Job Description
Furniture Designer — Etikoppaka
nContract · In office · 3–4 months · Travel to craft cluster · Conception to completion
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nAbout Nolwa:
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nNolwa works at the intersection of Indian craft traditions and contemporary design, producing limited-edition objects that carry the precision of a studio practice and the knowledge of a living craft community.
nThis engagement is focused on Etikoppaka craft: a centuries-old lacquerware tradition from Andhra Pradesh, worked in softwood and natural lac. We are inviting a designer to spend 3–4 months in sustained inquiry with this craft, exploring what it holds, what it can carry, and where it might go.
nThe scope spans - form, colour, scale, and material nuance. The work begins at conception and ends with a built object. Nothing in between is handed off.
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nWhat the engagement involves :
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- Deep, hands-on immersion in the Etikoppaka craft - its materials, process, and possibilitiesn
- Travel to the craft cluster to work directly with the artisan communityn
- Design development across form, colour,
scale, and surface languagen
- Iteration from concept through prototype to finished objectn
- Guidance from internationally recognised award-winning designers throughout the projectn
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nWho are we looking for:
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nSomeone with genuine curiosity about Indian craft, not as subject matter, but as a design language with its own logic and rigour. You should be comfortable working with your hands, sitting with uncertainty, and making decisions that are grounded rather than decorative.
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- Background in design, with strong fundamentals in form and material thinkingn
- Ability to work independently and adapt within a making environmentn
- Graduates or postgraduates from NID or NIFT are preferredn
- Prior exposure to craft context.n
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nTerms:
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- Paid, full-time engagement for the duration of the projectn
- On-site at Nolwa's studio in Hyderabad, with travel to the Etikoppaka cl