SUSTAINABLE FURNITURE DESIGN RESEARCH

• Sling Lounge Chair

• Made of solid oak, highly durable.

• full supply chain is eco-certified.

• It is constructed for disassembly, all components are replaceable and worn parts can be replaced.

Modular Furniture

• Flat pieces make it easy to ship that saves space, time, and money.

• can be assembled without adhesives.

Wood joinery- adhesive free

Throw away Culture

• In the 1950s, mass production and cheap materials reduced the cost of things.

• Time and labour were increasingly expensive, making repairs no longer time- or cost-effective. 40 YEARS AGO NOW

From the mood board, I was informed by wood joineries and Flat-Pack furniture, they gave me an understanding into the potential processes required for sustainabillity to be achieved.

For the colour palette, I was informed by Post-Modernism and Massimo Morozzi's Tangram furniture. The vibrant fresh tones will give a refreshing sense and draw people's attention.

Material Experiment Thinking Through Making

Making Process

From research, i knew black resin from terra cast is the only resin made from post consumer products, and it’s not bio-degradable. The use of epoxy resin is extremely harmful to the environment. Therefore, i moved away from this convenient path, I need to use sustainable materials for my design.

Due to the natural properties of clay, I couldn't control its size after it is dried. Foamboard is also not a good material in making a precise model. Hence, I mainly used wood sticks, cardboard and glue to construct sketch models.

Design Direction

Design for disassembly (Dfd)

Multi-functional

Testing

Final Laser Cut

The slots are really tricky to fit in, I had to consider the thickness of the wood and make many tests as possible in order to fit them together perfectly. The thickness of the slot I found out at last was 3.6mm.

Prototyping

The first scale model I made, some slots didn’t fit well.

CMF Consideration

Colour: Vibrant colour choices will draw the user’s attention and create a positive mood.

Material: I used acrylic paint to colour the plywood for the scale model. If the pieces will be made to full scale in the future, I will choose timber from a sustainable source, because it has low embodied energy, it’s non-toxic and truly sustainable.

Finish: For the full scale pieces in the future, I will dye it to enhance the wood’s natural appearance or use oil-based wood finishes from renewable resources. I will definitely avoid solvent-based wood finishes and varnishes with paint thinners that may release toxic fumes.