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TABLE OF CONTENTS concept ...................................... 4 process ........................................ 6 small scale study .................... 6 full scale study ........................10 prototype ....................................12 details ....................................14 lessons learned ......................15 improved design ........................16 marketing ....................................17
GLIDE:
is a piece of furniture that is both a table and chair. The convertible typology allows for multi-use with little effort and is appropriate for places with minimal square-footage.
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concept
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small scale study: initial form
The initial form began with a thin orthogonal plane that hovers over a floating box. In one form it would be a side table and when flipped over the table would become a chair.
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small scale study: material + construction
Next, material and construction were studied. The table would be CNC routed and layered pieces of wood to achieve maximum strength and minimum thickness. The box would be concrete for weight and contrast of material.
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small scale study: movement
video of movement
The single axis movement of the original movement posed an issue of taking up more square footage when the furniture was converted. Also when the furniture was against the wall this required it to be moved from the wall before being converted due to the radial area necessary. This lead to the development of a track. 8
small scale study: comfort
Comfort was studied in this model and this was done by adding a curved back rest. Although this may have made the chair more comfortable, it had ultimately detracted from the design and seemed to just be something that was tacked on.
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full scale study: alternative
The CNC machine had gone down and the design of the table was in jeopardy. The new design was to be made of dimensional lumber with the movement expressed. However, this design proved to be large and clunky.
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full scale study: movement
The movement of the orthogonal track was not as smooth as desired. This led to taking a stationary marker and moving a piece of foam in the desired motion. This lead to a J shaped curve.
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prototype: process of construction
The prototype was CNC routed plywood. The table is a single 3/4� plane with armrests in the angles to also act as support. The armrests have cutouts that act as handles for ease of conversion. The seat is made of layered wood for weight and due to time constraints.
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prototype: movement
video of movement
The movement of Glide is very simple. To convert from table to chair you grab the handles and pull. The shape and weight of the table sets it into the correct position. To convert back just grab the handles, lift and push forward.
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prototype: movement detail
The crucial detail is the sliding movement to allow the furniture to glide. This was done by creating a track similar to a railroad wheel. There are oversized washers on each sized with laser cut acrylic rings on the interior. Caps were put on to finish the ends.
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lessons learned
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The seat form was due to time constraints and should be improved. The handles were not very ergonomic and can be rough on the hands. The movement works very well when converting to chair, but is more difficult transforming back. Furniture design is much more difficult than it seems. Especially moving from model scale to full scale 15
improved design
This is a quickly improved version of the final prototype. It has rounded handles, cup holders, and the layered wood has a cavity for storage. The moving detail has only the cap nut instead of two nuts for less unnecessary hardware.
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marketing: brand
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LID
The logo was created from the profile of the furniture. The logo was made to help market the chair if it were ever to be put into production. Other things that would help market the chair are customizable options such as different sizes, seats, materials, arm rests, and colors.
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Created by: Matthew Miller ARCH 576: Motivated Portables Professor: Jeffery Poss University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Fall 2014