U CHAIR

I was offered an opportunity to design a chair using Robotic fabrication with Forth Factory in Barcelona, Spain. Taking reference from precedence 3D printed chairs, I looked into an admired computational designer who developed intricate, complicated and alien-like forms. Although these designs are amazing, this begged the question of “Why so complex?” Walking past a cafe, I saw the Tolix chair, a chair I’ve seen 100 times in restaurants and cafes. Although it uses a different method of fabrication, the form alone is simple, utilitarian, customizable, and light. Taking note of this, I decided to go in the opposite direction of complex, and simplify my design into a form that can be manufactured quickly, is lightweight, stackable, and customizable. The U-chair is a double-printed loft, with a tapered form that lends structure to its upright position. The design holds an ergonomic dip in the seat and footrest lending rigidity to the base. It’s a one-stop manufacturing process, with no hardware, and a run time of 3 hours per print. The material of choice is PLA and comes in customizable colours. Due to restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the print has been postponed until quarantine restrictions are lifted. We aim to print the U-chair series by Summer 2021.

Olivia Alvarez - Design | 3D model | Render | 3D print