4th Year Furniture Critique I attended on 12/1/2008

Because of my interest in the furniture design class, I decided to attend the 4th year critique. Students were to read a science fiction story depicting the world world in the year 2020 and design around what they read. The students talked of the specific character or character's house they were designing for and what purpose their furniture would serve. 

The first presenter (bottom two pictures) not only made sketches but actual illustrations of cityscapes she believed locations in the story would look like. From these pictures we were able to understand her interpretation of the world making her presentation more interactive and involving. She found the curved metal struts that bolster the table at at salvage yard. She also painted the table to complement the color of these struts. Although this was not discussed I felt that the shape and curvature of the table represented the rapid progression in terms of technology that is going on today and will multiply in the future. 

The second presenter (top picture) created a lounge chair where the main character would sit in his living room and read. He also provided a nice illustration of a person sitting on this chair reading in "his 140 floor high apartment." Stoel and Tommy discussed the flexing that which resulted when someone sat on the chair and that it is a "beneficial accident," however the legs and footing would need to address the issue as they would splay from the pressure. They also discussed the how the angle to the back rest was awkward and that the back rest perhaps wasn't tall enough to support the back well.

The third Presenter also had issues with the angle of the back rest and that the sitter was almost under tension when sitting in it due to the 45 degree angle the seat has to the back. 

The fourth presenter (top middle green chair) Also had issues with back rest height as the "hyperbola" curves would only come about half way up the back.

The first presenter's table was my favorite of all of the pieces as I thought it was the most visually interesting and it had a stylish way of supporting the legs from splaying. Other furniture pieces would have beautiful wood staining but then have chrome metal struts and large bolts protruding which seemed to interrupt the the natural qualities. Although the large metal parts may have been intended to represent the future, the first presenter worked with her metal struts in a stylish way by complementing color and form.