 39 (H) cm

Open for commission.

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Focusing on the by-product of date stoning, Sara Abu Farha and Khaled Shalkha embarked on an investigation to understand the design capabilities of the humble date seed. The design duo studied vernacular building methods across the MENASA region before setting out to identify a sustainable and low-cost process to convert raw date seeds into a cementitious design material using their home as a laboratory. The resulting material utilizes the seeds’ mechanical properties. Datecrete possesses both a smooth texture and a cultural relevance that has the potential to serve as a local alternative to Portland cement.