In Context

Image of stool in context at one of the display stalls at 100% Design Tokyo
Background image sourced from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrwhojustin/3033529201/sizes/o/

Branding

Here are a number of ways I could brand my stool. I chose to use the 100% Design Tokyo Logo as this is where it theoretically would be place.
I looked at a number of ways of doing the branding:

1. Could cut out the stencil from the cardboard leaving the corrugations exposed reveling the logo
2. Could create a stencil and use spray paint to do it.

Here is an example of a stencil I created and stuck on my stool. It is just cut out from a print out and stuck on with blu-tack so it firstly doesn't damage the final stool and secondly can be moved around to see where it looks best. I believe that putting it on the back of the stool it probably the best place for it as passers by will see it more often people are sitting on them around a table.

Xanita Board 1:1 Final

HERE IT IS!!
After a few failed attempts this is my final model. I remade all the parts to make sure everything was going to fit together nicely. The top part of the design all slots into the base very tightly. The design may look simple but figuring out all the slots was a pain. The triangular sides were a pain to get right but i just did a little bit at a time and now it fits together nicely and nothing pops out under pressure. The triangular sides also provide direction as they slop towards the front of the stool.

Strength wise i don't think its going to be a problem. I don't think it will actually come apart ever again its fitted so tight.
Overall I am very happy with the outcome.


Here is a video of the chair assembly process:

Xanita Board 1:1 Attempt 2

This is the second Xanita model I made. Using the already existing base from the previous model I modified the top part to make it fit nicely onto the base (see below). The two front panels slotting in perfectly flush and the back slotted in nicely as well. I found working out where to slot the two side triangles difficult but in the end got it pretty close. The only major problem I found with this was that I cut the side slots too big which allowed the side panels to slip in and out too easily.

This design easily holds my weight, in fact I had two people standing on it the other night so I have to say its pretty solid in terms of support.

Xanita Board 1:1 Trail Model

This is the first 1:1 model I made using Xanita Board. I found that the base worked really well and came together nicely but when I tried to add the top part on it was too small so didn't fit properly. The pentagon shape was too short thus making it hard ford everything else to fit. the front pieces that did slot in were not flush up against each other either. The images above show the slotting problems.

Flat Pack

If you imagine this is the correct sized board of Xanita (1800 x 1200) then this is how the flat pack could look if this chair was being massed produced.
The base would fit up the top. (BTW it would actually be longer when taking bends into consideration but it still fits)
Two top parts could be made on one sheet and at least four braces could easily fit.
I added in the second top part as it shows how much space would actually be left over.

Xanita Board 1:2 Base Trial

This is a quick 1:2 Mock up of the base for my design. I did it purely to figure out the exact amount of Xanita I would need to cut away to allow it to bend correctly and sit flush together.

The answer:

• 13mm for the 72 degree angles and;
  
• 16mm for the 90 degree angles

I also added a brace into base to hold it flush together. (see Top Right photo). Will need to add another brace to the other side on the 1:1 model.

Cardboard 1:1 Mock Up

Quick Mock up 1:1 model of my chair/stool design. Using multiple sheets of cardboard stuck together to get the correct thickness is just a pain in the ass to put it plainly. I found that it was still flimsy and didn't give a good indication whether or not this idea would work. What was good about this though was to get a sense of scale and proportion. It also did support me when sitting gently on it.

Things is need to figure out still:

• correct dimensions
• how much card to cut away to get correct angles when bending
• bracing
• the exact spots when the top part can slot into the base

Most importantly however is not to slice my finger off like some people have in the last few weeks!!

Final Design Scaled Model 1:4

FINALLY!!! I have come up with this design for my final piece. It is a very simple and clean shape because i cannot understand why people would want to make it hard on themselves by making something more complicated. This design is a basic pentagon frame and a top part that locks into the frame.
This is the flat pack of the model. I have worked out that i would be able to make the base and two (2) of the top pieces from the xanita sheet.

Now i need to figure out the exact lengths of each piece when folding is taken into consideration.
I will also consider adding extra braces into the base as it will add extra support and stability when the user sits on it.

