katie sensory design : the chair

Sensory Design: The Chair

I began by gaining an understanding of the measurements of the size and proportions of the human body in chair design by measuring a variety of casual chairs within the studios and my house to gain some measurements that I will need to bare in mind further along into this project for my chair design.

Measurements of the chairs in the studio - to consider when designing my chair.

Average chair measurements.

My initial idea was to consider designing a chair that calms the individual when using the chair from the way the seat maybe molds to their body e.g. groove down the center to support the spine, or maybe making it out of an adaptable material similar to Ron Arads Memo bean bag (1999)- the chair molds to the body.

Maybe considering a deceptive chair that confuses the users as it appears on first glance to look unstable and uncomfortable (as it may appear it requires them to balance the chair), but its actually really comfortable.

From this point i began to look for some visual references of utility/ casual chairs already on the market that would be suitable for a variety of environments, including: domestic, office, bar, restaurant , where I could see my design slotting into, but within the price range of £60- £180 per unit.

I then went in search of chairs based on my ideas to see whats already on the market to avoid them, ensuring my ideas will be original - this is when i discovered a range of uncomfortable chairs. below are the ones I could see being uncomfortable to sit on. - see if they can be twisted to make them to be comfortable so instead of aiming for it to be comfortable doing the reverse - being aware of everything I don't want my chair to encompass. e.g. anger- calm, comfortable, serine, relaxing, placid, soothing, tranquil ...

The Slightly Uncomfortable Chair Collection was designed by the Sid Lee Collective. Designed to encourage meetings to be shorter and more efficient.

Chris Duffy's deceptive chair looks unstable and seems as if it's almost defying gravity at first glance. But after another look you notice the illusion is the apparent black shadow that is actually a part of the chairs metal frame, functioning as it base.

Chris Hardy's Cesca chair (a modernist classic) uses contemporary generative techniques and rapid prototyping technology as an homage to modernism.

Selective laser sintering (Shapeways was used to create the chair. This was used based on its strength characteristics and its ability to be formed quickly and easily based on the quite complex geometry.

This postmodern mash-up also reduces the cost of production. but it does not seem comfortable - maybe inflict pain on the user due to its complex geometry from as theres no solid base or back to the seat.

Designer: konstantin grcic
Manufacturer: magis
Dimensions: h: 81.8cm, h to seat: 45.2cm, d: 59cm, w: 55.3cm

Martino Gamper's 100 chairs in 100 days, Gamper has reconfigured the design of 100 seats which were retrieved over a period of two years through his adventures of rummaging through garbage, picking up rejected and deserted chairs. The result is a collage of design history, his intentions being to convert the character and features of the chairs as a means to investigate the potential merger of several stylistic and structural elements. Though the design approach of each piece may seem spontaneous, each chair is characterized by a deep knowledge of design history.

Each chair attempts to transform its character and/or the way it functions , creating useful new designs by blending together stylistic or structual elements of the existing chair types

I realised from the research I've done so fair isn't really inspiring so decided to go down the route of anger taking inspiration from maybe aesthetics, from certain forms of classical/ modern architecture – harsh forms and vertical lines/ angles or reverse the idea by looking at sooth fluid curved natural designed building and altering certain angles to be smooth opposites transferring them onto my chair design.

I came across the Watts towers exuberant monumental urban art, which became notorious as the site of riots in the summer of 1965 in America. on first glance the toweres appear to be quite sketlton, scary aggressive harsh but up closer you can see that the spiderweb of steel an conocerte is embellished with mosaic patterns - deceptive.

The cube shaped flats in Australia are twisted hexagonal shaped pole structures, look almost like they are going to tilt over/ unsure - carry into chair design the idea of it being unsecured.

The Chelsea Modern a sleek residential building interesting facade of overlapping angled windows rippled facade of the .

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Walt Disney Concert Hall combination of harsh angles, points and sleek curves.

