The Delhi based firm, Kiba Design, was started by Abhimanyu Nohwar in 2005. The studio is involved in creating innovative solutions in the domains of product design, digital design, branding, engineering, and design strategy. The firm’s ideology is to explore the impact of design on the different aspects of life and to use the knowledge and experience so gathered to create informed solutions for the future. For this unique vision, the firm has been recognized in the press and also won several awards at the national level. The founder, Abhimanyu has been recognized as an upcoming designer in the country and featured in numerous publications.
Some of the work produced by the studio are as follows:
1. Jolly Rocker (Product Design)
The rocking stool was designed for two user groups: children with autism and adults. With the former, the rocking motion helps in the release of endorphins in the brain while with the latter, it helps in posture development. The stool consists of a seamless metal base (so that the motion is smooth) and a fabric cushioned top. For its design, the Jolly Rocker won the Godrej Design Lab competition in 2017.
2. AMBA website (UX, Identity)
The studio developed a logo and a website for AMBA, an organization that works for economically uplifting the intellectually disabled adults. The designed logo is simple and welcoming. Hearts are used to symbolize the courage of the organization’s people while also allowing outsiders to form an instant connection with it. The website uses crisp and clear infographics to effectively communicate the community’s requirements.
3. Leaf wearables (Product)
Kiba designed a range of smart jewelry for Leaf, a start-up focussing on wearable devices for women’s safety. When the user feels unsafe, an alarm is sent to a pre-identified phone and the device’s location is tracked. The designs allow the stones to be easily switched, hence providing customization through various colors and styles. It is water-resistant, durable, and highly reliable. Since its launch, it has seen great success in the market.
4. Aeronautical equipment (Product)
The firm designed a trolley system to handle the Light Combat Aircraft (being developed by ADA and HAL) jet engine in the airfield, the hangar and on the aircraft carrier. The design allows for servicing and maintenance anywhere on the airfield. It can also be locally manufactured since it uses standard components and easily available raw materials. At the time of development, the design was a pioneer in field-servicing a Jet engine.
5. Adonia Water heater (Product, UX)
The firm designed a range of switches and geysers for the electrical equipment company, Havells. The form was created such that maximum volume was available for insulation. This allows the water to stay warmer for a longer period, saving power. The geyser has a digital and a manual knob to set desired temperatures, even with wet hands. The product has a concealed light ring that changes color from blue to red to indicate the temperature of water within. In 2017, the product was awarded the India Design Mark.
6. Sahapedia (UX)
In 2011, the studio designed a research and education platform for Sahapedia, a place where people contribute their ideas and knowledge of Indian culture. Several UX elements were added to the platform. These included features like metadata, tagging, featured content, filtering/sorting search results, city-based browsing, spiderweb search tool, and many more. The system’s straightforwardness helped create an easily accessible and editable content platform.
7. The Humble Pen (Product)
The product is an example of a sustainable product design. It consists of a wood or bamboo body with a single metal component. The design is ecological as the wood is biodegradable while the metal can be recycled or reused. Its simple design allows for it to be easily manufactured using local materials, making it suitable for wide-scale production. Its sleek and elegant aesthetics also becomes a major selling point for the product.
8. Gaia planter (Product)
This is a gardening product designed by the firm to allow the user to grow up to 50 plants in a footprint of just 3×3 feet. It consists of a central structure onto which modules can be stacked vertically. The number of modules to be used can be decided by the user based on the number of plants. The central core consists of a vermicompost tube that leads directly to the soil. The entire product can be easily assembled and disassembled.
9. Kitchenware (Product)
The firm designed a range of kitchenware to increase the participation of men in the kitchen. For this reason, the designs made were aesthetic and of good build quality to appeal to a man’s conscience. The handles of products are protected by a heat shield to prevent any accidental burns. Other products like the Capsule Carafe and Misty Mountains Carafe were created to increase the dining experience through their playfulness.
10. Entertainment News website (UX)
In 2016, the firm designed the UX for The Telegraph, a newspaper that focuses on entertainment, lifestyle, technology, and fashion news of the country. The articles on the site were distributed across the varying genres with the newer and more trending articles being towards the top. The navigation across the site is also made more user friendly.
