Overview

Instructors: Kyle Steinfeld, Simon Schleicher, Jonathan Bachrach, Luis Jaggy

Team: Cindy Hartono, Fei Du, Eleanna Panagoulia, Shima Sahebnassagh

Main goal of this project is to explore the design potentials of bending techniques and to test the ways that these can be materialized in implemented in the design of an office chaise lounge for one person. The proposal studies the phenomenon of bending, as a method to examine structures that deviate from conventional methodologies.

Step 1: Pinching

Methods

This project investigates the techniques of pinching and riveting and aims to implement them in the creation of an office chaise lounge. Pinching can be described as the process of removing a part of a planar surface, and connecting the edges of the cut out shape, allowing the surface to bend accordingly in three dimensions. This process appears to have two main benefits: firts, it produces intricate shapes out ofa single planar surface, second, it creates three dimensional elements that perform structurally at the bended state.

Step 2: Riveting

Methods

Riveting and particularly blind riveting, is used as a method to permanently join the open edges of the surface or join multiple surfaces together. Rivets can support tension loads, as well as shear loads. In this project we explored the limitations of this technique in terms of dimension contraints as well as material thickness.

Step 3: Parameterization

Individual modules that vary in curvature and bending radius, according to the cut out pattern.

Step 4: Angle Study of Bent Elements

Adaptation to human body

The realization of the project involved a number of both digital and physical experimentation. These experiments aimed to optimize the shape structurally, as well as functionally. Given an approximation of the overall shape, the modifications concentrated on adjusting the angles of the chaise, so that it is comfortable and adapted to the human body, and on strengthening the weak areas of the shape.

Step 5: Adaptation to Human Body

Selection of certain modules that achieve the desired angles when bent.

Step 6: Comparison With Existing Chairs

Adaptation to the human body.

Comparison and matching with existing manufactured chairs that fit the body in different angles.

Step 7: Optimization of the Top Surface

Optimization of the top surface of the chaise.

Step 8: Optimization of the Bottom Part

Optimization of the bottom part of the chaise.

Step 9: Human Proportions

Depiction of human proportions and how these are achieved from the final design of the chaise.

Diagram refers to the top surface, because it is the one that needs to function as a seating area.

Step 10: Plan and Section

Step 11: Materialization

The material system chosen in this project is 4ft. x 8ft. high density polyethylene (HDPE) sheets of 1/16’’ thickness. The process that we followed involves material properties investigation (minimum bending radii, Young’s modulus etc.) and bending simulation in the FEA software Sofistik, in order to explore and finalize the bended shape. The fabrication method that is the most suitable for this material in terms of speed and accuracy, is cutting in the Zund blade cutter.