Project Overview

Mix and match, play with color, texture & shape to create a piece of furniture that reflects YOU & YOUR STYLE

One box. Multiple elements. Endless options!

"CAJA" - BOX (In Spanish)
"TAPAR" - TO LID (In Spanish). TAPAS is derived from EL TAPAR

Organisation

CAJA

Team

Georgia Ezra - Sole Creator, Designer, director and Owner of CAJA

Project Brief

The CAJA story         

In 2009 the bookshelf collection "Camouflage" was born. A perspex cube that houses and frames the spines of books placed vertically on top of one another. 

2012 heralds the launch of "El Tapar". A series of versatile cover elements that alter the function and design of the original perspex cube. 

"Camouflage" and "El Tapar" can exist separately or work in unison. Their sizes and detailing allow the user to mix and match between the two collections, ultimately tailoring the piece to their own specific needs and taste. They can play with color, texture and shape to create a piece of furniture that houses everything from literature to flora and food. This allows for incredible versatility, and the possibility of "reinvention" throughout the lifetime of the object. 

One box. Multiple elements. Endless options. 

Project Need

An important element that I wanted to transpire was a sense of versatility and client ownership. I specifically wanted the buyer to feel that they could take part in the design of their own unit and have the freedom to mix match between ranges and change their piece to reflect their style, lifestyle, space and personal aesthetic.

Camouflage and El Tapar (the two collections within CAJA) are separate from one another yet work in unison. The sizes and detailing allow for both to be used together, (so that the end user can mix and match between the two collections), ultimately designing, and altering to their own specific taste - This also allowing for incredible flexibility throughout the lifetime of the furniture.

The beauty about a fully Perspex unit – like Camouflage - is that the space and/or the books placed in the unit direct the aesthetic of the furniture. If you place it in either a contemporary or a traditional house the unit will ultimately take on the style in which surrounds it. In addition, the style/subject and colour of books used direct & shape its appearance.

Design Challenge

The product is entirely produced in Australia, and incredible effort has been made to select the best manufacturers of each of the different parts (Ceramic, stone, perspex, timber, finishing the timber in 2pac) that make up the whole that will provide me the quality and standard that I require for these pieces.

When you have a beautiful product where the details have been successfully translated all the way through from design to the final product - this coming together is far more important to get 100% right. As a result the client will walk away with a unique product of an incredibly high standard.

A large challenge has been ensuring the coordination and 'coming together' of each element (made by 5 differing manufacturers) to make up ONE entire unit. There were a lot of trial and errors in the prototyping stage and this quality control will continue to be watched over with extreme scrutiny so that the elements continue to work together with no presenting issue.

Sustainability

Being an Australian made product is incredibly important to me as a designer and to the CAJA brand. I strongly believe in supporting local trade and having full quality control on manufacture.
I strongly believe that the ever changing nature of the unit allows for the end-user to alter and shape his her furniture, hence reducing their carbon footprint. The unit can change and grow with the users needs and aesthetic. Through this notion the buyer does not need to source new furniture yet can merely alter their existing CAJA tables or reuse inserts throughout their house to match their needs. As the brand grows & more variety is available, this growth will present the client with a larger scope of option to update their core CAJA units.
The camouflage bookcase also inspires to reuse magazines and books to direct the style of their unit.. The size, form and thickness of the Perspex structure also allow it to take on other varying functions; The piece is an artwork and display unit in itself, however can exist as seating, bedside table, side tables... and more.