SUMM Modular Furniture System: Joshua Thorson's Master's Thesis

Joshua Thorson

Master’s Thesis

Academy of Art University

Spring 2019

CONTENTS

2

3

133

284

347

382

PROJECT OVERVIEW

THESIS PREP

IDEA OF IMPERFECTION

THESIS RESEARCH

SURVEYS

INTERVIEWS

PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT

THESIS DESIGN

IDEATION

PROTOTYPING

TESTING

DESIGN GUIDELINES

THESIS IMPLEMENTATION

MANUFACTURING

BRANDING

MANUFACTURING

NEXT STEPS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

JOSHUA THORSON | SPRING 2019 | THESIS | i

PROJECT OVERVIEW

JOSHUA THORSON | FALL 2017 | THESIS PREP | TED RENTERIA |

1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The world as it is today is in a state of

diminishing physical involvement. Our daily

activities are being replaced by taps on a

screen, from going to the grocery store, to

walking our own dogs.

As an industrial design student, I see wasted

furniture thrown onto the sidewalk daily, just

a tiny fraction of it’s potential lifespan used up.

This project seeks a solution to both of

these problems; reintroducing tactility and

creativity into the furniture purchasing

process, while creating products with longer

lifespans and less waste. In doing this, I hope

I will achieve my third goal; a project with

outcomes that even I can’t predict.

JOSHUA THORSON | SPRING 2018 | THESIS RESEARCH | TED RENTERIA | 3

INSPIRATION


5

FURNITURE WASTE

8.5 MILLION TONS OF FURNITURE

AND FURNISHINGS ARE THROWN

INTO LANDFILLS EACH YEAR.

This massive amount of waste is damaging

to our environment and difficult to recycle. In

addition, I had a hunch that much of this waste

was unnecessary.

SAN FRANCISCO

This city has several defining characteristics in

2018; the Golden Gate Bridge, a hub of tech

money, and the rent in apartments is too high.

While at an extreme, San Francisco is a

microcosm of cities around the world, where

individuals purchase cheap furniture when they

move to a new city that is then abandoned

during the next move, or after it suffers minor

damage.

OBSERVATIONS

From documenting and analyzing many

instances of abandoned furniture, I have

discovered several trends.

Materials: most of the abandoned furniture was

built of veneer covered particle board (i.e. not

“authentic” materials like wood, metal, or stone).

Style: Overwhelmingly the furniture was neutral

or minimal in style, with simple forms and near

black or white, or neutral colors.

Condition: while some furniture was beyond

repair, most had minor dings, scratches, chips,

etc. that did not impede its function. However,

the materials used to create the furniture were

not conducive to making even these small

repairs, and the damage seemed to increase the

fragility of the rest of the piece.


7

LACK OF HANDS ON

As of 2015, jobs requiring social and

analytical skills — desk jobs — had

increased 94% from 1980, while jobs

requiring physical skills went up a

mere 12%. (CBS News)

Yet despite this, we hear more and more the

benefits of working with our hands.

WE ALL CAN’T BE CRAFTSMEN

Nor does everyone want to be. And yet would

it be possible to create products that insert

and encourage a bit of hands on creation or

experimentation? Can creativity be nurtured by

a line of furniture?

“IF YOU’RE MAKING

SOMETHING AND

PAINTING OR COOKING

AND PUTTING THINGS

TOGETHER, AND YOU’RE

USING BOTH HANDS

IN A LITTLE BIT MORE

CREATIVE WAY, THAT’S

GOING TO BE MORE

ENGAGING FOR THE

BRAIN.”

Kelly Lambert

Neuroscientist at the University of Richmond


9

PHILOSOPHY

Everything we do increases longterm

satisfaction with our built environment and

reduces waste, from the materials and finishes

we choose, to the customer experience.

Our Earth is a finite resource, one which we

must protect in order to allow it to flourish.

While what we create is a fun, consumer

product, the goal is very serious; make an

impact on the more than 8.5 million tons of

furniture that is disposed in landfills each year.

Simultaneously, these product seek to impact

our users on an emotional level, leading them

to form memories around each piece and

leading to a more meaningful existence that

is accessible to an average consumer, not only

the elite.

Disposable is what we are not.


11

WHAT IS IT?

1. “PLANKS”

A limited set of pieces that allow the creation

of a diverse range of furniture through varied

combinations and permutations.

2. SYSTEM

A platform with which makers, corporations,

and the individual consumer can iterate,

improvise, and otherwise fulfill their needs

and exercise their creativity.

3. KITS

The base from which most users will build

their products. While my research revealed

many people in Generation Z and the

Millennials crave customization, they often

get flustered with too much choice. For those

users who need guidance, these three choices

will let them have a place to start.


13

WHO IS IT FOR?

While targeting Millennials and Generation Z

shoppers as a whole, our brand breaks down

these groups into three sub-groups.

1. URBAN-DWELLERS: those who live in

city areas, which tend to have smaller living

spaces and who move into new spaces more

often.

3. DIY’ERS: those that enjoy experimenting

with and modifying their products and often

have specific preferences that go unmet by

consumer furniture products.

2. CONSCIENTIOUS CONSUMERS:

those who make themselves aware of where

their products come from and where they

end up in an effort to reduce waste or other

environmental damage


15

WHY BUILD IT?

1. It is a novel, fun way to construct furniture.

2. It allows the use of small material scraps

that are normally wasted, reducing waste

while increasing access to diverse, interesting

materials.

3. Users across demographics are desiring

personal expression in their products.

4. While “hackable” furniture has been

advertised by other manufacturers, no

furniture company has achieved practical or

useful “hackability” in a mainstream product.

5. By transforming furniture into a ubiquitous

“block” or “plank,” pieces may be returned and

reused while reducing the concerns about

buying “used furniture.”

IN SHORT, BECAUSE

IT’S FUN, UNIQUE,

AND SUSTAINABLE.


17

WHO I AM

I began my design education studying

graphic design at the University of Wisconsin-

Eau Claire and earned my first degree in

that area. Although I enjoyed my studies

in branding, logo design, and printing

techniques, I was always drawn to the

physicality and anthropological foundation

that is embodied in industrial design.

