Our final project for space/ materiality class is make a collapsible chair, the collapsible design not only would encourage us to think using different kinds of mechanical connection on the project but also our first time working with wood as our primary material. Also, we work with a partner so we could help each other and try to make our design have connection, like a set of chairs.
First we started researching about different kinds of chair design and what could be some ways to design a collapsible connection, and we brain stormed ideas for half of class then we discussed with our partner to see how could we make our design have connection.
After brainstormed about our chair we used cardboard to make a prototype before making with wood.
My idea of Collapsible design was using fabric and henges because fabric is soft and foldable and henges could connect wood pieces together but still be able to move around the pieces. However me and my partner’s design almost have not common, they looked totally different. So I decided to change some of my design in order to match with hers.
Before we started all the work, we also learn different kinds of mechanical connections, butt joint and using dwell as example. We used the technique we learned make a square as practice.
So I choose 2*3 hard wood as my material to work on.
Finally we started to make our chair!
In order to match with my partner’s design, I need to do some changes to my original idea. Since my partner’s design have lots layers of triangles so I put this element to my chair put some triangle shape on the side of my chair.
During the making process, I met lots different kinds of problems. It much more difficult than what I thought, first because wood have different valuation so it was hard to cut them all in the same size, I was half way through and I found out that my design might be not strong enough to support a person’s weight also I was kind of scare to use the bandsaw because I was not familiar with it.
However, as I use the machine more and more, I became better of control the machine in the wood shop, also I am not scare anymore.
For the problem of not strong enough to hold a person I talk with my professor and we spend a while to figure out how could I adjust the design to make it stronger, and we came out an idea to put heavy dwell in between the chair legs so it could have a better support the chair also will be much more steady.
Moreover, I started with sewing the top of my chair, I choose leather fabric because I thought it will looks very good with wood.
Before I stable my fabric on my chair I spray paint my chair to a beige, ivory color which I thought would looks very good with my fabric.
before I spray painted,
in process…..
and wait it to be dried.
Finally I put all my pieces together, also I design when I take out the dwell they would be handles for my chair so, this chair would be easy to storage and carry around.
Also, we did the orthographic drawing for our chair
Finally, here is my finally pictures
