FDA Department of Industrial Design Industrial Design Graduation Project Fall 2015
Research Report Kartik Kapila
CONTENTS List of Tables and Illustrations Acknowledgements Part 1: Exploration of the Problem Area 1.1 Project statement 1.2 Related products, Concepts and Design Trends in the Market 1.3. Related Technologies, Materials, Production Techniques 1.4 Characteristics of the Potential User Group 1.5 Conclusions Part 2: Exploration of the Solution Area 2.1 Project constraints, Objectives and Directives 2.2 Further Research 2.3 Analysis of Potential Design Solutions Part 3: Design Solutions 3.1 Description of Design Solution 3.2 Justification of Design Decisions References
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LIST OF TABLES AND ILLUSTRATIONS Shelving Ex.1-4
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Shelving Ex. 5-8
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Shelving Ex. 9-10
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Shelving Ex. 11-12
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Materials Image
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Mounting Slab
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Screws (Concealed)
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Location Exterior
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Location Interior
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Case Example 1-2
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Client Visit 1-2
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Sketches
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3D Model
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Design Flaw
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Joinery 1-4
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Render Scene
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Joinery Chosen
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Reasoning
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would first like to thank my thesis advisor Olga Litvinova of the Department of Industrial Design at Florence Design Academy. She was always approachable whenever I ran into a trouble spot or had a question about my research or writing. She consistently allowed this paper to be my own work, but steered me in the right the direction whenever she thought I needed it. I would also like to thank my group mates who were involved with me in the projects before for this project since they helped me grow and theron I curated this project from scratch. Without their passionate participation and input, the learning process become a more interesting and fun process throughout the learning. I would also like to acknowledge my friends who study at Florence Design Academy as the second reader of this thesis, and I am indebted to their for their very valuable comments and feedback on this thesis. I would like to thank Lady Di Natale for her amazing management skills and courtesy to provide information and help readily. Her hardwork is indispensable to the functioning of the whole academy and student’s ability to complete their tasks. Finally, I must express my very profound gratitude to my parents for providing me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement throughout my study and through the process of researching and writing this thesis. This accomplishment would not have been possible without them. Thank you. Kartik
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Part 1 Exploration of the Problem Area
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1.1 Project statement This project will deliver a modular shelving system to the client. The system can extend objects’ functionality without affecting the ease of use for the users and installation for the client. It must assist in better spatial management for the client and also restrict the design to clients’ public image and identity. The shelving must also provide the ability to the client to add and remove different units according to their future requirements. 1.2 Available Shelving Solutions There are a variety of solutions for both public and private interiors available in the market currently. I have researched about the relevant solutions which can be relevant to the project statement independantly or in combination with another existing solution already available.
These solution provides a clutter-free workspace environment and are easy to implement therefore provide an insight into how ideation can proceed further with respect to the project.
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Shelves become part of environments in various ways, from being an element of fun to become a part of a utilization enhancement. The examples shown above demonstrate them becoming a primary part of the interiors and catch attention in the first glance. Making absurd and weird ideas for these can make the onlooker pay more attention however, to create a natural system requires more attention to form and function than fun. Creating a system for TODO MODO would require a shelving which disappears into the environment and does the job efficiently without distruption. For bookshelf, a fun element of balance is being used to provide more value to the object here, since it adds a more distruptive mood. It can be a conversation starter at libraries or become a playful see-saw in a childs’ room. It is easy to implement since the effort lies in the ideation to reach a solution which is effective. This is admirable since it can help find a motivation to pick up the books even if one does not intend to read in the first place. Some bookshelves provide flexibility to expand their usage beyond specific and typical uses. Here the shelf, which is primarily for books is being for decoration and other utilities too which adds the value for the consumer who intends to purchase just a bookshelf but ends up getting something much more customizable and utalitarian than just holding books. In a nutshell, design should intend to add value to the object irrespective of the method it accomplishes that. It can vary from person to person, to some an element of fun might provide value to some an element of utility and to some an element of absurdity.
