Raumfluss

Text & Inteview Dzenana MUJADZIC

Gutes Design definiert sich bekannterweise über mehr als nur rein ästhethische Aspekte, es ist eine gezielt geschaffene Erfahrung, die Produkte oder auch Räume und Emotionen miteinander verbindet. Die britische Designerin Miminat Shodeinde, die ihr in London ansässiges Studio Miminat Designs bereits zu Studienzeiten im Jahr 2014 gründete, konzipiert ganz in diesem Sinne fließende Raumstrukturen, die emotionale Erlebnisse kreieren und in deren Umsetzung sie Themen wie Schwerkraft, Wasser, aber auch Einflüsse ihrer nigerianischen Wurzeln erkundet. Mit ihren Möbeln, die auch in Museumssammlungen auf der ganzen Welt zu finden sind, möchte Miminat Shodeinde insbesondere auch Räume schaffen, die dem vermeintlich banalen Bedürfnis ihrer internationalen Auftraggeber:innen nach Schönheit und Entspannung durch Raumgestaltung gerecht werden.

Chapter You have worked on projects around the globe, from Ghana, Nigeria, Portugal, and the UK. With regard to this internationality, what do you think is the underlying need and shared vision, your clients have in common? And if so, how do you approach this as a designer?

Miminat Shodeinde My work is about the way we experience space and about beauty. Wherever I am designing, I want to create spaces that people instantly relax in, and I think that’s a shared vision I have with my clients. Our process is very fluid, but there are common thematics – I like to play with notions like gravity, aeronautics, water, and more, as well as explore my African heritage and the power of the female body.

Privates Wohnprojekt, Cape Coast, Ghana, 2020
Skulptur, aus Privatbesitz

Chapter As a creative, you are arguably absorbing inspiration from many sources, but do you remember the first artist or artwork that left an impression on you?

Miminat Shodeinde I love Käthe Kollwitz. Her work is so deeply expressive and evocative, it really speaks to the soul. On the design side, the work of modernist architects like Oscar Niemeyer and Lina Bo Bardi. Their work and ideas. The poetry of their creations.

Privates Wohnprojekt, Gloucestershire, England, 2022

Skulptur, Alberto Giacometti, aus Privatbesitz

Sessel, »S33 Chair«, Marcel Breuer

Chapter How much importance do you attach to the emotional component of design?

Miminat Shodeinde I think I am a naturally empathetic person. I think that design can have the power to move you and to provoke emotions, both positive and negative. I recently designed a collection of vessels inspired by the strength of my mother; it was a cathartic process for me.

Privates Wohnprojekt, Simons Town, bei Kapstadt, Südafrika, 2022

Chapter Recently, you have also released your debut superyacht concept named M/Y K. Can you tell us a little bit more about what considerations went into the design?

Miminat Shodeinde I was very much inspired by Japanese design principles when designing the M/Y K yacht, which felt like a natural reference point as I wanted to create a »floating sanctuary« characterized by clean lines, thoughtful wabi-sabi-inspired materials, and a serene color palette which evokes a feeling of quiet sophistication. It was intended as not only a vessel for art but a masterpiece in and of itself. The design had to accommodate five separate rooms: the owner’s suite, VIP cabin, three guest cabins to serve as crew quarters. Standout features we chose to incorporate include the glass-covered atrium to the front of the saloon and the extended beach club with swimming pool to the stern.