I am passionate about honesty in design;

I detest veneers, laminates, and all that tries

to falsify its origins.

In my younger days I built forts in the small

woods behind my house, made clay models

out of Sculpy and spent too long designing the

boards for my middle school history projects.

I have always been a maker; as a child I was in

awe of our ability as human beings to create

something completely new, and upon which

we could put our name.

Now I’m trying to make something truly new,

to contribute to this great field of industrial

design with an idea never seen before.


19

THESIS PREP:

WHY WOULD WE WANT

IMPERFECTION?

JOSHUA JOSHUA THORSON THORSON | SPRING | 2018 FALL | 2017 THESIS | THESIS RESEARCH PREP | TED RENTERIA |

21

THROUGH IMPERFECTIONS,

NATURE ACHIEVES INFINITE

VARIATIONS.


23

WHEN IMPERFECTION IS

EMBRACED, ITS AESTHETIC

BEAUTY IS INIMITABLE.

JOSHUA THORSON | FALL 2017 | THESIS PREP | TED RENTERIA | 25

TOOL MARKS, DENTS,

AND CRACKS REVEAL

A MATERIAL’S HISTORY.


27

IMPERFECTION SHOWS

WHERE, HOW, OR EVEN

BY WHOM THE PIECE WAS

TOUCHED.


29

29

EACH PERSON MAKES

MARKS ON THEIR PRODUCTS,

TRANSFERRING PART OF

THEMSELVES ONTO THE

OBJECT.


31

31

THE STATE OF THE CONSUMER

PRODUCTS INDUSTRY


33

STATUS QUO: 2017

In an age of perfectly manufactured

duplicates, where we buy and dispose

of products weekly, daily, or even by the

moment, it is no longer impressive to

fabricate thousands of functional, and

aesthetically tolerable, products.

The pendulum is swinging back towards

the unique, the imperfect. Sentiment

and aesthetic beauty push the consumer

back towards the products that made

them happy growing up, and that they

still have to this day. But they don’t want

those products to remain solitary.

Instead, more and more consumers

are looking to own products that can

last them their entire lives, to grow

with them, instead of being replaced

for a more perfect replacement.

Imperfection is honesty; it is the

reflection of processes, events, history,

embedded into an object itself.

ONLY 16%

OF RESPONDENTS

STRONGLY AGREE

THEIR CURRENT

PRODUCTS ARE

ADEQUATELY UNIQUE


35

“SAMENESS”

In many industries, thousands of smaller

companies have lost sales to just a handful

of massive companies, often with less

than a dozen companies in a given market

receiving a vast majority of the sales.

Where sales used to counted in hundreds

or thousands, these major corporations

measure in hundreds of thousands. Feeling

unique while owning these products is nearly

impossible for the majority of consumers.

2016 sales:

388,616 units

carsalesbase.com

2016 sales:

19 million units

appleinsider.com

Total sales:

41 million units

ikea.com


37

BUT PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT

There are millions of unsatisfied buyers

around the US who have uncommon wants

or needs that executives at large furniture

manufacturers veto for lack of profitability.

Other people use their furniture to represent

themselves to their friends and family, but

do not find products that represent them

accurately.

Many consumers simply want to own

products that stand out, that get them

noticed and reflect the fact that they are not

just one of the crowd.

But regardless of the reason why, these

people are frustrated by the lack of options on

the market

63% OF

MEMBERS OF

GEN Z SAY

THEY WANT

PRODUCTS

NO ONE ELSE

OWNS

2016 Cassandra Report


39

BASTIONS OF UNIQUENESS

Can we find inspiration in other areas?


41

TATTOO INDUSTRY

Tattooing is a unique art form that requires

complete cooperation between artist and

client to draft a piece that fits the intended

meaning, aesthetic, etc. of the client while

allowing the artist to create something they

are proud of.

capabilities and style of the artist. And even

after the evolution of the artwork is complete,

the artists hand’, and the client’s body will

always affect the outcome, ensuring that

every tattoo will be different from the last.

As the artist and client collaborate to develop

the tattoo, the initial idea will transform and

adapt to the body of the client, as well as the


BEAUTY INDUSTRY

In the world of beauty products, artists use

their materials in new ways each time they

work with a client. The individuality and

inherent uniqueness that the human body

expresses requires these artists to adapt their

techniques in order to optimize the results.

Additionally, the beauty industry has

thousands, if not millions, of products to

choose from, many of which work well

together (even those from competing

brands). While not always the case, this

phenomenon is still common enough to

exponentially increase the opportunities for

innovative applications of beauty products.

The business model allows for novel

inspiration as each client brings their own

ideas to the process, as well as encouraging

improvisation by the artists. Along with the

availability of unique products, the outcome

is nearly always one that has not been seen

before, even in only the subtlest of ways.


AUTOMOTIVE MODIFICATION

Through a combination of after-market parts,

custom paint jobs, and human ingenuity,

the modification of cars has developed into

an area of endless possibility and variation.

Television shows such as American Choppers

and Pimp My Ride explored the fringes of

what was possible, while inspiring millions of

future car owners to modify their cars in ways

more accessible to the masses.

on a car of their own. Whether this is as

simple as replacing the stock tires with

custom tires, lowering the car’s stance, or

installing a custom body kit, users have many

modifications at their fingertips.

With just a little knowledge and the

availability of a second, expendable car, most

people can learn to work and experiment


FINE ART

Perhaps the most obvious area of expression

is fine art. In the twentieth century the

Modern Art movement revolutionized the

public’s understanding of what art could be,

and part of this was the abandonment of

objectification and the embrace of subjective,

expressive artwork.

And the very nature of fine art implies that

each piece must be made individually, with

nearly the same amount of effort required to

make an alteration as to create the same piece

again. In fact, exact replication is often more

difficult than variation in mediums such as

paint or sculpture.

The imperfections of the process have been

accepted as beautiful reflections of the

artist’s intentions. Each visible brush stroke

is evidence of the physical motion that

accompanied the movement of paint.


FASHION

For decades, fashion has been an area where

the myriad of clothing and accessory options

allows for an individual to easily create an

outfit that no other person has worn before.

