This was a two-quarter project in which the class worked with and designed for Wilsonart International in their annual furniture design competition. The challenge entailed a functional furniture piece that celebrates the Wilsonart brand and its iconic laminate sample chip. Participating in the competition once before, professor Josh Owen chose to add to the challenge by having the class address specified situational contexts through the Wilsonart seating device.

Meditation.
People tend to lose themselves in the rushed life they live in. Meditation is one of the many methods for slowing down a hectic life and restoring focus and creativity. Nature and organized spaces are desired in meditation for their therapeutic qualities. The chair will encourage the act of meditation and will be most effective in the form of a lounge chair to support deep breathing and relaxation.

Initial concepts.

The chair will visually represent the mental state and feeling of meditation through its aesthetics.

1: 4 scale model development with taped wire mesh and foam core patterns on wire leg exploration.
























Full-scale corrugated and chicken wire form study.

Refined 1: 4 scale model for final hexagonal pattern study.
















Illustrator exploded view.
A. Steel hexagons welded to asterisk chair shell.
B. Steel asterisks welded to each other creating the chair shell.
C. ½" steel rod legs welded to chair shell.

Chair mold formed from layered blue insulation foam. Wire mesh laid over top for the softening of its form.



















Laser cut steel asterisk pieces were individually ground to shape and laid up on chair mold for welding.

Welded the laser cut steel hexagons from the back of the chair shell to hide any assembly.



















Hand bent steel rod segments welded together then welded the leg structure to the chair shell.

Applied the laminate hexagons with water based contact cement.

At the end of winter quarter we presented our designs to a panel of experts and the rest of the Rochester design community.
















Following the presentations the judges deliberated among themselves and announced me as the winner of the 2011 Wilsonart Challenge. This resulted in professional photography, a dedicated article for the May issue of Metropolis Magazine and a spotlight at the 2011 ICFF



.Photo credit to Scott Julian.

Final count.
280 asterisks
280 hexagons
1,120 welds

Next three photos credited to Clint Blowers.

A very special thanks to;

Tyler Bigham: Friend and Master welder, RIT Mechanical Engineering and Tech.

Gary and Rita Villa: Smidgens Inc., laser cutting

Jason Perkins: Rochester Vibratory & Assembly Inc., powder coating

Kevin Rowland: Master fabricator, fabrication advice

RIT booth at the 2011 ICFF