Suspension Lounge Chair

Lounge chair designed for 'Metals for furniture design' winter session course 2014. The goal was to get a stark, bold and elegant design for a chair that would be complimented by the cold, shiny, sonorous and precise aesthetic provided by metal. The design was driven by the concept of suspension and cantilevers which was something that interested me. The processes used for the making of the chair include strip rolling, sheet rolling, TIG welding, grinding and sanding. The large size of the chair makes it a better fit for outdoor placement.

The chair is designed with its profile in mind. 1/4" cold rolled mild steel strips for the structural framework of the chair. The strips, though strong, offer a functional flexibility at the cantilevered arms acting as a suspension in response to the person's weight. The sidebars cutting across from each side double up as armrests, while primatily aiding the minimal aesthetic and supporting the cantilevered arms. The seating is made from 2 parts of 18 gauge mild steel to create a distinction between the bold framework and the delicate seat.

Photography credits: Ritam Banerjee

http://www.ritambanerjee.com

Process

Table set up at the workspace. Practice welds on 18 gauge mild steel using the TIG welder.

Cubes of steel to practice welding and grinding.

Initial concept shows pivoting seat in rigid framework with opposing springs to conteract the torque of the body sitting. Later iterations demonstrated that the framework alone provided the desired suspension.

Made on iPad Sketchbook app

2 pieces of 18 gauge mild steel sheet rolled to get the 's' curve. Welded join is grinded and brushed.

Strip rolling 1/4" strips 4" wide for the main body

Verifying if the curves on the metal match the template sketched on the brown paper. This a trial and error process since the rollers are not graduated with measurements.