Even while the silhouette and components

may be similar or strongly inspired by another

person’s idea, the outcome is almost always

unique.

Combining this with the individuality of the

person’s body, creating a personalized “look”

is not only an option, it is more common

than the alternative. Creating an outfit that

matches another often takes more work than

creating one that is unique.

This default of individuality allows individuals

to practice design on a small scale every day

in their lives, using critical thinking to adjust

the options within their closet to fit their

desired impression.

Finally, the nature of soft goods gives them

the ability to be altered, whether that be by

dying, distressing, tailoring, or tearing. Just

one more way to express one’s individuality

through fashion.


51

BASTIONS: CONCLUSIONS

It begins to be clear that the benefits of

uniqueness are tied to choice and the

expression of oneself. Our products, art, and

hobbies are all extensions of who we are and

who we want to be.

And while this idea is broadly accepted

by a wide base of people, there are many

consumers in the world who are wholly

uninterested by many of the areas I

just described, finding their expression

somewhere else. My product will not be for

everyone.

The product I create must allow users to

express themselves; to see a part of their

personality in their products.


THEMATIC COMPETITION

Around the globe, people are reacting to the rise of digital

experiences. By surveying these fields, trends and similarities

began to arise that have been helpful in framing my project.


FILM PHOTOGRAPHY

SLOWING DOWN TO ENJOY THE

PROCESS

Many photographers who choose to use film

instead of digital cameras cite their conscious

decision to choose their subjects carefully, as

opposed to what they see as the “machine gun”

approach of digital.

INTANGIBLES

Several people cited that there was “something

about film” that digital couldn’t match. Many

discussed a warmth or an organic feeling that

went with the photographs.

LEARNING A NEW PROCESS

While digital photography is most certainly

a skill, film photography also adds in a new

element in the development process. Learning

this new skill was cited as being exciting and

challenging.

GETTING HANDS-ON

Both film and digital photography have

similar interfaces while taking pictures, but

the development process is significantly more

involved with physical interaction.

Film cameras also tend to have more physical

dials, knobs, buttons, etc. while digital cameras

require none of those and, in the case of a

phone camera, often opt to include none.


57

VINYL MUSIC

CEREMONY

Listening to vinyl music demands the user

move in a certain way, placing the records onto

the player and setting the needle gently into

the grooves. This repeats every time the record

reaches its end, which is much more often than

a digital CD or most playlists.

IMPERFECTIONS = PERSONALITY

The pops and cracks that often accompany an

old record’s sound is one of the reasons many

people will emphatically announce that records

just “have that sound.” Like a fire on a cold

winter’s day, it has a warmth and character.

APPLIED ART

Album art is large and upfront on records, and

for many artists was a defining piece of their

career. These graphics have a strong connection

to the band, and in turn a strong connection to

the listener.


59

“FOODIE” CULTURE

SENSORY FEEDBACK

At the core of foodie culture is the desire to

experience new tastes and smells, as well as the

rest of their senses, as they indulge on a wellcrafted

food experience.

EXCUSE TO GO OUT OR GET AWAY

By having an agreed upon passion, foodies can

almost always find a new destination to go

and enjoy an activity together. Socializing over

food is a timeless tradition that brings people

closer together, oftentimes even if the food

experience is poor.

ENDLESS OPTIONS

The United States alone has enough restaurants,

cafés, etc. to keep a foodie from repeating their

menu options for a lifetime.

THE UNKNOWN

The mystery of a new and unknown experience

entices foodies with the risk of paying for a

meal they don’t enjoy, but the possibility of

experiencing something completely new or

exceedingly satisfying.


61

THRIFTING

THRILL OF THE HUNT

Part of shopping at thrift stores is the

understanding that one can’t have too specific

of an idea in mind and instead should browse

the selection and finding the treasure that’s

hidden.

GAMBLING WITH TIME

Along with the enjoyment of searching itself is

an almost gambling-like dynamic that thrifters

experience. Will the time they spend be worth

the piece of clothing they find?

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Thrifting can oftentimes be an economical

solution for individuals tight on cash but still

looking to update their wardrobe.

POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER QUALITY

While it is understood that used clothing

will never be crisp and new, there is also the

argument that if it has survived this long, it may

be of higher quality than the “fast fashion” that is

the current trend in apparel.


63

THE MAKER MOVEMENT

GETTING YOUR HANDS DIRTY

While many people work 9–5 jobs that are

primarily behind desks or on digital devices,

creating your own products can actually feel

less like work and more like play.

KNOWING WHERE IT CAME FROM

Consumers of “maker” goods enjoy knowing

exactly who their money is going to and

avoiding many of the moral issues that go

hand-in-hand with many large retailers.

CONTROLLING THE OUTCOME

When consumers turn into makers, they no

longer have to compromise on how their

product is made, what it looks like, etc.


65

TATTOOING

EXPRESSING YOURSELF

Tattoos are a way for consumers to express their

values, memories, aesthetic preferences, etc.

with the help of an artist to raise the quality of

their work.

BUILDING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS

Consumers often will return to the same

tattoo artist several times if they enjoyed the

relationship and the artist’s work.

WORK IN PROGRESS

As long as there is open skin, there is the

possibility to augment and add to the work of

art that the consumer’s body has become. This

along with the ability to have the work “touched

up” or refined later means that while tattoos are

mostly permanent, they are malleable.

CUSTOMIZING THE OUTCOME

The relationship between customer’s mind,

body, and artist’s mind is guaranteed to

produce unique results with every tattoo.

Even when tattoo artists have “flash sheets”

with pre-made designs that they have drawn

beforehand, these are unique to the artist and

can be altered during the design phase.


67

“BUY-IT-FOR-LIFE” MOVEMENT

LONG-TERM FRUGALITY

By purchasing goods with lifetime warranties or

that are simply made of ultra-durable materials,

consumers can actually save money by only

having to purchase it once.

SUSTAINABILITY

Reducing the number of products you own

is one of the best ways to lower your impact

on the earth through waste. Products that last

a lifetime can help consumers feel that their

actions are more sustainable.

