This lightweight leisure chair was inspired by a curiosity with the experiential effects of weightlessness and seeks to explore the structural, functional, and expressive limits of discrete surfaces.
It's good for indoors or outdoors. Lightweight carbon-fiber construction means it is easy to move around, easy to clean, and easy to relax in.
Process
How might material, form, and functionality be utilized to create a more enduring and user-friendly solution?
Form inspirations were influenced by the intended manufacturing process of open-molded carbon fiber, with ease of manufacture, high strength, ease of portability, and expressive quality as primary drivers for the design.
Comfort Model
This foam prototype was used to help determine a comfortable form factor for a range of users, and define the final surface design.
Surface refinement
It was important for the chair to look "relaxed", yet robust. Several digital prototypes were developed before the final form was realized.
A two-piece structure ultimately seemed to offer the best results. The seat back and base are designed to attach in such a way as to rely on shear strength of the adhesion joint for support, and eliminate most lever/pry stress. Both parts are designed with accommodation for draft so that they may be produced with single-part molds. A high-strength epoxy resin bonds the parts together.
Rear legs designed to flex slightly under load to maintain fours points of contact with the ground. This eliminates any rocking on uneven surfaces.
Smooth, flowing curves and generous radii lend style and strength to the fiber-composite structure.
Tooling/Alpha Prototype
3D-printed tools used to create heat-resistant fiberglass molds.
(The alpha prototype weighs in at 3.3lb)