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A brilliant way to provide value is to follow form. Form can provide meaningful relation in spaces depending on the architecture and environment of the space. However, to accomplish that requires careful research and indepth analysis of how client intends to be looked upon. Considering the design for public space, it should be obvious about its usage. Form must not hinder or mislead about the utility if not enhance it. Whenever the object is designed to provide a certain form, it becomes a challange for the designer to be very sure that design is in accordance with form and elements aren’t added just to complete the form which results in to clutter and is also unsustainable due to usage of materials and unnecessary manufacturing and finishing. This specific bookshelf follows the ideology to lego and malefemale joint, therefore making it super easy for the buyer or client to modulate it according to his or her needs and preferences. Playing with forms allowed this designer to come up with a unique solution of using cylinderical slots and becomes a very modular and easy to manufacture and assemble option for the consumer. Design Trends in the Market There are several trends in the market for shelving solutions currently. I have listed the major ones further. Ranging from minimalism to antiques, shelving is one of the top choice for designers to play with. Geometry: Several successful designs in the industry follow geometry and basic shapes. Cubes, spheres, hemispheres and triangles, all are widely utilized in designs in distinctive ways. DIY (Do it Yourself): DIY is the greatest buzz in the world of shelving currently. Since many people who are familiar with woodworking prefer to make their own shelves, they can customize designs as per their needs. People use their garage items and reuse old items and sometimes come up with remarkable solutions in terms of aesthetics and function. Minimalism: As seen in the first example of shelving in this report (the no-shelf bookshelf), there is a demand for objects of less is more philosophy. A significant percentage of society is shifting towards minimalism in the 21st Century. Minimalism lifestyle focuses on only the necessary and no more. Keeping only the necessary helps focus on the important and keep the mind and spaces clutter free according to Zen Philosophy, where minimalism is derived from.
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1.3 Related Technologies, Materials and Production Techniques Shelving has not been integrated with technological elements widely until now. Since the usage of shelving is storage and display, it is not viewed as a technology object although there is great scope to incorporate technology whether it can be in form of lighting for display shelving or to provide sensors to detect certain items (like keys) to locate more easily. Currently, there are a few shelves with technology integrated and I have placed them following this paragraph.
Smart Shelf Technology in 21st Century Kruger is a supermarket giant which has integrated technology with shelving successfully in its’ past experiments. Following is an excerpt from a publication in October 2015 which provides more insight into how the smart shelf experiment went and is progressing. “Kroger is deep into experimenting with “smart shelf” technology at a Cincinnati-area store. Company officials are ramping up the project and plan to test several additional applications.
“It’s not a question of if; it’s a question of when,” said Christopher Hjelm, Kroger’s chief information officer. Right now, the shelves are programmed to display video images of outsize price tags that can be altered with a few key strokes at a computer. But Kroger says they are eyeing other future capabilities. Kroger’s test is expanding from a few shelves to most of its Cold Spring, Ky., store. The company is completing the installation of 2,200 Edge shelves throughout the center of the supermarket, including most aisles with dry goods. Kroger says it continues to study customer response to the technology. While the company has tested audio with the shelves, some customers found it jarring to listen to a sales pitch from a store fixture. The retailer also got mixed results from some video ads that have been used. Children were delighted to see the Cheerios honeybee fly “inside” the edge of the shelf in the cereal aisle, but some parents weren’t thrilled to have to pull their kids away from multiple performances. Krooger leaders say they are consulting with consumer packaged goods suppliers, such as Procter & Gamble, with deep advertising experience to select the most effective still or video ads. “
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Materials in Shelving Market Ranging from Solid Wood to Metal, there are materials of different qualities available in the market currently depending on the target customer, approach, aesthetics, functionality and usability. Workability of the materials can also influence choices of materials for designers and hence create a limit for options. However, designers should keep looking for solutions and prototype using latest technologies, like 3D printing before concluding results. In general, wood is the most common material of choice consdiering it’s workability and usability in daily life. But with expansion beyond orthodox materials happening rapidly, it is not insane to look into experimental solutions while prototyping since new materials provide different combination of properties. Usually, various types of woods which used for making shelves are used in combination with metal to provide a sturdy structure considering the amount load which the shelf will bear. Shelves in garage and workshops tend to hold more heavy items which makes an important consideration of the design. Structure and Materials go hand in hand when it comes to creating a well suited shelf. Structure When a shelf is purchased to be installed, user will first consider the items which the shelf will hold and then about the appearance and design of the shelf. This means functionality will be a priority considering that most people buy products based on their usability and durability. Hence, usability will influnce the structure of the shelf to be created. If you consider a shelf in a workshop, it be holding all tools and hardware, at time machinery too, thereby making metallic structure a material of structure choice. It will different for a shelf in childrens’ room. Screws and Shelf Brackets There is marginal influence on usability but aesthetics can be enhanced or kept devoid of appeal using a specific type of screw. My preference is to use combination of concealed screws and brackets. There might also be design elements which can be enhanced using screws. In such cases, attention to screws itself can deliver remarkable aesthetics and make design appealing.
