two ideas

 

ok, i went a little wack with this one (and i dont even like busy furniture) but maybe if this was acrylic i wouldn't hate it. i need to find out what an appropriate thickness would be.

this is me trying to figure out how to make a chair with minimal waste. i dont know what to make it out of...metal? or rig some ghetto steam bender in my parents garage.  this will end up child size if the laser bed is only 3' tall. maybe i could run with that and cut a little cute felt liner too.

//project two brief

 For my archetype project, I chose to make a chair. After being so indecisive, I finally settled on designing a swing. Using simple slot and tab joinery, I created a slatted back seat, and further secured both pieces by stringing rope between them. Finally, I intend to anchor the swing to the ceiling using heavy yellow rope, which references the classic yellow swing set chain. In retrospect, I would have AVOIDED using ponoko's CNC, which requires an entirely different format than their standard laser cutter. My inexperience with the process led to a less than satisfactory chair, with a dumbed-down design and an off-kilter center of gravity. Live and learn






General Design Brief:  
Re‐envisioning an archetype object. 
 Utilize rapid prototyping technologies (Illustrator/Service Bureau) to offer a new 
interpretation of a universal form that reflects contemporary thinking/aesthetics 
through an exploration of material, form, function and construction.  
 Research: Blog entries documenting research and development of your idea to 
include websites, magazines and books (cite sources). What have artist/designers, 
using your archetype object, done before you? How have they used material, form, 
function and construction to offer a new interpretation? What is their design point 
of view? 
 Archetype Objects (we will choose 1): Lamp, Wall Clock, Vase, Chair  
 Scale: Laser cutting beds available thru service bureau up to 31.1”x15.1” 
 Formats (choose 1): 
  1. Using flat pack (tab/slot) choose the material (can be just 1 but no more than 
2 with the exception of any hardware required) that best supports a new 
interpretation of this universal form. Don’t just recreate the object. Provide 
additional element(s) of interest/expression. Do your research and 
remember the presentation in class and some approaches used; for instance: 
illusion, play, etc. 
  2. Using the flat pack (tab/slot) as at east 50% of your final object, incorporate 
an existing object to offer a new interpretation of your archetype object 
keeping in mind, material, form, function and construction. Again, do your 
research and also recall the presentation for ideas on approaching this 
project.  

TIMELINE:  
Design review : Sketches and maquettes ‐ September 13/T 
Blogging associated with project : beginning of class September 13/T  
Critique Project 2 : beginning of class October 11/T  

(oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy)

material study: wood

supplii - bentwood handbags

kulla - compressed plastic and sawdust composite

material study: fiber

suzanne lee - biocouture

amy congdon - bespoke biological textiles

chiengora - knitting with dog hair

cupro - from cotton waste

sivan royz - laser cut silk

 milkofil - organic milk yarns

nepal's nettle fiber

titanium dioxide paper

what is sustainable design?

sustainable design is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability.


"sustainable development" [as first defined in 1987]
development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" [World commission on the environment and development]

four pillars of sustainable design:

• equity today - consumption in one community should not undermine the ecological, social, economic basis for other communities to maintain or improve their quality of life
• environmental justice - equal access to a clean environment and equal protection from possible environmental harm irrespective of race, income, class
• inter generational equality - equity of those alive today and also future generations
• stewardship - responsibility for the rest of life on earth

sustainable design principles:

• low-impact materials: choose non-toxic, sustainably produced or recycled materials which require little energy to process
• energy efficiency: use manufacturing processes and produce products which require less energy
• quality and durability: longer-lasting and better-functioning products will have to be replaced less frequently, reducing the impacts of producing replacements
• design for reuse and recycling: "Products, processes, and systems should be designed for performance in a commercial 'afterlife'.
• design Impact Measures for total carbon footprint and life-cycle assessment for any resource used are increasingly required and available. Many are complex, but some give quick and accurate whole-earth estimates of impacts. One measure estimates any spending as consuming an average economic share of global energy use of 8,000 BTU (8,400 kJ) per dollar and producing CO2 at the average rate of 0.57 kg of CO2 per dollar (1995 dollars US) from DOE figures.
• sustainable Design Standards and project design guides are also increasingly available and are vigorously being developed by a wide array of private organizations and individuals. There is also a large body of new methods emerging from the rapid development of what has become known as 'sustainability science' promoted by a wide variety of educational and governmental institutions.
• bio mimicry: "redesigning industrial systems on biological lines ... enabling the constant reuse of materials in continuous closed cycles..."
• service substitution: shifting the mode of consumption from personal ownership of products to provision of services which provide similar functions, e.g., from a private automobile to a carsharing service. Such a system promotes minimal resource use per unit of consumption (e.g., per trip driven)^.
• renewability: materials should come from nearby (local or bioregional), sustainably managed renewable sources that can be composted when their usefulness has been exhausted.
• robust eco-design: robust design principles are applied to the design of a pollution sources

[wiki]

our new design vision:

• responsible
• synergistic
• contextual
• holistic
• empowering
• restorative
• eco-efficient
• creative
• visionary