PRODUCT AGING

Many products that qualify in this category also

are made of materials that will gain a patina

or age “gracefully.” This can add value for the

consumers who take pride in the longevity of

their products and the memories associated

with them.


69

THE MARKET’S REACTION

Is this trend being acted upon yet?


71

ALTERNATE SOURCES

While corporations develop responses to

the growing demand for unique goods,

consumers have discovered, or in some cases

rediscovered, alternate sources to purchase

their goods.

THRIFTING

The nature of thrifting is that the purchase

is almost guaranteed to be unique within

the current environment. In addition to the

likelihood of discovering a unique addition to

one’s wardrobe, the experience can be quite

enjoyable; the thrill is in the hunt.

PINTEREST AND HANDCRAFT

Multiple resources, including Pinterest,

Instructables.com, and tutorials on YouTube

have allowed individuals to learn a diverse set

of crafts that allow at-home DIY solutions.

POST-PURCHASE MODIFICATION

Most people practice this method without

even thinking, as it can be as simple as adding

a sticker to a water bottle. Consumers will

also repaint, label, or physically modify their

products (e.g. adding a strap) in an effort to

differentiate themselves and their products.


DIGITAL OPTIONS

The internet has opened up a myriad of

possibilities for consumers to both find and

create ways to express themselves.

AVATARS

Bitmoji is just one of many platforms on which

users can customize how they are represented

on the internet or in games.

SOCIETY6.COM + OTHERS

This is one of many websites that aid artists

and artisans in distributing their products.

Society6 allows artists to choose merchandise

to be printed with their artwork, which both

increases revenue for the artist and creates

an option for consumers to purchase limited

edition products.


75

HANDCRAFT

The growing demand by consumers has

induced a response by major market players,

and made major market players out of niche

websites.

Etsy.com has grown into a multi-billion dollar

company, and Amazon.com entered the

market in 2015 with a sub-section of their

website, Handmade at Amazon.

ESTABLISHED: 2005

MARKET: Handmade, vintage, antique

SALES: $3 billion

VENDORS: 1.83 million

ESTABLISHED: 2015

MARKET: Handmade goods

SALES: ~$300 million

VENDORS: 13,547


77

I WANT THE PRODUCTS WITHIN

MY HOME TO BE UNIQUE.

74%

AGREE


79

WHAT IS OUT OF REACH?

Despite new efforts by different players in the

market, many aspects, characteristics, and

benefits of custom and imperfect products

are still out of reach. Whether it be because

of cost, availability, or skill-level, there are

large segments of the population that are not

benefiting from this category of product.

Cost is the most prohibitive factor, preventing

many consumers from obtaining the custom

or high end products they desire. This places

many materials off limits, such as exotic

woods, stone, or leather, as well as certain

processes such as handmade furniture.

In addition to cost, the availability of certain

technologies prevents their use. Threedimensional

printers are able to create

products without the cost of tooling, but take

skill as well as the purchase of the printer.

Finally, many people do not have the skill or

time to create the vision they have in their

minds for their products, eliminating do-ityourself

options.


81

METHODS OF IMPERFECTION

How do we introduce variation?


83

71% OF RESPONDENTS

VALUE PERSONALITY

OVER PERFECTION.

BUT HOW?

The very nature of imperfection dictates that

it can be achieved in a myriad of ways. Here

I describe some of the methods I believe are

worth pursuing in my thesis.


85

“IMPERFECTION” MIND MAP

This mind map details much of my thought

process while exploring what it means to be

imperfect and how this state is achieved.

To me imperfection is the opposite of

repeatability; where the Apples or Toyotas of

today strive to recreate millions of the same

product, this project explores how could a

manufacturer release control of the outcome

and accept whatever is created through the

unpredictable process.

DAMAGE

MATERIALS

GLAZES

METAL WOOD CERAMIC STONE GLASS TEXTILES ORGANIC

GRAPHICS

CLOTH

WEAR AND TEAR

ADDITIVE KNIVES DECORATIVE CERAMIC

APPAREL

BONE

LEATHER

CROSS-STITCH

SURFACE TREATMENTS

SHOES

CLOTH

WOODEN SPOONS

SOFT GOODS

BASKETS

IMPERFECTION/

SCARCITY/

PERSONALITY/

CHARACTER

ADDITIVE KNIVES DECORATIVE CERAMIC

APPAREL

KNITTING

SCULPTING FORGING CARVING THROWING SEWING COOKING WEAVING

BY HAND

GROWTH

PLANTS

MINERAL DEPOSITING

ANIMAL PRODUCTS

METHODS

PROCESSES

NATURE

MARBLING

RESINS/CONCRETES

STONE

DRIED PAINT

LAYERING

TREE RINGS

STONE

DRIED PAINT

AGING

OXIDATION

RUST

PATINA

BIOLOGICAL

BURNING

EROSION

IMPACT

DISORDER

SCARCITY

LIMITED RUN

VINTAGE

AVAILABILITY

ANTIQUE

SPALTING

SHOU SUGI BAN

RUST CRACKS TANGLING

PERSONAL CONNECTION

CUSTOMIZATION

HISTORY

MEANING

MANIPULATION

ELECTRICAL

WIND/WATER

DENTS

EATING

CHEMICAL

BEND

CONDITIONS

ALTERED

DAMAGED

HISTORY

DRIED PAINT

SCARRING

RELATED FIELDS

STORY TELLING

LOCAL GAMING FOOD FASHION OPEN-SOURCE AVATARS

IMPLICIT

EXPLICIT

GOODS ARCADE FAST FOOD

VINTAGE SOFTWARE

BITMOJI

FOOD TACTILITY HOME SELF EXPRESSION AUTOMOTIVE

MIIS

ALCOHOL RECIPES SIMS


87

METHODS OF VARIATION

One of the first areas I began investigating was how variation

comes into creation, both intentionally and unintentionally.

The methods through which this occurred was the first

portion, and paired with my material research it gave a wide

understanding of the commonalities, themes, strengths, and

difficulties that these methods represent.


