Stacking/nesting multi function furniture

The image shown above is of the many many sticks needed to create the stacking unit, and guess what, this is only about half of what is needed. The timber i have selected for this piece is American Walnut, a truly stunning timber when properly finished.

The construction of the side members shown here has been broken down into 20 x 20mm components which will then be bookmatched and glued back together. This serves several purposes, firstly it enables me to keep a greater continuity between the individual unit when they are stacked. and it also allows me to cut all the joinery individually which is a massive blessing as everything is set on a 4 degree rack with the cross rails meeting the sides on a 43 and 47 degree shouldered mitre. Let me just say the math was doing my head in.

This time one year ago….

From where we left of last time in Switzerland we headed back into France and down to the south to the French Riviera. The photo above is of the old city of Avignon from the other side of the river. The old part of the city itself is the only place outside of the Vatican city that any Pope in history has resided.

From Avignon we headed to Antibes and when in the south of France what else would you do but head to the beach.

Next stop on the agenda Monaco!

Nesting/ multifunction stool and table

Shown above are some quick sketches to demonstrate the multifunction aspect to this piece i have mentioned briefly earlier. In the both these sketches the concept is for the user to purchase three pairs which can be locked together in the following ways:

- The first sketch showing the three larger of the pairs locking together to become one larger coffee table while the three smaller stools remain seperate to be used in and around the newly formed coffee table. An ideal way to gather socially whether eating a meal or playing a board game.

- The Second sketch demonstrates a lounge type arrangement where the three same size pieces are joined length ways creating two seats with a table in between and a book shelf type rack is created under the table.

These next pics are a half scale model of the proposed pair of stool/tables. From making these models the process has influenced the design of the final pieces, hence demonstrating the great importance of model making in my design process.

Cardboard Memories….continues

As promised here are the pics from veneering the outside of the cabinet. To allow me to achieve a harmonious curve t0 the corners i had to take the tension out of veneer and pull it around the sides as i went.

Consulting Rodney, (the head of workshop) we devised an aluminum sheet fixed to a couple of timber batons, the flex in the aluminum sheet was ample to take the veneer around and using another timber baton underneath i could tension the whole unit at once.

All in all the veneering worked a treat with only a couple of minor bubbles to the underside which i will fix by either slicing or injecting the veneer with epoxy and clamping back into place.

stacking/nesting multi function furniture

The images above are models of the stacking/ nesting shelving, side table and stool that i have previously mentioned. The slated component that acts as the locating function when stacked was inspired by George Nelson’s, Nelson bench.

The idea is for these four plus one larger unit to be sold as a set, nesting to save on transport costs and constructed from solid timber giving it an immediate target audience and price point for the commercial viability of the design.

Images for cabinet

I realise it has been a while now since i last posted anything to do with the Cardboard Memories cabinet, this is due to the fact that i have put the project on the backfoot as it has already been graded from last semesters works i have had to focus on my new multifunction furniture projects.

The project since last i post on the topic has now had the final veneers shaped to the outside, (i will post soon with pics on the process used for this) and the images have turned up from the press!!!

As you have probably guessed the images shown are the images i have decided to go with for the two outer fabric doors. The abstract of the Eiffel tower detail is intended to evoke memories in the viewer as it is such an iconic piece of architecture everyone has an idea or a memory attached to such a piece. Hence tying in with the Cardboard Memories concept!

The material used to print on is Peel Ply as this is the thickest weave fabric i could get the didnt have a backing, therefore making it the perfect compromise between image and sound quality.

This time one year ago…

Having just left Paris on our trip through Europe last year this shot was taken on the drive through Switzerland on our way to Lauterbrunnen, an absolutely amazing part of the world and somewhere i would deffinately intend to return to. Everything here seemed like a scene from a movie, the country and the culture was all kept in such pristine conditions.

Now in the Lauterbrunnen valley this was the view from our campsite, such lush green grass (a rarity for us outback aussies).

The highlight of this leg of the trip was surely mountain biking through the swiss alps, though not all the bike paths were as good as this road, taking a few wrong turns we ended up on a few hiking trails….whoops!

This time one year ago…

Our amazing European adventure kicks of the lovely Paris, Such a cliche but this city truely was all i imagined. The city of romance it felt so easy to get swept away in the place, the people and of course the food!

From the Eiffel tour we headed for the Louvre and come across these amazing gardens near the Louvre, it turned out that the next time we were here there was a carnival to the left of this shot where the ferris wheel gave us amazing views across the city and most importantly as the wheel itself was not a landmark attraction it meant that we could view all of the landmarks of Paris from here.

On such a beuautiful day, in an equally beautiful city, the day out to Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur (pictured) was stunning. The views from the Sacre Coeur and the atmosphere of Montmartre was everything i had imagined Paris to hold.

Following the river Seine through the city on our final day in Paris we visited more of what this wonderful city had to offer, The Notre Dame Cathedral shown above.

The first stop on our trip through Europe complete it was now off to Swtizerland, however it would take alot to out do that which the magical city of Paris has left!

foundations

The foundations of the wood workshop at ANU is built around the knowledge and learning gained from the first set brief, or project. This project being the breadboard.

This project is about learning the intimate relationship between the craftsman and the tool, in this case the plane. Bring stock to size from rough sawn, and unsquare pieces by hand takes alot of practice to achieve an amazing finish and is alot harder than the process seems at first glance. Every step of this process is completed by hand, apart from cutting the splines into the widening joins.

An amazing learning curve and a fitting way to be introduced to the furniture workshop.

Nesting/multifunction stool and table

Another design i am looking into for the multifunction concept of this semester is a design for a two piece set of stools which double as side tables. My idea for the marketing of this piece is to be sold as a set (nesting, one slightly smaller and one slightly larger) and also to be sold as three sets which provide the user with an intimate relationship with the space they select for the pieces.

The idea is to provide the three larger units with the ability to lock and create a coffee table and the smaller to be stools around said table. The other is to lock side by side creating a seating and table combination.