apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

It looks like it would make for both a rickety chair AND bookshelf. And neither of which are very attractive.

an unattractive swastika

Hah! Yeah "rickety swastika" was the first thought that came to my mind.

perfect for those design nazis out there....

I don't see the need...you have a so-so chair, a so-so table, and a sorta scary bookshelf - is there any reason you'd need to rapidly switch functionality between these items?
A simple dining chair can do all three in a pinch quite well without any unstable moving parts.
As a project for a class this is very interesting work, but as a producible piece - majorly underdeveloped. Sorry Lorenzo :(

...why?

And swastika was the first thing that I thought of, too. Not such a good thing.

Hey there all, I am the designer and have a few comments to make myself -

Woah! When two are stacked, it does resemble a swastika! With out a doubt, when used as two part set - a design flaw. My original intention was to create three prototypes and showcase them stacked. In that instance, I don't believe the nazi iconography wouldn't be there. I cant help but to laugh at the irony of this learning experience. I suppose it can be so easy to know something so intimately and then forget to step back and try to perceive it as someone else would!

In terms of aesthetics, functionality, etc. my response would be that this piece was more of a case study for me, on what sustainability could/should be. Sure, the material can be sustainable and eco, but I was looking at the user experience and lifespan of an object. The notion that an object could be created with multiple functions and purposes, thus potentially utilized longer or passed on to fit another users needs.

Lorenzo, I know these comments seem harsh for a working study, but even in a prototype, aesthetics need to be addressed. It is in the prototypes where aesthetics are developed. Simply by increasing the thickness of the material, you not only make the piece more stable but you make the proportions work better as well. Also the hinged back that becomes a leg for the shelf is awkward. If you are married to the idea of chair/bookself I would consider finding a way of incorporating storage into the chair without picking it up and turning it over.

It needs some tweaking, but I like the idea. I guess I'm the only one who didn't spot the subliminal swastika... of course, I don't have a baseball bat under my bed or an elaborate alarm system or an Eames chair either, so.

Comicgeek, you should remember that "aesthetics" is a subjective attribute, unlike stability or durability, for instance. You believe the proportions would work better with a thicker material. That is your opinion. I think it's a mistake to tell a design student that he is not addressing aesthetics just because you don't share his.

I personally feel the proportions are visually pleasing when the pieces are used as a table, but not as much for the bookcase or chair versions. Maybe that's one conclusion Lorenzo might draw from this "multipurpose" experiment--or not. My opinion is only that—my opinion. In any case, I think he's done a great job conceptually and hope he succeeds!

Looks rather flimsy. The idea is great...just not the execution of it.

I hate think what you lot would say about the work of Donald Judd.

Aesthetics is clearly an issue here since the unintended affect of the design was a swastika. Not only that but the designer states in more a less words that looks and stability were less of a concern for him. My critique was given to help evolve the design.

Saying one persons aesthetic is subjective is a cop out. If you look hard enough, you can find someone to fall in love with just about anything. That does not make it good design. The very idea of going to design school is in part to learn the rules of a very particular aesthetic.

Comicgeek, blueyes, et al...

I think it's GREAT Lorenzo's design looks like a swastika. After all, the swastika is NOT originally Nazi iconography, but rather an ancient Hindu symbol used to denote good luck in objects, place, and architecture. The Nazi Germans pirated this symbol in propagating their agenda for fear, but its origins are quite positive.

Go read things on the internet, they're always true.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

- Emily

i think the concept is very interesting and useful. i don't imagine you would change it on a daily basis, but keep it for a long time and use it in different ways in different places.....

Well! I like it! I think it is great to create something that can be used multi functionally. Doesn't mean you want to change it every day - but at least it gives you the opportunity to play with it and use it in different ways when you feel like giving your decor a little change. As a bookshelf it might still need a little tweaking but overall I think this is a great idea!

thank you emily!!!! i love when others understand the actual meaning of words!

