Evolution of an Idea: Chapter 3

As I mentioned in my last post, my curvy chair idea was derailed and I was forced to reconsider my design. I have gone in a more manageable direction, and focused on an end table. Furthermore, the table is based on a more specific form of the general philosophy outlined in my last post. I have been using a lot of text lately, so this time I will try to let the pictures speak for themselves as much as possible.

Detachable Luminaire may be used independently:

Table has a physically strong and stable form. Tapering shape is vaguely reminiscent the mouthpiece viewed in elevation (see layout above).

Table may be easily and quickly dismantled and stored. Bottom can remain temporarily independent when top is removed to use as a food tray or lap work surface.

Evolution of an Idea: Chapter 2

VETO'd. My brilliant lounge chair idea has been overruled on the grounds that it is too complex and too large. *sigh* Anyway, onwards. I have moved on to use one of my earlier sketches from the brainstorming portion of the project. Its design is based on a philosophy inspired by both my own writings and my research on industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa. Fukasawa holds that human interaction with the physical world should occur "without thought." An object should be designed so that the user interacts with it in an intuitive manner that borders on instinct. It should be exactly as complex as it needs to be and no more. It should afford users opportunities and meet their needs in a fluid and uncompromising manner.

A Fukasawa umbrella has a notched handle for holding a shopping bag strap.
Simple, intuitive, useful. Why didn't this exist already?

I have fused Fukasawa's philosophy with my own, and have decided to experiment with it this term. I do not necessarily think designed objects need always fade into the background of life, but they should exist for the user, not despite the user. My object of nostalgia, my mouthpiece, was special because it afforded me possibilities. It guided my sound, timbre, pitch, but still allowed me to achieve different sounds for different ensembles. The catch was that I achieved the perfect tone for none of the situations. My design philosophy for this term aims to design beyond this catch:

"The beauty of furniture comes from its elegant response and adaptability to human touch."

This statement, at first, seems very broad. But it has very specific and measurable implications for the design of furniture. It is not quite a pattern, a la Christopher Alexander, but it is close. Firstly, the piece must be useful. Beauty comes from the piece's response to human needs, not from a commentary on society or an unusual and sculptural form. Second, the piece must be adaptable. What happens when the user's needs change? What if the layout and organization of the surrounding space changes? What if the piece gets a new owner with a different idea of how it should be used? Architects use the phrase "precisely-general" to describe this changeability. It is a different concept from "nonspecific". A nonspecific object or space could fit anything, has no identity and lends itself to no use in particular. A "precisely-general" object, space, or idea can accommodate a variety of uses in an orderly and thoughtful fashion without restricting its user to any one particular function. The difference is subtle, but important. Finally, the piece must be elegant. Its use must respond to the users needs in a refined, simple way.

I got all of that down into one sentence. Woo!

Evolution of an Idea: Chapter 1

I came up with an interesting form and structural system for a lounge chair. It uses repetitive elements in a wave-like curve that mimics the form of a human body in a semi-reclined position. The curve and the way it conforms to the body is reminiscent of the way the mouthpiece fits a player's mouth.

The form is held together entirely with tension and compression. The circular arcs of the curves are formed by wooden slats. The slats are held together by straps of tough nylon webbing that run parallel to the curve of the arc. The wood, on the inside of the arc, resists any compression forces. The nylon, on the outside of the arc, resists tension.

Side View: the red represents my original replacement of the straps, the blue my revised placement after building a mini-model

Seat Surface: Front View

Side View

This mock-up is just the seating surface and arm rests. The final will have a slightly different curve (to accommodate better leg support), and no cardboard fill underneath the curve.

Some Dissasembly Required

So, it's been a while since I last posted. I am currently taking a studio class in furniture design. This studio's theme centers on objects of nostalgia. Our first assignment was to choose an object that we have a particular emotional attachment to, something that represents a memory or feeling that we wouldn't want to lose. I chose my jazz mouthpiece for my trombone from high school. I still miss jamming in the mornings with the band (Elements) before class.

The mouthpiece is the most personal part of a brass instrument, the one that the player connects to the most. This piece represents a musical and social experience that has shaped my attitudes about not only music, but life and friendship as well. I would not trade those memories for anything; this mouthpiece represents that relationship to me.

As a designer, I find all sorts of interesting things in its form and utility that I missed back then: the subtle curves that hint at its function, the way it responds to my body temperature by stealing and then releasing the heat of my breath, the way it shines from a distance (but shows the marks and wearing of time up close), its hard surface and soft shape. One of its most bizarre characteristics is the way its concave surface reflects a distorted view of reality. You cannot see this image, though, unless you put your face very near its surface. The act of placing your face close enough to see places your face into the mirror's primary field of view, forcing you to undergo a bizarre sort of self-reflection and examination. You may try to see the world around you from this unusual perspective, but you really just end up seeing yourself. It is an intriguing concept, one that I may or may not be able to work into a piece of furniture.