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1.4 Characteristics of the Potential User Group TODO MODO is a libri caffe (book cafe) on the street of Via dei Fossi in the city of Florence. Apart from providing quality literature and material they pay attention on their clients’ service very extensively and conduct events revolving around theatre, music and of course, book publishing and reading. Consumers at TODO MODO are form wide array of collecntion of individuals ranging from students, writers, designers, architects, engineers, pholisophers and other intellectuals. Considering the given set of people, we can expect them to be aware of well-thought and careful design. However, they are a part of a bigger set of people of public spaces. Hence, we can conclude the design for my shelf will be for a public space. Design for Public Spaces When designing within a public space, you have to take into consideration that people have various attention spans. Some may want to spend time engaging with your environment, while others may just be passing through. Despite their motives, you should be designing all experiences for different levels of engagement. That means having short, impactful experiences that reward longer interactions but don’t require them. What does engagement mean experientially? It means that the audience should forget that they are an audience. While designers should aim to capture attention, you don’t necessarily need people to be fully immersed. For a brand, you should be aiming to put a smile on someone’s face, which could change a brand perception within just a few seconds. For a museum, you should instill a sense of discovery and wonder in order to improve information retention and insight. No matter how much some people try, some things just don’t naturally fit with other things. This rings true in physical spaces as well, which is why it’s crucial to design experiences that are spatially literate: they leverage patterns of past use, user expectations, cultural norms and architecture to be true and appropriate to their physical context. And, you must understand not just the space in which the experience is happening, but also the design intent behind the space. How are people moving throughout the space? Why is the entrance on one wall versus another? Everything you do should support the visitor narrative, which underscores the larger journey that the architect has created within this space. A few years back, downtown Montreal had a pedestrian “black hole” in its entertainment district, and area that was underused and actively avoided just because of the layout of its surrounding streets. To help solve this issue, French Canadian design group Daily Tous Les Jours placed 21 swings within the empty landscape. Each seat acted as a musical instrument, and, as people began to swing, prerecorded sounds from pianos and other instruments would fill the air. The more neighboring swings that worked together, the more melodies and harmonies were formed.
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People can be made to feel powerful by having a clear cause and effect on their immediate environment. Even the smallest of inputs can result in impressive outputs. When designing for physical space, the key is to create moments where a minor interaction results in a major moment – people love to see that they’ve make an impact. We see a lot of people get fixated on specific technologies and approaches, but the truth is, nobody pays to see technology, they pay for an experience. They want to know what they are getting out of it – the emotional response and level of immersion are some of the key components. 1.5 Conclusion Client: TODO MODO The client wants a solution to space optimization and more modular solution to their current traditional setting. Considering the brand identity of TODO MODO, the solution must be coherent with their image of proactiveness and enthusiasm to make things happen. User: Intellectuals from a variety of Fields Users range from an age group of 16 to 50. However, a fraction of people are form an older age group of 50-65. The design must consider to provide a modular arrangement but keep the fact of incorporating a comfortable seating for that set of people. Hence, there is a need of a modular shelving system which keeps intact the identity and image of TODO MODO while providing an efficient shelving and consider needs of the set of people who visit the book cafe.
