CONTENTS
4 AIMS & OBJECTIVES 5 CONSIDERATIONS TO LANSCAPE 6 INSPIRATION 8 ACCOYA WOOD 9 CONCEPT ONE 13 CONCEPT TWO 17 CONCEPT THREE
24 RESEARCH CONSLUSIONS & SUMMARY
AIM & OBJECTIVES Transitional spaces and forms allow people to interact in a way that I consider very important to the act of relaxation. By creating spaces and form’s which consider the user’s bodies, movement and interaction in a space it is effectively creating an area of transition between objects. Throughout the course of my design research it has become obvious that I am influence by two very different aesthetics; that of complex geometric juxtaposition of form, and that of intricacy through use of materials. Similarities between each idea however can be seen through the truth to materials and they desire in each concept to reveal and manipulate the properties of the surfaces.
CONSIDERATION TO LANDSCAPE By treating materials in an ‘honest’ way and not hiding their true properties such as wood grain, texture and colour I hope that I can maintain some familiarity with the material. Familiarity of either the material or form allows me to create concepts that contain abstract ideas but do not feel sterile. By correctly balancing the materials, forms and use of objects in relation to space I want to create a transitional effect from the forms found inside to out. Because wood appears organic and humanistic to the users I feel that I can push the form and value of the object further than traditionally done. Ideally I will create outdoor furniture that draws spaces together creating flow between indoors and out.
INSPIRATION Something that I have drawn inspiration from is taking the form away from curved structure and looked at form in straight cut layers or planes. When I compare the MB-118 Chair designed by Bauhaus designer Marcel Breuer with modern furniture design, such as the Lo Res Chair by United Nude, you can see the classic planes of the form maintained from the past. United Nude state that the Lo Res Chair is inspired by the Panton S chair (United Nude), and this too is a classic example of the removal of organic shapes and manipulation into flat planes. I would like to take these form experiments through my concepts in order to create iterations that also deal with simple detailing and manipulation of materials.
Lo Res Chair by UNITED NUDE
ACCOYA FINISHED HOME
ACCOYA // IMPLEMENTING INVOATIVE TECHNOLOGY
Accoya is a chemical process that is based upon acetylated wood technology (Titan Wood Limited). The acetylation process alters the physical properties of the wood making the rate at which water can be absorbed into the wood greatly reduced. In general this makes a harder, more stable and durable material (Titan Wood Limited). My concepts mean I would like to use the Accoya in very thin layers so the added durability and strength is vital to the structure of my furniture.
CONCEPT ONE Concept one works around the idea of the Relaxation Response by Dr Herbert Benson. The relaxation response is communicated often in popular culture as a figure eight sign you can follow with your eyes and is a graphic visualization of the process of relaxation by Dr Benson (Swerdlow). In this concept I wanted to create the idea of transition and relaxation through form, in particular the form of the figure eight – or guiding the users eyes in a similar motion to mimic relaxation.
INITAL SKETCHES
TECHNICAL DRAWING
CONCEPT TWO
Concept two treats the furniture as a moving object that shows transition through each of the moving planes, joints or facets. This concept relies of its structural support as detailing and enables the movement of the furniture to become poetic. This concept would use several different thickness of Accoya wood and something I have considered is creating veneers in some areas of the furniture to strengthen and support the joints.
RENDER
FINAL DEVELOPMENT SKETCHES
CHOSEN CONCEPT
CONCEPT THREE
Concept three is really about exploring the material properties of the Accoya Wood further. This concept is made up of a set of finely cut pine rings that are laser cut so appear delicate and velvety. With this concept the idea of transition is represented through the different surface finish on the laser cut wood – something that could be controlled by the thickness and light dispersion through each ring. With this concept I wanted additional detailing on the stool to be minimal so I have looked at having a single metal pin hold the structure together and create contrast with the wood’s colour and texture.
INITIAL SKETCHES
DEVELOPMENT MODELS
RENDERS
TECHNICAL DRAWING
RESEARCH CONCLUSION & SUMMARY
I have decided to continue developing concept three. The idea of pushing the limits of the Accoya with this design is very exciting both due to its strengths and its limitations. I believe that this concept will create a beautiful contrast between modern and transitional design. Something I will need to consider is the laser cutting process and how this will affect the properties of the Accoya wood. The metal detailing I intend to use would be that of CNC lathing and sheet metal bending, two highly computerized methods of making objects. My ideal design will manipulate CNC methods so that I am able to design an easily reproducible furniture design.
REFERENCES
Swerdlow, T. (2008, November 1). Powerful Tools for Your Personal and Professional Transformation. Retrieved November 30, 2012, from http://www.trinaswerdlow.com/reduce_stress.html Titan Wood Limited. (2012, November 30). Accoya; Modified Wood by Accys Technologies. Retrieved November 30, 2012, from Accoya: http://www.accoya.com/Accoya United Nude. (2012, November 28). United Nude. Retrieved November 28, 2012, from http://www.unitednude.com/lo-res-chaircarbon-matt-532