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HYBRID Chair
Category: Industrial design, DFM, heavy prototyping + CAD revision
Time: 2021 Fall, 14 + 6 weeks
Role: Industrial designer
The pandemic forced people to work from home on the dining room table using dining chairs. However, dining chairs are not task chairs.
Design Criteria
The goal is to design a sustainable dining chair that looks good, comfortable to seat and cost effective for mass production
Form Inspiration
The chamfer-edged surface of the shells is inspired by the sculpted surface of racing bike frame. The contrast between angular and organic element gives a well-defined welcoming feeling, looking rugged and durable.
The supporting frame is made of 3/4 & 1/2 inch square tubes and rods. Simple, reliable and durable, putting the cork shells to the 1st read. Also, it brings the price down.
The J bar allows certain flexibility for human micro movement while seating
Technical Challenges
Working with cork presents unique challenges due to its less solid nature compared to wood or plastic. Consequently, I had to devise solutions that could effectively secure all the components while allowing the cork shell to support substantial weight without excessive bulkiness.
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Stack ability Test
It was my first-time to design a stackable chair. It was a 1.5-month process that required lots of learning, patience and adjusting subtle things back and forth in both CAD and real life.
Process
The initial chair design had a sled-based structure, but it turned out to be too costly for production. Following discussions with industry experts, I opted to simplify the design, making it more practical for mass production.
Design Details
Original Design
In front of a desk
Design Details