Can see potential in translating into a leg - aggressive angled and exagrated points

Also maybe looking at wild animals faces screwed up with wrinkles, also people and translate certain characteristic within my chair design .and other visual/graphics/ art to represent anger . considering what causes anger ? ....

“Anger is the energy that people use in order to act. But when you are angry, you are not lucid, and you might do wrong things” Thich Nhat Hanh.

“Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one”. Benjamin Franklin“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned”. Buddha“When anger rises, think of the consequences” Confucius“For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness”. Ralph Waldo Emerson“Anger will never disappear so long as thoughts of resentment are cherished in the mind. Anger will disappear just as soon as thoughts of resentment are forgotten.” Buddha

Almost twisting anger; identifying everything I don't want my chair to encompass - returning back to the idea of the chair being deceptive - may appear to look angry but when actually when you sit on it it’s comforting.

Adjective:

Giving an appearance or impression different from the true one; misleading.

Synonyms:

delusive - deceitful - delusory - false - misleading

Also maybe consider using colour to portray anger – irritation, fury, annoyance, rage, wrath, ire, resentment, antagonism.

From my visual research I depicted certain angles and form characteristic from the images to twist or to almost avoid to make the chair be deceptive which I kept in mind when drawing the thumbnail inital sketches chair to follow.

Once I sketch several ideas I went back to explored and develop certain designs that I thought encompassed my idea the most or the ones I simply liked the most. to try and encompass them more to reflect my emotion deception, in the way that it may appear to look fragile, unstable but will in fact hold an individual securely.

Ideas page:

Below are the sketches developing the chair ideas from the thumbnail ideas above.

From my sketches above I fell like I have explored several paths that I can now continue with. Below are the 6 chair design I see I can explore further in form and the materials used . I believe all apart from one chair (but can have selected as intend to take elements of this design further) as they encompass my emotion deception, as they appear fragile, unstable.

Began exploring how I see the seat base curving under with a tight curved front bend. Considered whether it should continue back enough to be inline with the top seat or just curve under to cover the front legs?

Also considered the back rest to be quite angular, straight, curved corners. But towards the base should it have a curve in the back to increase comfort - mold to the bodies form? similarly in the seat.

I then went on to explore the angle of the curve and the front of the seat and the back rest. Maybe introducing sides the legs extending from the seat instead of being an individual front leg tube.

From the sketches above I feel the bottom two sketches to explore further as the first row look to angular and awkward to sit on.

With the front angle of the seat (the curve under ) I see it continuing all the way back so it is inline the back rest with a tight slight back angled curve so it doesn't interfere or touch the person when they are using the chair.

Also it will add support so that when the chair is sat on it flexes down and rest on the bottom seat base - hence the need for solid back legs.

Regarding the front legs I see them being separate from the the chair frame/ core as it again continues on with my idea of being fragile, appearing unstable. Maybe a continuous piece of metal with tight angled bends to create the front piping legs?

But with the front legs being separate from the chair seat/ core it will need to be secured - solution = creating a dip in the bottom seat layer for the legs to be housed in to keep secure. This idea may still require the legs to be bolted but if not contributes to the idea of the fragile, unsecure ...

Final decided form for the chair is to have a straight back, chunky back legs to support the flex in the chair when it is sat on. Continuous bent front legs that are to be held freely in the front angled dip curve over at the front of the chair - making the back rest and the seat and bottom seat a continuous form. I removed the idea of a having a comfort bend in the chair to keep the design connected with my emotion - deception, anger, fragile, unstable.

I have sketched further exploring the final form ensuring that I am conveying my idea clearly.

Now satisfied with the core/ body of the chair began sketching to explore the form of both set of legs considering the materials as well.

Experimented quickly of how i see the curve of my seat to be using blue foam.

Either with a small curve in the back angle and in the seat base, increasing comfort when seat upon. Which I think would add to the idea of it being deceptive - looking comfortable .

or.

Keep the angles streamline straight decreasing comfort when sat upon. But making the angle at the front of the leg a key feature in the design of the chair.