ACHIEVING VARIATION: NATURE

ADDITIVE GROWTH

PLANTS (dead)

MARBLING

RESINS

STONE

LAYERING

STONE

AGING

OXIDATION

RUST

MINERALS ANIMAL PLANTS (alive)

CONCRETE

PAINT/PIGMENT

METAL

MISCELLANEOUS

PATINA

UNINTENTIONAL WEAR


91

ACHIEVING VARIATION: DAMAGE

BIOLOGICAL

MOLD

EATING

BURNING

SCORCHING

ELECTRICAL

EROSION

RUST

WIND/WATER

IMPACT

CRACKS

DENTS

DISORDER

TANGLING

SCATTERING

TEARING

CLOTH

CHEMICAL

BEND

SCARRING

SNAPPING


93

ACHIEVING VARIATION: HUMAN

REPAIR

PATCHING

SCULPTING

CLAY

CARVING

BLADES

ROTATIONAL

THROWING

SEWING

APPAREL

WEAVING

BASKETS

CLOTH

REINFORCEMENT

FORGING

3D PRINTING

CNC

TURNING

SOFT GOODS

STITCHING

RUGS

KNITTING


95

ACHIEVING VARIATION:

CONCLUSIONS

Not all of these variations are desirable.

After comparing the various methods that

I discovered with the user surveys shown

later in this document (pg. 145, 226), several

similarities became obvious.

DURABILITY PAIRS WITH DESIRABLE

IMPERFECTIONS

Having objects that are durable allows them

to patina, get dents, dings, or be worn down

without breaking or becoming less useful.

SOLID MATERIALS AGE GRACEFULLY

While chipboard and particle board quickly

show their falseness with small chips, solid

materials like wood, stone, concrete, metal,

etc. are consistent in that damage does not

reveal an other material.

USERS WANT IMPERFECTIONS FOR

THE MEMORIES

Aging and damage differentiate any mass

produced product from the next, reminding

users of the time they have had them.

OVERALL, LONG LASTING

PRODUCTS SHOULD BE THE GOAL

All of these benefits (patina, fond memories,

attachment) come from an object existing for

a long time. This should be the goal for this

project.


DAMASCUS STEEL

WOOD GRAIN

MARBLE

CONCRETE

FUR

LEATHER

MOKUME GANE

BRONZE

TITLE GOES HERE

DENIM

SAND

MARBLE

RESIN

BRICK

CERAMIC

BONE

TEXTILES

LAYERING

MATERIALS

Many of the world’s most beautiful and most

sought after materials are derived through

unpredictable processes. The end result is

almost always unmistakably eye-catching, but

also long and difficult to create.

Through innovative sourcing, upcycling, or

material processes that are yet to be invented,

this project will push the boundaries of how

unpredictable and imperfect materials can be

used in consumer products.


99

MATERIAL EXAMPLES


GLAZES

PAINTS

WOOD BURNING

TEXTILES

PATINA

ETCHING

RUST

ACIDS

TITLE GOES HERE

SPALTING

SCRATCHING

HAND-LETTERING

PRINTING

SMOKING

SURFACE

TREATMENT

Often the final step in finishing a product is

the surface treatment, and it is in this final

step where many opportunities are available

to create unique products.

From glazes, to wood grain, to woodburning

with an electric current, both nature and the

human hand are able to create unrepeatable

appearances through chemical,


SURFACE TREATMENT EXAMPLES


HAMMERING

HAND PLANES

CHISELING

CASTING

THROWING

SCULPTING

TURNING

CARVING

TITLE GOES HERE

MOLDING

SAWING

3D PRINTING

MASONRY

PROCESSES

If one only uses the sensory experience of a

product, and renounces their knowledge of

manufacturing methods and other material

processes, very few of the products found on

store shelves reveal how they were created.

In the few where it is possible to

determine their origin, the clues are ugly

and unintentional, and most often the

manufacturer hopes that the consumer will

not notice their presence.

Instead of fighting these realities, how can

the next generation of products embrace

their manufacturing process and incorporate

the inevitable tool marks, seams, or other

elements into the final design?

This project will embrace these imperfections

and boldly embrace their presence,

encouraging the investigation of their source

and revealing the history of the product.


PROCESSES EXAMPLES


SHATTERING

BURNING

ACIDS

EROSION

RUST

OXIDATION

TANGLING

DENTING

TITLE GOES HERE

BENDING

SCARRING

FOLDING

ELECTRICITY

DAMAGE

The destruction, damage, and unintentional

alterations that nearly always occur in a

product’s lifespan are most often covered up.

Whether the mistake is hidden in the finishing

phase, buffed out, or the piece is tossed out

entirely, the consumer rarely knows how

or if a new product has experienced any

misfortune.

In Japanese ceramics, kintsugi is an ancient

practice of repairing broken pottery and

accentuating the cracks with gold or silver.

Like the scars on the human body, these

repairs tell a story and create products that

spark curiosity and retain value.

In several situations designers and consumers

alike embrace the destructive nature of using

products.


111

DAMAGE EXAMPLES


STAINS

CRACKS

WEAR

TEARS

SCUFFS

DIRT

PATCHES

TARNISH

TITLE GOES HERE

LIFE

While there are certain aspects of unique

objects that are predictable, many are caused

by the infinite variations that simply arise

from owning and using a product.

Products may be worn or broken, repaired

or patched, scraped or scratched, and yet

so many of us return to use them again and

again. Not only does this describe a beautiful

relationship between person and product, but

also between both of these and life itself; it is

the scars that describe the journey of both.


115

LIFE EXAMPLES


DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES

What would fulfill the project goals?


119

FURNITURE MARKET

While the current furniture market spans

nearly all price ranges, from IKEA’s $8 LACK

side table to a custom piece from Pollaro that

costs more than $2000, high customization

options are noticeably absent in affordable

furniture and lacking overall.

But while this market presents many

opportunities for innovation, my thesis is not

contained within its walls; if an adjacent or

related opportunity presents itself I will gladly

explore these options, looking for additional

areas to express and embrace imperfection.

This presents many different opportunities

to explore with a thesis project, spanning

experiences, to products, to new materials.

EXPENSIVE

Bespoke

furniture

LOW

CUSTOMIZATION

?

