Stool

Fall 2019

This project was a semester long collaboration with Emeco. The intention was to learn what it would be like to function as a potential designer working with and for Emeco.

We worked independently and freely at first, coming up with multiple stool concepts at quarter scale. From there we progressively scaled up, having critiques with Emeco’s head product designer and various engineers and metalworkers along the way. We toured their factory to understand how they make their stools and the tradition and craft of the company and their products. For our final critique we were meant to have a prototype as close to production quality as possible built out of the real materials with the ability to hold 250+ pounds. I ran into multiple issues with being able to bend my metal tubing the way I had hoped, but I was able to at least use 1/2 inch bar to show the concept, how it would look, and how it would be manufactured. I produced an appearance prototype to be shown alongside it to show the true proportions (at least what was proposed at the time) of how the stool would look.

Despite the class coming to an end, this project is still ongoing for me. I plan on creating more iterations of my design and expanding the stool into a family of products with a central focus on the repeatability and design language of the parts.

 

Brochure

 

FAMILY

I have decided to continue this project outside of the classroom, as I received a lot of good feedback about my design and its potential to be expanded into other forms of furniture to create a family. Below are renderings of some refinements to the stool design, bench versions, and various concepts for a chair version.

My newest design iteration ditches a single piece of material on the top for two slats that fit flush with the frame. This design allows the frame to be showcased regardless of the material choice and allows for scalable manufacturing. One part can be repeated as many times as needed, along with the frame, to create a bench and even some chairs. I am working on figuring out specific connection details as there is potential for this design to include interchangeable tops depending on the connection method, though I will most likely keep it simple and opt for welds if the top is aluminum and inset screws on the bottom if it is not.

Revised stool concept with aluminum inserts. Note the grain direction on the brushed aluminum for both the frame and the slats.

Bench without and with optional bars. The bench uses the exact same parts as the stool with the addition of a spacer bar in-between sections that gives a more cohesive look and allows the same slats to be repeated.

Chair version utilizing the double slat design to create a seamless bottom and back design. This particular version uses a modified version of the original stool frame that is supposed to further integrate its repeatability and signature coil into its new chair form.

Modified frame design for the above chair form using three repeated pieces instead of two.

Alternate chair versions with upholstered slats and stylized arms/backs. The top portions of these chairs are attached to an unchanged stool base.

These chairs utilize the same repeatable slats found on the stool to create the seat back. This is supposed to increase manufacturability while also creating a uniform design aesthetic. The bottom is unchanged from the original stool design and all new features are attached to it.

These designs use the alternate chair slats of the first chair form while keeping the original stool frame as is.

 

Exhibition

Poster for the student work exhibition featuring my stool design.

Stool prototype and supporting exhibition content.

 

Process