sina sohrab published by daylon hicks
Focusing on industrial design, Sina Sohrab places a strong emphasis on culture as the foundation of his work. For him, design does not begin with form, but with understanding, understanding rituals, histories, behaviors, and structures that shape how objects are used. Culture is not just a reference; it is the framework through which he defines purpose. His pursuit of focusing on the small details developed from the belief that objects endure when they are rooted in memory and shared experience.
This is evident in the Korshage Bench, where he revisits the typology of the traditional high-backed settlement associated with communal gathering and protection from drafts in historic European interiors. By translating this archetype into a contemporary work, he preserves the social intention behind the form, the act of sitting together, of creating intimacy. It not only becomes a piece of furniture but a continuation of a cultural gesture.
His conceptual installation Real-Time further illustrates this trait to the core. By streaming live CCTV footage from hundreds of locations around the world, he creates a viewing experience that highlights both difference and universality in daily life. The project shifts focus from object-making to observation, inviting reflection on global interconnectedness, surveillance, and the rhythms of ordinary existence. Culture here is examined in motion, unfiltered, unscripted, and unfolding across time zones.
Across furniture, product design, and research-based installations, Sohrab consistently approaches industrial design as a cultural practice. He investigates how objects accumulate meaning, how rituals shape form, and how design can serve as a bridge between past and present. His emphasis on culture ensures that his work resists ephemerality; instead, it aspires to create forms that remain relevant because they are deeply anchored in human behavior and historical continuity.