HIGH

CUSTOMIZATION

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

AFFORDABLE


121

HYPOTHESIS

If we create products that embrace their

imperfections instead of hiding them,

these inherently unique products will

be more desirable, longer lasting, and

provide more value to the consumer.


THREE THESIS DIRECTIONS

So far this book has covered many areas of

imperfection and personality in products, so

what am I planning to do?

A NEW METHOD OF CREATION

Whether it is through a new process, material,

or a combination of the two, in my perfect

project I would create a new way to introduce

character into products.

A BUSINESS MODEL

Finally, I hope to use this project to plan and

fund a business, initially centered around the

basis of my thesis. After using this initial idea

to gather initial funding and excitement, I

plan to begin other projects to continue the

momentum from this project.

AN INSPIRATION TO BUSINESSES

Through this new method, I hope to inspire

businesses to create new products and take

my idea to places I couldn’t anticipate.

???


1. A NEW MATERIAL

Scientists around the world create new

materials every year with descriptions full of

superlatives: the strongest, the lightest, the

darkest material ever made.

But what only a handful of designers are

investigating is how to create a material with

the warmth and character found in natural

woods. What makes wood inherently unique

is the same reason its so hard to imitate.

heal, to be disrupted and adapt, to express

minor genetic variations and ensure that

each piece is unique, yet maintain similar

characteristics within a species.

What would a new designer material

look like? Could it be grown? Could it be

organically altered during its creation? Are

there new ways to combine existing materials

that haven’t been explored yet?

Wood was alive.

It sounds obvious, but wood’s origin as a

living material allows it to be damaged and

Kaynemaile — Kayne Horsham

Karta-Pack — Pulp Works, Inc.

Structural Skin — Jorge Penadés


2. A NEW FURNITURE BUSINESS

One avenue for my thesis would create a

new business model for furniture, taking

inspiration from the tattoo industry to allow

users to have input on the initial design, but

also encouraging “touch-ups” as time goes on

to repair, modify, or improve their furniture.

This project would entail a physical location

where the furniture creation takes place,

potentially developing into a destination not

only for consumers but observers to view the

products and process.

As much as possible, this business would

encourage the involvement of the consumer

in the design and creation of the piece, as

both Millennials and members of Generation

Z continue to express their desire for more

experiences.

In the furniture shopping experience, consumers still

want to “see it and touch it and feel it.”

Pat Bowling

VP of communications for the American Home Furnishings Alliance


3. MODIFICATION SERVICE

Where most product related stores sell

products themselves, what if there was a

place to bring products you already owned,

but were unhappy with?

Search through Craigslist, garage sales, or

even the dark corner of a relative’s basement

and you’ll most likely find an abandoned

piece of furniture or other potential treasure.

Oftentimes these have good bones, but are

scuffed or threadbare, or simply out of style.

which one could bring products in many

different categories to be altered, improved,

or stripped apart and made new again.

Whether these alterations would simply

update the product, or craft it into something

completely new would be dictated by the

needs of the consumer, and would allow

creative expression by both the creator and

consumer.

This thesis project would focus on the

development of a modification service, to


USER RESEARCH

What do my users think about all of this?


PRELIMINARY SURVEYS

To gauge consumer interest and discover what directions they

find the most intriguing, I did several surveys.


SURVEY #1

Total Respondents: 162

Average Age: 31

Gender:

62 male | 100 female

Average Income: $45,000

Location:

United States

Total Questions: 30

“I INTEND ON PURCHASING

FURNITURE IN THE NEXT YEAR.”

1 2 3 4 5 6

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

“I WANT MY HOME AND THE

PRODUCTS WITHIN IT TO BE UNIQUE.”

1 2 3 4 5 6

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

“I WOULD PURCHASE CUSTOM

FURNITURE IF IT WAS AFFORDABLE.”

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree

This was a key question

for my project; are people

interested in customizing

their furniture? Here we see

the answer is a definitive

“Yes!”


“I PERSONALIZE OR CHANGE MY PRODUCTS BECAUSE:”

I enjoy the process. 61%

I want to stand out. 46%

It adds a new function. 28%

It makes the product better

at its original function.

27%

The product was boring. 22%

The product breaks and need repair.

18%

The product was originally difficult to use and

the modification makes it easier.

15%

I do not personalize my products.

6%

Other

2%

“I PREFER CHARACTER OR PERSONALITY IN MY

FURNITURE OVER PERFECTION.”

1 2 3 4 5 6

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

“I OFTEN HAVE TO MAKE

COMPROMISES WHEN

PURCHASING FURNITURE.”

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree

“AN EXCITING OR FUN EXPERIENCE

AT A RETAILER MAKES ME MORE

LIKELY TO BUY A PRODUCT.”

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree

Being cognizant of how

people buy furniture and

how it could be a fun and

involved experience may be

an important factor.


CONCLUSIONS: SURVEY #1

There is a strong interest customizing furniture,

and uniqueness is a strong factor in motivating

that desire.

FURNITURE BUYING PROCESS

The furniture buying process can become

stressful if it is too long, too confusing, or if the

consumer cannot afford the options they desire.

Many people discussed those people they go

shopping with, meaning furniture shopping is a

group or partner activity.

or minimal in style, with simple forms and near

black or white, or neutral colors.

Condition: while some furniture was beyond

repair, most had minor dings, scratches, chips,

etc. that did not impede its function. However,

the materials used to create the furniture were

not conducive to making even these small

repairs.

OBSERVATIONS

From documenting and analyzing many

instances of abandoned furniture, I have

discovered several trends.

Materials: most of the abandoned furniture was

built of veneer covered particle board.

Style: Overwhelmingly the furniture was neutral


SURVEY #2


Average Age: 31

Gender:

60 male | 94 female


Location:

United States

Total Questions: 37

“WHY DO YOU VALUE THE PRODUCTS YOU

TREASURE THE MOST?” (most common responses)

SENTIMENTAL VALUE

WORKS WELL

MEMORIES

BELONGED TO...

REMINDS ME...

HAD FOR A LONG TIME


“WHY DO YOU KEEP A PRODUCT FOR MANY YEARS?”

It continues to

function adequately.

81%

I have no reason to get rid of it. 55%

It cannot be replaced in my life because

of the memories associated with it.

