Branding

Branding can easily be screen printed on any side of the furniture.

Process

100% Design Tokyo

My piece of furniture is designed for seating at the 100% Design Tokyo Event.
I have identified 3 main places where the furniture can be used. Bar, Exhibition and Container Ground.

Concept Refinement

Once I had selected one concept out of the few that I was working on, I approached concept refinement stage by making a series of 1:3 scale models.
Once a mock-up was completed, I then analysed each individual model to see where it's faults and weaknesses were.
I then improved the structure and layout and implemented the changes in the next model.
This process allows my design to evolve and improve rapidly.

The next series of images show how my designs have evolved through more than 10 scale models.

Model 01

This was a basic 6-sided unit inspired from an origami form.

Model 02

I changed the dimensions to make it more stool-like and less cube-like.

Model 02a

I tried increasing the height by double, but this caused a drastic change in the form that was unexpected.

Model 03

I worked with inverting some of the corners to acheive different contours.

Model 04

After changing the height and changing some angles, this model was beginning to show signs of a more appropriate proportion.

Model 05

In this model, I was working with tapering the base, however, it became more unstable.

Model 06

In this model, I experimented with creating some inward angle to try and change the direction of the load stress from vertical to horizontal.

Model 07

I curved the base of this model to experiment the possibility of a slight 'rocking feature'.
It didn't work.

Model 08

In Model 08 i began experimenting with various locking systems and how an internal skeleton or cross section could further strengthen my stool design.

Model 09

In model 09 I was still working on locking systems.

Furniture: 3 Concepts

These are the initial concepts I have developed for the event 100% Design Tokyo.

Folding Chair Concepts from RISD

Amazing folding chair concepts from RISD.
Folding chairs from 1 or 2 scored cardboard. No glues or fixtures.
Watch the youtube videos here, and here.

p.s how do I embed a video?

Esquisse Four

Esquisse Four



Step 1: Layout.

From L to R: tongue and groove locking system, unknown joint, mitre joint, curve joint.

Step 2: Unknown joint.

Although the thickness of the X-Board is 10mm, the material folds in on itself.
Therefore the width of the cut should only be 9mm wide.

Step 3: Mitre edge.

Similarly, instead of a 20mm (10mm x 2) width cut, a 18mm (9mm x 2) cut would be more accurate.
This is because of the 1mm 'skin' of the X-Board.
The challenging part of this step is getting a crisp and sharp edge.
This can be done by scoring the inside of the X-Board before folding.

Step 4: Curved edge.

To acheive a smooth radius, the X-Board has to be bent slowly and carefully.
Scoring the X-Board would help acheive this, as well as controlled compression/crushing of the 'honeycomb' stuff inside the X-Board (after the skin has been peeled off).

Step 5: Completed cube.

Dimensions: 6mm x 6mm x 6mm

Esquisse Three - 3D Translation

Esquisse Three - 3D Translation



Step 1: Star-shaped folds.

This is a repetition of star-shaped folds, each unit interlocked with next one surrounding it.

Step 2: Fanning out.

Each individual unit is then fanned out, automatically locking itself into place with the next connecting unit.

Step 3: Completed model.


Step 4: Side view.

Esquisse Two - Locking Systems

Esquisse Two - Locking Systems



Step 1: Female template.

The male and female templates were acheived by methods of trial and error and reverse engineering.

Step 2: Single female unit.


Step 3: Male template.

The width of the slots were critical to the success of this model.
They had to fit perfectly in order for the weight transfer to work well.

Step 4: Single male unit.


Step 5: Interlocking pair of male and female units.

The nature of a single unit transfers vertical weight to horizontal weight by opening up at the base (which would cause it to fail). This was solved by interlocking the units such that they gain structural strength from each other.

Step 6: Completed model.

This final model was created using 41 interlocking units that give it strength by locking its' 'limbs' into each other.
Excess material at the end of the 'limbs' further strengthen the model by pushing outwards, making the model structurally sound.
This is an original model.

Esquisse One - Origami Sphere

Esquisse One - Origami Sphere



Step 1:

Stacks of individual origami units.

Step 2:

Putting them together piece by piece.
This step in fact, is the most challenging step of the model.
The individual units don't hold together well at this stage because there is very little tension, unlike the next step.

Step 3:

At this step, adding more units are fairly easy because they hold each other well because of tension.

Step 4: Completed model.

The final model holds itself together primarily because of tension.
The structural strength however, is not as sturdy because of the thin material of the paper.

Esquisse One - Pyramid

Esquisse One - Pyramid (100mm x 100mm x 100mm)



Step 1: Cutting out a 2D shape.

This shape was acheived on the third attempt through trial and error.

Step 2: Folding

The inner flaps fold in on itself.

Step 3: Locking the sides.

The sides have a locking system which is cut from the inner panels.
A cleaner, more crisp edge might have been acheived by having 2 locks instead of 1.

Step 4: Completed model.

You can see that there are gaps between the edges.
One way of improving this would be to fold it sharply (but the difficulty of this increases with the thickness of the paper).

Esquisse One - Cube

Esquisse One - Cube (100mm x 100mm x 100mm)

Step 1: Folding a origami unit from a square paper.

Step 2: A single origami unit.

Six of these origami units are required to form a cube.

Step 3: Interlocking the pieces with each other.


Step 4: Completed Cube.