Wedge Chair is a cardboard chair designed to fit two people and is made without chemical or mechanical fasteners.
Define
User + Context
Cardboard is a lightweight material and with the potential to be flat-packed, cardboard furniture can be a low cost and environmentally friendly solution for people living in small or transitional spaces. Defining the user group and the context was important to guide the development of the chair’s design.
User – Young Apartment Dwellers
Wedge Chair is designed for young adults who typically have less money to spend on furniture, live in smaller spaces, and move more frequently.
Context – Transitional Spaces
A slotting design provides easy assembly and disassembly for people who move frequently. Additionally, the ability to flatpack with minimal weight makes transportation easier. Compact furniture with the ability to seat two people makes better use of small spaces.
Ideate and Prototype
Sketches and Models
Sketches and small models explore different folding and slotting techniques, while the full-scale prototype tests feasibility. The ideation phase greatly informed the final design, especially the full-scale model, which allowed for significant refinements to be made to the structure and comfort of the chair.
Final Design
Wedge Chair features a refined design with exterior panels that hide the internal structure and colored side panels for visual contrast. The chair is both functional, with the ability to support two adults, and durable with a robust structure covered by a double-layer seat to reduce wear. The cardboard panels can be packed flat and assembled in minutes by one person. The material is inexpensive, lightweight, and recyclable.
Internal structure and assembly diagram
Render shows cushion accessory concept
Cushion accessory variations