It's the kind of thing where you want a chair or a table but you don't care how it looks. Placeholder. This isn't the kind of chair or table you get if you want one, unless it's the cheapest. As a bookshelf, unfortunately, it is by proportion, one where the books are too small and wastes a lot of space. I don't think you can put a tv on it, and I worry about the hinge giving way under any amount of weight. Purpose of a table or shelf, is it to put things on, or is it to fill a space? When I think of sustainability and repurpose, I also think of whether it is useful in its new role or merely decorative. I think people hunt down a minor use as an excuse not to throw something away. Not always a good thing or a bad thing, but when something appears as a placeholder, it's less apt to be reused, even if it's a no-brainer or built-in feature. And unfortunately for the swastika and the hindus and luck, it's always going to be a Nazi symbol, white supremacy, etc.

I think a little of the perhaps undue sharp criticism is due to this blog post line:
"This piece is not yet in production, but we sure hope to see it in stores soon."

It's clear now (from Lorenzo's explanation) that this piece is not intended for production and is a visualizing of a concept, a "draft" if you will. Implying that this is a finished, fully fleshed-out concept does the designer a bit of a disservice and suggests that this is an example of his best, most developed work.

hey all, it's me again. is it gauche for me to follow this post and it's comments daily? nah, it would be gauche for me to play it off all cool - but hey this is my first bit of PR and hell i'm a curious young designer eager to hear what folks have to say - but also excited enough to try to inform as well!

in my attempt to remain transparent (there is no room for ego in design) and entirely open to criticism/ideas/etc.. i have a few more things to add. i have to bring up that the whole hindu, swastika, etc. thing feels like my version of the Janet Jackson nipple slip at the super bowl. Whoops. When it comes down to it, I see the resemblance - but not entirely. The resemblance came about because of how I chose to document this study/sketch. in the future, i will also be sure to add a third piece and stack them in multiple ways.

here is a very quickly cut and paste version of multiples stacked, as well as a detail of the material:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3318/3229232198_974522e311_b.jpg

to those of you who remarked that this is not a sensible solution for moving and arranging furniture on the daily basis, i feel like that notion is the same that "a glass is a glass, and only a glass, and only goes in the kitchen, when it breaks its trash and has no use." this is intended for small space dwellings, for easy conversion from extra table to extra chair, but most importantly to give the consumer options. options that they can work with and change if need be, so as to keep ownership of the objects longer. extended lifespan opportunities.

in regards to stability. there is science and arithmetic involvement that are developed in the design process when talking about stability and ergonomics. to decide the pieces are rickety, unstable, and uncomfortable without probing deeper or asking seems to be naive. there is a reason the hinged portion is slanted for lumbar support. typical ideas of structure are changing and vary by material. this is laminated floor boards - as grouped and laminated like so, the strength is significantly increased. the ends are precision cut and connected through specifically designed and measured dadoes and drop outs to allow for proper weight support.

lets talk aesthetic. design goes beyond the obvious visual and the form. a visual vernacular and historical understanding is key. the material, salvaged strand bamboo floor boards is in my opinion, beautiful. the simple shape, rectilinear lines, natural material, and versatility of this piece is reminiscent of not simply a modern design, but the grandfather of modern design - Japanese architecture.

i go to a strictly process oriented university. we are not product designers, but conscious and critical creators. through observation, knowledge, and love of industrial design I created this concept and prototype within my first two months of industrial design school, and then had the privilege to show it in the week long event, Design Philadelphia. as far as i am concerned, i have learned significantly from all of the experiences revolving around this piece.

my reason for this lengthy response is surely, in part to in some way justify my design decisions but to remind folks that there is a bigger picture here. designers and those who enjoy it need to learn to look beyond the simple few images they quickly scroll past on a blog. looking deeper and attempting to see the fullest meaning of what the process is, or of what the designers personal learning intent was through the process. observing that trial and error brings out the best return. understanding that an informative critique is key.

Hey Lorenzo,

Nice work on an interesting study of form and function with salvaged materials. I'm guessing it's designed for flat-pack as well.

And yay for EmilyRobin.