ode.1
Object / Collectible Design / 2024
Problem
As Kaunas rapidly modernizes, iconic urban spaces and architectural memories—like the Vytautas Park carousels and the now-demolished “Merkurijus” building—are vanishing. This loss risks detaching people from the city’s layered history and their own nostalgic ties to it.
Solution
“ode.1" reimagines a functional object as a sculptural form of memory. Inspired by Kaunas’ brutalist heritage and public spaces, this collectible table invites personal and collective reflection through material storytelling and urban symbolism.
Remember Through
Material
The tabletop, made from hand-forged oxidized copper, evokes the spinning texture of childhood carousels—alive with changing colors and tactile narratives. Each mark on the surface becomes a metaphor for the passing of time and emotional resonance.
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“ode.1” transcends typical furniture design. It’s a collectible object and sculptural installation, built to function and provoke thought—connecting past and present in a physical form that speaks to urban identity and transformation.
A Furniture That Remembers
“ode.1” transcends typical furniture design. It’s a collectible object and sculptural installation, built to function and provoke thought—connecting past and present in a physical form that speaks to urban identity and transformation.
A Furniture That Remembers
A Furniture That Remembers
“ode.1” transcends typical furniture design. It’s a collectible object and sculptural installation, built to function and provoke thought—connecting past and present in a physical form that speaks to urban identity and transformation.
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Reclaim Brutalism
The table legs, constructed from raw rebar, channel brutalist architecture and industrial authenticity. Their exposed structure pays homage to the city's infrastructural backbone while inviting reinterpretation of Soviet-era aesthetics through a contemporary lens.
Reclaim Brutalism
The table legs, constructed from raw rebar, channel brutalist architecture and industrial authenticity. Their exposed structure pays homage to the city's infrastructural backbone while inviting reinterpretation of Soviet-era aesthetics through a contemporary lens.
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Value that was created
“ode.1” expands the role of design into cultural commentary. It bridges memory, architecture, and emotional heritage, offering an object that preserves fading urban narratives while sparking dialogue on change, place, and time.
Dominykas Vascila
Vilnius Academy of Arts
2024