Sandom jacob grap1041 assignment3

DAVID TRUBRIDGE

BODY RAFT 2000

DESIGN & SOCIETY TASK

3

Jacob Sandom _ 3539926_ June 2015

Jacob Sandom - 3539926 - June 2015

3

Task

David Trubridge Design

Table of Contents About David Trubridge David’s Works Body Raft Conceptual Drawings Bibliography

Who Am I? David Trubridge was born in England, He trained as a naval architect at Newcastle University in England, and gained a degree in naval architecture in 1972. David started his career as a “craftsman-designer- maker” where he was involved in the study of material characteristics, and their capabilities. He established himself as a designer in the late seventies with his products having a high level of craftsmanship and complexity. The inspiration for his first designs came from artists like Brancusi and the Art Nouveau movement. Some of Davids’ well crafted furniture designs were shown at the Victoria and Albert Museum and St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh.

He set sail in 1981 with his wife and two young children where they stopped in the Caribbean for a short time, and David used this opportunity to design and make furniture for the expatriate residents. Soon after he and his family left the Caribbean and made their way to New Zealand in 1985, where they have remained ever since.

After settling themselves in New Zealand, David started up his own company in Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, to produce his furniture designs.

Trubridge managed to successfully exhibit his ‘Body Raft’ at the 2001 Furniture Fair in Milan.

Other successful works of his include the ‘Snowflake’ and ‘Nikau’ lights which both attained the prestigious Red Dot Design Award.

David Trubridge gains the majority of his influences from the environment and his surroundings, which form part of his everyday life, and these are often reflected in the names he attributes to his designs.

“embedded in craft is the model of caring”

Works Notable Works By David Trubridge (Clockwise from left): Float (2006), Sling (2002), Nikau Light (2013), Koura Jewellery (2012), Pacific Chair (1989), Coulourful Coral and Floral kitset pendants (2014-Exhibition), Snowflake Light (2005).

Body Raft Designer: David Trubridge Year: 2000 Materials: Steam bent American Ash, hoop pine plywood Inf luences: Moriori Waka Puhara Further Adaptions: New Sling

B a c kg r o u n d The item of furniture which David became recognised for on an international scale was the 2000 ‘Body Raft’ which was exquisitely made using steambent American ash, hoop pine plywood, and stainless steel. This made reference to the archetype of the traditional Moriori Waka Puhara, and tries to recreate the comfort associated with a hammock. This well balanced rocking chaise longue is on display at the Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand) in Wellington. The rights to manufacture the ‘Body Raft’ were purchased by Giulio Cappellini, and Cappellini manufactured the ‘Body Raft’ for a short period of time. This was a huge achievement as Cappellini are also the most highly recognised manufactures of furniture designs in all of Italy.

Due to David’s degree in naval architecture, his designs are referncing naval vessels in all forms across his product. The ‘Body Raft’ as illustrated on the left can be linked to water vessels, because the structural component is the same as the hull of a boat or the fuselage of an aircraft.

After the rights to the ‘Body Raft’ were sold to Cappellini, Trubridge produced a product of similar design named ‘New Sling’ which was launched in 2004.

The ‘New Sling’ has the same constuction method as the original ‘Body Raft’.

Body Raft

Manufacture All of David’s designs, including the ‘Body Raft’ are produced using similar construction techniques and similar finishing methods. These are the steam bending of timber such as ash, with hoop pine structures making up the internal structure of the product. The timber is unfinished without any sprays applied, or solvents used. The materials are ethically from government controlled plantations.

Manufacture of this item is done over a long process which starts with the internal hoop structures being cut on a CNC, and then manually shaped using a handheld plane until they are perfect. Then each hoop is placed in a jig to ensure each raft is the same. The slats are steam bent, then clamped to the structure one at a time, and fixed to the internal hoops using stainless steel screws. After all of the slats are screwed on, a someone in the workshop puts a small radius on each and every slat, and the final step is to remove all of the wood particles with an air hose.

Conceptual Designs side Table Initial Rough Ideations

Conceptual Designs Desk Initial Rough Ideations

Conceptual Designs Dining Table Initial Rough Ideations

Reflection Through my research I discovered David Trubridge. An internationally recognised designer living in New Zealand, whose main aim in all of his work is to reduce the impact of design and manufacturing on the environment. He sources his materials ethically, and manufactures products with an all natural products. David produces a range of products, ranging from chaise longues, chairs, and self assembly lights which is part of his ‘Seed System’ which is designed to reduce the energy wasted in shipping and transport. David’s products are all inspired by his surroundings, and he takes forms and motifs from the natural world to form his design. My design ideas were based on some of the forms in David’s work and are intended to use some of the same manufacturing techniques that he uses in his own furniture, such as the steam bending, and surfaces which are made from many sections of wood. I also used forms relating to my chosen object the ‘Body Raft’. Having studied David and his work I am now convinced that green design is the way forward. I will try and use David’s philosophy throughout my time at university and my designs as green as possible without compromising my design aesthetics.

B i b

Trubridge, David. So Far. Nelson, N.Z.: Craig Potton, 2013. Print.

Architonic.com,. ‘Search David Trubridge’. N.p., 2015.

Web. 23 May 2015.

Lane, Sandra. ‘Body Raft By David Trubridge’. The National 2009. Web. 23 May 2015.

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Jacob Sandom - 3539926 Design in society - Task 3 Malcolm Thomas