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Part 2 Exploration of the Solution Area
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2.1 Project constraints, Objectives and Directives This project will deliver a modular shelving system to the client. The system can extend objects’ functionality without affecting the ease of use for the users and installation for the client. It must assist in better spatial management for the client and also restrict the design to clients’ public image and identity. The shelving must also provide the ability to the client to add and remove different units according to their future requirements. There are no delivery deadlines since the project will first be reviewed interms of concept and then proceeded to production after prototyping. Constraints Identity and Image The brand of TODO MODO cafe spreads to corners of Europe because of its’ simplicity and uniqueness. TODO MODO would invest in creativity rather than flamboyance. Their clientele becomes loyal to them for keeping intact their values of providing quality service ranging from collection of books to coffee. User Requirement At times, the customers aren’t able to find seating at the cafe, especially during peak hours of lunch and evening, thus resulting in disappointment for people who sometimes are from different countries and visiting Florence just for limited period of time. Apart from that the users require connectivity to power for chargning their laptops and tablets since TODO MODO are is a working hub of small student groups and at times professionals. User Age Group One of the major factors is the age group. Some people have been visiting cafe for a long time now and are impervious to change. Hence, this set of people also needs special attention since these people share strong bonds with the place and they want to sit on the same chairs and tables, have coffee from the same cups and have their nostalgia on when they are at TODO MODO.
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Objectives Identity and Image User Requirement User Age Group Space Optimization
Modular Shelving System
Ease of Installation Manufacturing Ability
The factors influencing the design of the shelf have been listed above and considering the user base, there might also be an opportunity to bring an element into design which appeals to both users and the client. The design of good acoustics in libraries, contrary to popular belief, is not to lower noise levels, but rather to enable effective communication in areas where it is required, and reduce disruption in areas where concentration and quiet contemplation are needed. The first step is to think carefully about which discrete areas you wish to include. An library will cater for many areas, including bookstock, staff and study areas, meeting rooms or pods, collaboration areas and even, in some cases, auditoria or multimedia hubs. Just as some tasks, for example brainstorming, are not practical in spaces used for study, the acoustics that are appropriate to these areas may not be right to use in others. Tasks that are sensitive to sound and disruption should be isolated, in as much as is practical, from others that might cause disruption. It is indispensable to keep intact the brand identity considering their meaning to them means a lot and has kept growing. Users’ are as important as the identity since their comfort and needs are utmost priority of the client too. Being providers of quality service makes it important to consider details to attend the customer in the best way possible. This also means that the age group of Users varies quite wide thereby, need to incorporate characteristics which either appeal to both or are unintrusive/distruptive to the other.
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2.2 Further Research Although I am a regular visitor of the place, I planned a visit in order to analyze the interior and environment entirely with the intention of viewing it from a perspective of design critic. On a regular day, there are some people who find it uneasy to reach the top shelf and have to use some support to reach the top. There is a big problem of accomodating people in peak lunch and evening hours which creates a lot of noise and distruptive environment for people reading and working. All the customers are welcome at TODO MODO and for as long as they wish to stay. However, there are times when it becomes counter profitable to keep customers for an entire day. The staff at TODO MODO is highly courteous and attends to customers as much as is desired by them irrespective of that but some help in that arena might help them become more financially profitable too. There needs to be an intervention which caters to these problems which are frequent at the cafe. Even though the user experience is great however, a lot of potential customers do not get the oportunity to experience the place due to aforementioned problems. Below are snapshots from my visit on a regular day. Even though there was a book reading, but such events are regular for the place.
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2.3 Analysis of Potential Design Solutions Concluding the research, there were several solutions however, most of them converged to provide one solid solution to several of the problems that arised in previous study of this case. Brainstorming There were ideas to create a shelf using different properties of books themselves. But most of them provide an inconvinient option to choose since most of us are already accustomed to using the traditional method and have no trouble while doing so. Personally, I had an interest to incorporate geometry in the design since primary users at TODO MODO are artists, architects, designers and engineers from all around the world. I also planned for the solution to be stackable therefore making it easily managable. One of the solutions I created was about interdependence of objects on each other. Which meant the objects have a meaning and identity when they all are seen as a unit. However, that was something not in accordance with the identity of their image and identity. Infact, they are a bookcafe who try to achieve the opposite. They bring together unique individuals at a place and make them a cult than being ostracized by the society. Design Solution As a result, I end up bringing together several elements I have mentioned before. There is geometry. There is balance. There are numbers. They are stackable. And they have their identity as individual pieces but when they come together, they become one, disappear. While trying to achieve geometry by creating a tetrahedron, I was using calculator, a traditional one, and while calculating I looked at the form of numbers. That is something in all the fields. Art, science, design, engineering, medicine, philosophy, literature; Numbers are everywhere and relevant to all, symbolic of litracy. Solid Wood Thickness: 30mm
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Development of Design Solution This design enables to be used as a temporary seating, incase of more customers, can be used as a side table for decoration and lighting, apart from being used as a regular shelf on the wall. In regular usage, this caters to several needs for both the client and the users.
