Completed Prototype

The Finished Product

Main Materials: 
32mm x 3mm x 3m Mild Steel Flatbar (2)
25mm x 3mm x 3m Mild Steel Flatbar (1)
30mm x 12mm x 2.5m Pretreated Pine Skirting (4)


Joining Methods:
Welds
Threaded Drilling & bolt


Features:
Suitable for indoor and outdoor applications
Strong steel frame
Ergonomically positioned seat and backrest
Disassembles into 3 main components for convenient maintenance


Architectural Influence:
Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum
 - Clear interwoven leg frame made from a single length of metal inspired by the continuous flowing ribbon ramp of the museum gallery.
 - Solid geometric lines and forms of the structure and timber components used to reflect the architectural style of the Museum exterior.
 - "Floating" form of the seat and backrest influenced by the open form of the building interior and exterior.
 - Visual aesthetic draws inspiration from the subtle angles and off-center positionings of the external design

 

[source: http://www.delmars.com/wright/gugg1.jpg]

[source: http://images.piccsy.com/cache/images/ezra-stollerguggenheim-museum-frank-lloyd-wright-new-york-ny-1959-91226-530-401.jpg]

Final Model Detailing

Frame and timbers preparation for final submission:

Respray of steel structure for uniformity

Recessing of bolt-heads into seat surface

Colour matching visible joinery and inspecting paint finishes after drying

Making a grip for the underside of the legs using 25mm foam mounting tape and strips of rubber flooring underlay.

Chair Prototype Build: Structural Stage

Seat Frame parts bending and checking

clamped seatframe and backrest pre-drill & bolt

fudging the back and seat with random substitutions to test the structural integrity of the frame at a human scale before purchasing timbers...seems to hold up alright.  onto the next stage!

The Final Concept Design

Getting the design ready for the workshop, finalizing the key dimensions, processes and appearance

Materials Sampling

Checking some key materials to decide their suitability for the final concept, comparing the characteristics and appearances of varying structural types (rod, tube, bar and squarehollow), material weights and rigidity (steel, aluminium) and the behaviors under stress.

Chair Model 1/5th Scale

Bending up a scaled down version of the chair to see what areas require more attention, as well as getting a better real world view of how the chair occupies space/proportions vs the original concept drawings.

finding out that the structure between the two main legs is highly susceptible to torsion or twisting forces, thinking that a collapse able seat base is maybe wishful thinking.  Folding seat in hindsight isn't that special and perhaps seems a bit awkward.

 test subject beany bear breaks the chair identifying some areas that require redesigning, 

Class Exercise 1:1 Measurements and Ergonomic Factoring

Outline of typical classroom chairs to measure specifics in regards to object positioning and expected dimensioning, with overlay of our chair designs to match/compare