Now that I am satisfied with areas of chair design I began to consider what materials to use that will be best suited for my design.

From this brainstorm I explored with sketches and through futher research options:
1. All parts of the chair molded from stainless steel/ or another hard metal

2. The core of the seat molded ( pressed with a tube bent frame) from wood and the front tight curved legs made from stainless steel/ or another alternative hard metal.

3. Wooden pressed seat and solid back wooden legs- Walnut or Maple plywood or multply Beach with painted pre-galvanized metal tube forelegs which could be dipped to give a pop of colour - several colour options.

4. Polypropylene core and legs

5. Polypropylene core with stainless steel legs for the both back and front legs or made from a painted pre-galvanized metal tubing.

6. Elastic wood - allowing flex and tight angled bends in the wood.

no. 1 and 2

no. 3

no. 4 and 5

By using polypropylene I could experiment using a glossy or matt finish to the chair.

no. 6

By using elastic wood it allows me to the mold the plastic resin into the wood allowing a specif edge/ finish/ pattern joining the wood and plastic together.

For the join between the wood and the plastic I decided on a straight streamline join as it mirrors the clean lines and edges of the chair. Also kind of makes the chair look separated, therefore reflects to my emotion of deception, unstable, fragile ...

Also a darker grained wood looks more vibrant and is a greater contrast between the blue plastic resin e.g. cherry wood. But the plastic resin could be in a range of vibrant colours e.g green or orange ...

Below is an explored sketch of my final design for the "Bend chair" highlighting the different connected parts and the measurements.

Higher Resolution renders - redone the board

The "Bend Chair "
A Pen Render

Maya Render

Higher Rendered Maya images board

Also considered if sold to a restaurant or bar they would want the colour of the injection molded plastic to match their interior, so could produce a range of the end chair e.g. white or orange...

Maya and Pen Renders to demonstrate how the chair would bend ate the joints when it is sat on. As the elastic wood section is resting on the solid Black Maple plank/ base.

Material/ Manufacturing

Higher Resolution rendered images

The "Bend Chair" exemplifies the connection of plastic and wooden furniture - fuses handed made furniture and injected molded plastic furniture.

(The connection of 2 levels; Physical wood connection with plastic and Stylistically plastic and wooden furniture).

I designed the plastic connection with wood to achieve the tight bends/ curves within my design. The plastic will flow into the wooden seat. I have decided to join with a straight division to create the appearance of weakness within the seat design - Preventing it from flowing where it wants to flow- where there's space.

The "Bend Chair" will have flexible joints/ curves/ bends using overmoulding the process of using two sperate materials to form one cohesive component.

To create the flex/ join the the "Bend chair" I would create the mold on the computer then would used them to hand cast the plastic resin into the wood.

Elastic wood focuses on the joinery in the wood, allowing the wood to become flexible. This process/ production is influenced by the process of over molding - The two materials to enhance each others characteristics e.g.

Wood = Used for compatibility for furniture and a warm aesthetic
Plastic/ elastic material = Purpose of transforming 2D into a 3D shape/ form.

But when the two materials are combined it adds flexibility to a ridged wood form/ furniture.

Inspired but the works of "Peli Design Plastic Nature edition" http://pelidesign.com/websitepeli/plastic-nature-table-and-chairs/#1 to aid me in achieving the flex in the seat where in use/ being sat on and the tight angled curves. As they can not be achieved wood by simply bending/ molding the wood. Also because I wanted to avoid using enjection moulded plastic, as I feel it can some times make the product/ furniture look cheap. In addition I feel using Elastic Wood is more fitting with my idea of it being flexible/ appearing unstable.

Below are some usful links I
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/9790/salone-satellite-2010-elastic-wood-by-gilli-kuchik.html
http://www.myadventureisyouradvantage.com/home/2010/7/9/elastic-wood-bakery-design.html

Planning Final Boards

No. 1