As the idea progressed, there was a realization about the forseeable misuse of the shelving units. A significant proportion of accidents are caused by consumer misuse rather than through any defect in the products themselves. Foreseeable Unintended Use 1. Reasonable Foreseeable Unintended Use 2. Reasonable Unforeseeable Unintended Use 3. Unreasonable Foreseeable Unintended Use 4. Unreasonable Unforeseeable Unintended Use Use of a product, process, or service in a way which is not intended by the supplier, but which may result from readily predictable human behavior comes under the first catagory of Reasonable Foreseeable Unintended Use. The concern for this design lies in this catagory and has been illustrated on the following page. This is the only concern for this design since the idea was to create a straightforward design for a company which does the same itself. Creating this design out of wood is challenging considering the strength and joinery of hanging ends which creates a possibility of foreseeable unintended use and discover how can the problem be solved while keeping the design and its’ philisophy together.
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There is a tendency of people to lean against the shelf when it is being used as a stand or display stool. Hence, there is a need for strong joinery to resist the component of some of the weight of a person. Joinery Mitered Joint can be altered to provide more strength and resistant to such a structure without taking fracture easily. Miter joint (mitre in British English), sometimes shortened to miter, is a joint made by beveling each of two parts to be joined, usually at a 45° angle, to form a corner, usually a 90° angle. For woodworking, a disadvantage of a miter joint is its weakness, but it can be strengthened with a spline. In a Splined Miter Joint, either way, the spline adds a lot of glue surface that really strengthens the joint. Screwing two supports to the face of the jig at a 45° angle to the blade forms a “cradle” that holds the gluedup frame securely in place. All you need to do to cut the kerf is set the frame in place and make a pass across the saw blade. (Use a rip blade to cut a flat-bottomed kerf.) These analogies provide an insight that the rethought mitered joint is a joint of choice and can be strengthened using screws in some cases and then covered with plywood board.
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Pocket Screws can also be used to strengthen the butt, miter or butt-miter joints to a reasonable extent. Because the screws act as internal clamps holding the joint together, glue is unnecessary (but usually recommended) for most common joints. If glue is used, clamping is not required because of the ‘internal clamps’ holding the joint together while the glue dries. Requires only one hole to be drilled, eliminating the need to precisely line up mating workpieces, as is required with dowel and mortise and tenon joints. Does not require any complex mathematics or measurements, such as those used in mortise and tenon joints. Because pocket-hole joinery doesn’t require access to the inside of the joint, quick repairs are possible without completely disassembling the joint. Fixing a squeaky chair or strengthening furniture requires only the drilling of additional pocket holes, and the use of screws to pull the two pieces together. Considering simplicity of TODO MODO and easablity to work with, I prefer to choose traditional joinery over using screws. Screws can be used to provide extra strength but the primary holding force would come from traditional joinery in this design. There are many advantages to using traditional joinery in the preservation or restoration of a historic building. Using traditional joinery in repairs, restorations, and other preservation ensures the structural integrity of a historic building by matching existing joinery with a joinery technique that’s sure to be compatible with it. Since traditional joinery is stronger, more durable, and expands and contracts in different ways than modern joinery – using modern joinery alongside traditional joinery can compromise the structure of a historic building. Traditional joinery is a time-tested method that is much stronger than modern joinery and lasts for generations, even thousands of years. The mortise and tenon joint is the most ancient traditional joint and has been found in the wooden planks of a vessel 43.6 meters long that dates to 2,500 BCE. Traditional Chinese architecture as old as Chinese civilization itself used this method for a perfect fit without using fasteners and glues. The 30 stones of Stonehenge were also fashioned with mortise and tenon joints before they were erected between 2600 and 2400 BCE. But most importantly, traditional joinery ensures authenticity in the preservation of our built history by more completely matching the existing materials and construction methods used by traditional trades.