46%

I have fond memories using it. 44%

It is beautiful. 38%

It cannot be replaced because it is

no longer manufactured.

27%

It is the only one of its kind. 23%

It is “broken in” or has adapted

to my use in another way.

21%

I prefer old objects. 11%

I’m too lazy to replace it. 6%

“I WANT TO HELP DESIGN THE

APPEARANCE OF MY PRODUCTS.”

1 2 3 4 5 6

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

“I WANT TO CHOOSE THE FEATURES

FOR MY PRODUCTS.”

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree

“MY PRODUCTS MUST AGE WELL.”

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree

Nearly all respondents

agreed that the longevity

of their products was

important to them, with

47% strongly agreeing.


CONCLUSIONS: SURVEY #2

The second of m y surveys proved successful in

determining the priorities of furniture buyers.

PRICE PRICE PRICE

Buyers are supremely aware of the price of their

furniture throughout the purchasing process,

and often feel limited in their choices because

of this hindrance.

DURABILITY AT MIDDLE PRICES

Consumers felt there was a gap between cheap,

disposable products and expensive, higherquality

goods. Worse yet was the perception

that many high-priced products were only high

in price, not in quality.

QUALITY...FOR THE MONEY

Getting a “good deal” on furniture was a

recurring theme in the short responses, as

consumers often cited “value” or “prices” in their

reasons for purchasing furniture.


STATISTICS

In order to understand my target market, I needed to get into

some of the numbers.


STATISTICS: GENERATION Z

For this report, Gen Z is defined as those born between 1997 and 2015.

US POPULATION PROJECTION

GEN Z

26%

MILLENNIALS

22%

GEN X

20%

BABY

BOOMERS

24%

GREATEST

GENERATION

9%

63% OF MEMBERS OF

GEN Z SAY THEY WANT

PRODUCTS NO ONE ELSE

OWNS

2016 Cassandra Report

Population:

~80 MILLION

Expected purchasing power:

$44 BILLION

Expected to have the

HIGHEST RATES OF

COLLEGE ATTENDANCE

The first generation to be

“DIGITAL NATIVES”

IMPORTANT FACTS:

Lack of trust in big brands

Looking for authenticity

Idea of “self-made” very popular

Comfortable with sharing economy

e.g. transportation, fashion, information

Environmentally/socially conscious


STATISTICS: MILLENNIALS

For this report, Millennials are defined as those born between 1981 and 1997.

Population:

~72 MILLION

“Young Millennials” born between

1990 and 2000 have a median

income of just $24,973.

“Older Millennials” born between

1981 and 1990 have a median

income of $47,854.

Petersen

2/3 OF MILLENNIALS

ARE RENTERS

They are the founders of a new return

to urban living situations. In many ways,

a cultural movement away from the

“normal” nuclear family, working-class

lifestyle.

Buzzfeed

FAVORITE BRANDS:

MOST LIKELY TO SWITCH

BRANDS BECAUSE OF “BEHIND-

THE-SCENES” FACTORS:

Availability issues

Product quality

Working conditions

Sustainability

IMPORTANT FACTS:

Not the same as Gen Z

More collaborative

More time on PC

More online shopping

Willing to pay more for authenticity

Excited about locally grown, handmade, etc.


CONSUMER INTERVIEWS


INTERVIEW: BETHANY

SEX: Female

AGE: 28

LOCATION: Boulder, CO

OCCUPATION: Speech Pathologist

When was the last time you purchased

furniture?

Moved to Boulder last winter and bought some

new furniture, but not a lot. Just a portable

kitchen island (one with granite countertop,

wheels on one side. Semi-permanent)

Where do you shop for furniture?

Online (Amazon) if comfort isn’t too important.

Likes to actually touch/feel materials and

cushions if it will be sat/laid on.

Shops at IKEA, likes that they have wide range

of quality (ultra-cheap to pretty decent). Bought

couch from there and happy with it. Generally

likes shopping format. Sometimes starts to feel

long and just wants to get out (and there isn’t an

easy way out).

Where do you make your final purchasing

decisions? (online, in-person, other)

Once they are in person. Sometimes online

purchases (esp. through Amazon) are made

with the assumption can be returned (final

decision is once package has arrived, compared

to living space, etc.).

Physicality of object is important. Need to touch,

feel, see real colors. Never know what colors will

look like in person.

After you’ve purchased furniture, do you

alter it in any way?

Not really, like to keep it clean. Sometimes after

a piece is old, like to paint it to give new life (esp.

small tables, shelves, etc.)

Do you wish you could customize your

furniture more?

Definitely yes. Always wants to change little

things after buying. Sometimes doesn’t match

as well, or wants to change color schemes but

can’t afford new furniture.

construction process). IKEA is simultaneously

good at this but also frustrating. Many times all

steps are easy but one, and that one step ruins

whole experience.

Also sometimes size is an issue [she is quite

small]. Would like to change overall size of

furniture for herself or her space.

Has cats, and if she could cat-proof furniture it

would be nice (anti-urine or anti-scratching, or

easy to clean covers?).

How much do you value the physical

experience of shopping for furniture?

It is fun, but if too long gets stressful. Almost

more fun once the furniture is home and

put together to start arranging the room.

Sometimes that gets stressful too (the

TAKEAWAYS

Purchase decisions happen during handson

time.

Size customization is important.

Adaptability to styles is important.


INTERVIEW: ASHLEY

SEX: Female

AGE: 21

LOCATION: San Francisco, CA

OCCUPATION: Student

When was the last time you purchased

furniture?

Really only bought mattress and a few shelves

when moved into first apartment last year.

security, and a fresh interface wouldn’t hurt.

Where do you make your final purchasing

decisions? (online, in-person, other)

Usually just shop online. Isn’t picky and knows

will get new furniture after graduation. Doesn’t

invest much money so little risk if not perfect.

Doesn’t really practice “interior design,” just buys

functional pieces that get the job done.


Amazon because it is cheap and can be

delivered (doesn’t have a car). Likes that can

be returned if necessary and compare to other

options to see if cheapness is because it is made

cheaply, or just a good deal.

