A truly luxurious product is the outcome of the integration of hundreds of years of history, emotion and tradition with a commitment to high-quality materials and craftsmanship, all while standing on the shoulders of giants (such as Mies van der Rohe and John Arnold). The result of which is not just a product but a contribution to a way of thinking, a lifestyle… The ‘Luxuria Lifestyle’

Sada

Sada is the Arabic word for ‘echo’. An echo of the past and the continuation of the transfer of knowledge, particularly the craft of ‘dhow’ boat building. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has always had a deep-rooted relationship with craftsmanship as it had once been its major source of income. Almost all knowledge was passed down orally from master to apprentice, from parent to child and from generation to generation.

As part of his senior project at NYU, Salman Rouhani continued this transfer of knowledge through the development of a high fidelity stereo speaker which demonstrates that craftsmanship & heritage in the UAE can be utilized to create modern luxury products that are able to elegantly embody and integrate the stories and traditions of the past. According to Dr Robert Parthesius, a Professor of Museum and Heritage Studies at NYU and the director of Dhakira Center for Emirati and Global heritage studies:

“Salman Rouhani’s search for both his own identity and a cultural-historical context for thinking about the future development of genuine Emirati design stimulated him to start a search, a very open-minded, and open definition process of design, art, heritage and technical exploration. The result is a stunningly designed functional object that does justice to this multi-layered research”

The development of the product relied on a deep and painstaking exploration of Emirati heritage and craftsmanship. This was followed by an intense and prolific prototyping phase. One can count more than 500 sketches and countless foam and cardboard prototypes, all of which occurred before approaching manufacturing. The final product will feature high fidelity ribbon tweeters and a four-inch mid-woofers that are skillfully encased by beautiful golden teak that rests on a custom hand made mirror-finished 304-grade stainless steel stand. The stand also rests on acoustic isolation spikes to ensure the very best acoustic performance.

Salman Rouhani

Having recently graduated from NYU, Salman Rouhani is an Emirati product designer who works towards the development of an Emirati luxury design identity that strikes a balance between the modern design language and the heritage of the United Arab Emirates.

To learn more about Salman Rouhani and his product designs you can visit his website here