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Part 3 Design Solution
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3.1 Description of Design Solution MODSHELF 65 With ingenuity of form and inspiration from elements of education, numbers, the design of these shelves provide a befitting solution to TODO MODO. These shelves are a balance between aesthetics and functionality, from being minimalistic to become modular in many possible ways. The only limit to their usage in the interior spaces is imagination.
Both units have distinct character and both units provide a distinct function, thereby creating a harmonious relationship in the context they used by the same group of people. Combination of Advanced Mitered Joint (in picture, left) and concealed pocket screws holdes the pieces together. The solid wood component provide stability and strength to the structure and make it possible to withstand the wear and tear of public shared spaces like TODO MODO. Modshelf 65 provides a straightforward solution to space optimization while adding aesthetics and cleanliness to the spaces. Moreover, there is felixbility in usage of the shelf which allows client to mix and match components. 6 component serves the purpose of seating when placed horizontally on the ground. It can also be used as a table if it rests on its’ shorter side and is made to stand vertically. 5 component serves purpose of a small table for usage of customers and also provides a stand for decoration items in the shared, whether it is a vase or room aromatizer, anything can be placed on the 5 shaped element when it rests on its’ shorter side.
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3.2 Justification of Decisions 900
450
3.2.1 Form
(Above) Horizontally on the floor, 6 component provides seating for two, 5 for one person
(Above) Vertically on the floor, 6 and 5 both components provide a table for convinience
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3.2.2 Function Identity and Image User Requirement User Age Group Space Optimization
Modular Shelving System
Ease of Installation Manufacturing Ability Identity and Brand of TODO MODO has been build on intellect since their events and presence in Florence lies around the fields of art, design and theatre. The theme of using numbers and geometry resonates both art and intellect considering the first intellects of human civilization started with calculus as their choice of study. Users who frequent the place used to find trouble locating space to down. This solution provides mutiple uses in the same time, storage and seating. Although this seating and tables might not necessarily stay the only mode of seating and working but they certainly reduce the hassle of organizing customers for the cafe runners. Since the shelving serves the primary purpose of storage of books and leaves room for old seating arrangements. Therefore, the change does not come as a sudden change to the people who have been frequenting the place for a really long time. Hence, the traditional seating system, which has chairs with backrests and comfortable (despite being bulky) for people in the age catagory of 55-65, still stays. Needless to say, considering the multiple uses for permanent and temporary storage in form of shelving and tables, certainly there is reduction in amount of space cluttered with needless furniture. Since the mutiple uses also provide seating to the clients, there is a ease for customers and also there is space optimzation in that aspect too. Installation of the shelves is easy and once the wall mounting brackets are installed, the shelves can be simple slided in and out as requred. The weight of the books further helps to stay the shelf in place once slided in. Considering the simplicity of geometric shapes, manufacturing of these shelving system’s units is easy and also the transportation to the assembly is easier due components’ shape.
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References www.google.it/en www.wikipedia.com www.designmilk.com www.archiproducts.com http://www.jaimederringer.com/2007-sketchbook/ http://www.howdesign.com/featured-design-news/experience-design-public-spaces/ http://www.scientificamerican.com/slideshow/9-materials-that-will-change-manufacturing/# http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Can_I_Rely_on_Glue_Alone.html https://blog.udemy.com/types-of-wood-joints/ http://www.ikea.com/us/en/images/products/grundtal-glass-shelf__0185529_PE337537_ S4.JPG http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/joinery http://www.diyinfozone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/L-joints-6-ways-to-make-corners_ thumb2.jpg https://in.pinterest.com/luciantaylor/no-glue-no-screw/ http://dornob.com/plywood-tension-furniture-needs-no-nails-screws-or-glue/ http://www.aisslinger.de/index.php%3Foption=com_project&view=detail&pid=121&Itemid=1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodworking_joints
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