Woodlounge
Shaping by nature
it was my personal thesis topic where I was trying to answer a question: is design closer to craft or to art?
Role
ID | Concept | Prototype | Realization | Visualization
Master Diploma, 2010 | Product Design
By many researches and materials explorations that I have studied, I have selected the most natural one: wood. I have decided to prove my thesis conclusion on the chair - the most iconic form in design. By analysing and testing many sitting positions, finally, I have selected the purest human position, which is something between sitting and lying. Using the maximum of the material possibilities, I have designed conceptual furniture, which I hope have proven that design can be a craft and art at the same time.
In this project, I have been through a full craft manufacture process in my school studio in order to create the conditions to shape the wood. Together with my professor, we have designed a bath to wet the wood and built a physical mould to guide the wood to obtain their main curves - the wood was resting and drying while leaning on a wall guided by screws and finally transformed into their final shapes. Thanks to this experience, I could understand the complexity of the production process, as well as the material constraints.
Exploration phase
Sketches - Inspirations - Materials - First mockups
Explorations phase: shape researches, structure analyses, drawings, material researches, learning to understand material flexibilities and limits - first forms of shapes with chosen material. The final form of my furniture was inspired and determined by the best human sitting position, which is between sitting and lying. I have decided to analyse human bones to stay close to an organic texture and found out that bones are formed by many intertwined stripes holding together and forming a solid object. The shape was partly inspired by «La Chaise» from Eames.
The books and artists which were very helpful for me to take aspirational directions and understand better the subject
Process of shaping
includes 4 steps to create the construction
For the material, I have decided to use wood sheets for the essence of the element & created a 3D furniture combining the lightness, construction and handicraft.
The construction of the mould and working station that I have created in order to make the object. I have started to shape and attach together the stripes that form the mould and led to the creation of a first 3D dimension form.
step 1
cutting wood into 3 different widths
step 2
soaking wood
step 3
shaping wood
step 4
process of constructing a final form
The construction of the mould and working station that I have created in order to make the object. I have started to shape and attach together the stripes that form the mould and led to the creation of a first 3D dimension form.
Final insight
Thanks to exploring the material I have created various different dimensions and structure of the lounge -chair
This lounge chair concept was selected by Lidewij Edelkoort as the best design diploma from my school