Model Concept

This is a development on the previous idea. I added side wings to the top part as I think this will add extra support to the overall design.
One problem i have now found with this design is that the base is flimsy and wobbles around. therefore the base can either be modified or a new design must be found.

Model Concept

This model just happened to come about by mucking around with scrap pieces of card. It started with two pieces slotted into each other and then the top part was randomly added. The outcome was surprising with every angle of the design being interesting when looked at. There are a couple of design floors that need to be addressed, such as the corners are not overly stable but this can be easily fixed by extending the base cross pieces. I will also look into adding a back rest. Overall i think it will easily support 100kg and with the allocated material allowance I should be able to produce two (2) of these which should be helpful.

I intend on pursuing this idea into a final concept.

Model Concept

Personal Brief

I have chosen to design my chair/stool for the 100% Design Tokyo festival. I have chosen two areas which I think will be appropriate placement options for my chair/stool. These two areas are:
Either Side of the bar
or;
The exterior cafe and surrounding grounds.
(Please see above diagram)

My chair will be a simple design. i will look into two different methods of constructing my chair this being slotting multiple pieces together and folding a chair from a flat-pack design.
Requirements of the chair include:

• Ease of construction;
• Simplicity;
• Easily transported and moved around; and
  
• Above all the chair need to be sturdy and comfortable to sit on
  

Initial Concept 3

This design is all kinds of awesome! Very simple as it is two exactly the same pieces slotted together. I would really like to pursue this idea however after speaking to the workshop guys they believe it would be too flimsy as too much material is cut away in order for the 2 pieces to slot together. Also angular cuts would need to be made which would be an absolute pain. will try and work around this however!

Initial Concept 2

Initial Concept 1

Concept Model

This is a quick model I made to get an idea of form and to see if the idea would actually work. Overall I am pretty happy with the outcome and am confident that if it were to be built full scale it would support the required 150kg. However this model has also made me realise that the construction technique would need to be changed in order to use the specified 1800x1200mm xanita board.

Concept Development

Here are a few pages that i did whilst doing concepts. Very rough work really only to help me understand what I am designing.

Event Evaluation - Design Made Trade Melbourne

Event Evaluation - Salone Satellite Milan

Event Evaluation - 100% Design Tokyo

Below is a video from the 100% Tokyo Design website which showcases the layout of the event


Source :http://www.100percentdesign.jp/english/visual.htm#mov1

Theme Board

Cardboard Chair Videos

Whilst researching cardboard chairs I came across these videos of chairs that someone made. It shows how easily it can be constructed and deconstructed and how sturdy the chair is when constructed.

Esquisse Three - 3D Translations

These are my three solutions to this esquisse. I chose to study a sea shell. Each followed the Fibonacci sequence in some way with each new section getting smaller / larger.

SOLUTION 1
This solution incorporated the Fibonacci sequence as each new layer gets proportionately larger as it goes around.

SOLUTION 2

SOLUTION 3

This is by far my favorite solution. Inspired from the textures on shells this solution spirals around and around. Again it incorporates the Fibonacci sequence as each new layer in the spiral gets smaller.

Xanita Board Experiment

This is the result I ended up with in by Xanita Board Experiment. The aim of the experiment was to create a box 60x60x60mm. The difficulties encountered when using this material included cutting due to its thickness, the correct measurements on all sides, and cutting the right depths to get the correct bends needed.

The images above show the final box, both in perspective and top view as well as a flat pack image.

Esquisse Two - ‘Locking Systems’

This is the final concept I came up with for this esquisse.
- Used 250 GSM card then folded it over to give it double the strength.
- Created 14 ‘Zig-Zag’ pieces which slotted into each other.
- Overall shape ended up looking honeycomb like where each point provides a pressure point of some description.

OUTCOME: SUCCESSFUL

Esquisse One - Sphere

Esquisse One - 5 Sided Pyramid

Esquisse One - Box

Construction details have been included in the image.

Bibliography

Le Corbusier & Alvar Aalto

Charles and Ray Eames & Robin Day

Karim Rashid & Marc Newson