
Niko Kapa
The Salt and Spice Cellar is inspired by the characteristic geological processes occurred at the interface between natural forces and landscape as recorded in the sediments of AlUla. Evocative of the residual activity which has moulded the rocks, linear patterns of the sandstone erosion, strata and dune ripples visualise the wind’s eroding impetus as registered in the topographic contours, allowing the piece to speak of place and time.
Digging the form and excavating, the salt and spice pinch bowl becomes reminiscent of the chiselled stone featuring an engraving like a petroglyph on its concrete massing. Following natural flowing shapes and twisting curves, the lidded container includes a small brass spoon designed to be interconnected when put together and stored safely in place.
As if the flow of landscape had been frozen into solid, the region’s aesthetics inform the design bringing a new level of sophistication to use of everyday objects, introducing a classy modern touch to kitchen utensils. Burnished with FDA approved sealer the concrete body naturally pulls moisture away from the salt, maintaining it dry and preventing clumping while keeping seasonings, coarse ground pepper and other spices handy when you need to add a “pinch”.
With its clean and minimal look suggestive of Hegra’s rock cuttings, forces of corrosion are captured in the sweeping motion reflected on the spoon itself, as if shaped by their flow on the mass. Placed right in the recessed top the self-contained spoon can be stored in the cavity of the vessel’s lid, providing a sturdy and stylish receptacle which stands as a distinctive functional detail adorning the kitchen or dinner table. Besides its use as a Spice and Herbs Storage, the container can function as a sugar dispenser for tea and coffee, adding an elegant component in daily habits and hospitality of Arabic culture.