Finds furniture on the street or Craigslist (couch

and some small shelves). Feels like gambling,

thrill of the hunt. Craigslist is still kinda scary

though, and website feels “gross.” Needs more

After you’ve purchased furniture, do you

alter it in any way?

Doesn’t identify with current furniture, so doesn’t

think energy put in to altering it would be worth

it. Function all the way right now.

Do you wish you could customize your

furniture more?

Someday, maybe, but feels so many options out

there might not need to. Finding right one could

be hard though, hasn’t experienced it much yet.

Into vintage stuff, which isn’t custom but likes

looking for the “right” piece. Maybe will do that

for future furniture purchases too, but once

again that is hard. What if she needs something

right away? Will probably get something generic

then, might want to customize that but doesn’t

know how. No woodworking skills and not sure

how to paint/stain furniture without ruining it.

Wouldn’t want to ruin investment.

Generally likes going out and trying new

experiences. Doesn’t know what a fun furniture

shopping experience would look like. See crazy

furniture? Has other aspects that just shopping

(concert, food, art, etc.)?



Doesn’t really care, just want the furniture.

Sometimes shopping can be fun with friends,

but furniture shopping seems stressful. Can’t “try

on” furniture at the store like clothing. Seems

chaotic from what she has seen. Doesn’t know

where to start. “How do you even do interior

design?”

TAKEAWAYS

“Hunting” for furniture can be fun.

Is there already enough variety?

Some consumers lack confidence to alter

their furniture.

Investment in furniture scares buyers.


INTERVIEW: GIULIA

SEX: Female

AGE: 20


OCCUPATION: Animator

ME: So as far as moving into your first

apartment, what kinds of furniture were you

thinking about buying?

GIULIA: Like a desk, a desk, and like a place to

put- we have a pretty small closet in our room.

What did I have to buy…a stool, also a bunk

bed, like in the dorms they have all that.

ME: Did you and your roommate make that

decision together or…

GIULIA: Yes, yes I did, we did, over the summer.

Also my roommate tried to convince me that

the fridge I was actually huge which I regret not

listening to because it is huge. But yeah.

ME: Did you do most of your shopping in

person, or online?

GIULIA: Both actually. Bed, storage unit,

ironing board…those were all in person.

ME: Was there one that you- did you prefer one

of those to online?

GIULIA: Oh…I have to say I liked online more

because I didn’t have to move haha. Because

when I was doing this it was usually on a lunch

break, you know coming back in from the field,

and so from work essentially. And so yeah it was

kind of annoying.

ME: And looking to when you have a bit of

extra spending money, because obviously there

will be a little while where you are still buying

furniture mostly just based on cost. When you

have a bit more spending money, where do you

think you’ll prioritize furniture, compared to

other purchases? Like clothing-

GIULIA: See I don’t buy clothing, so I would

say I would rank it like food, furniture, clothing.

ME: Okay so, like, how would you describe how

much you care about the furniture that you

own? And how you think that might change in

the future?

GIULIA: I think it will be about the same, just

make it last as long as possible.

ME: Okay haha. Do you, would you say you

care about whether your furniture reflects your

style or personality?

GIULIA: Yeah I definitely would say that as

I get older I would like to go towards a theme

or style of the apartment or home that I have.

I always thought that it would be cool to have

themed rooms or a themed house. I don’t know,

back home we have a lot of wood and it gives

kind of a cabin-y feel?

ME: And so going back to online, do you think

you’ll also prefer shopping for furniture online?

GIULIA: Yeah, yeah I think so. And its not even

because I’m anti-social or anything, it’s just

fricken easier.

ME: So you’d say you have a fairly high

confidence in your online purchases?

GIULIA: Yeah I’d like to say so.

ME: And if you received something you weren’t

happy with, would you return it? Or would you

try and make it work?

GIULIA: Ooooo I’ve done both. Usually if

I’ve returned something it was because it was

broken, but otherwise I try and make it work.

ME: Okay great, thanks so much.

TAKEAWAYS

It’s difficult to evaluate product size online.

Long lasting furniture is a priority.


INTERVIEW: CHANDLER

SEX: Female

AGE: 21


OCCUPATION: Student

When was the last time you

purchased furniture?

Last time was when transferred to AAU from Cal

State Long Beach.

Bought mattress, cheap plastic shelves, and split

cost of bunk bed with roommate.

Before that bought bed frame w/ shelves built in

and mattress.


Target for cheap shelves/storage and whatnot.

Amazon for mattress (delivered right to

apartment in SF)

Honestly, doesn’t go shopping very much for

furniture. Doesn’t have the money, doesn’t want

to move it again later. Moving in SF is a hassle.

Looked around online a little bit but since most

purchases were cheap, didn’t really care about

other choices and just went with ones that were

good enough.

Where do you make your final

purchasing decisions? (online, inperson,

other)

Didn’t do much shopping around so pretty

much all of her decisions were wherever she

was looking first. Price was very important in

decisions, because furniture feels disposable in

current living situation.

Waited to see what roommates were bringing

and so didn’t need to buy very much.

Worried of having doubles and wasting time/

money.

Worried running out of room (apartment is

small and lots of roommates)

After you’ve purchased furniture, do

you alter it in any way?

Enjoys putting stickers on cheap furniture.

Sometimes paint it. Doesn’t really care about her

furniture right now; probably going to get all

new furniture once have a real job.



Don’t hate it, but have no reason to get excited

since she can’t afford anything she wants.

In other areas, really into experiences (farmer’s

markets vs. grocery store)

Hasn’t been to IKEA, but might like it.

Has bad impression of furniture stores (stuffy, for

old people)

Do you wish you could customize

your furniture more?

Not current furniture; like she said earlier,

doesn’t really care about her current furniture.

Eventually maybe want home/furniture to

reflect her style, but right now cost is biggest

issue. Feels like she has no money for luxury like

custom furniture.

TAKEAWAYS

Lack of options in price range decreases

enthusiasm

Current furniture stores not exciting

When not caring, price+basic functionality

becomes only priority


INTERVIEW: JAKE

SEX: Male

AGE: 27

LOCATION: Boulder, CO

OCCUPATION: Mechanical Engineer

ME: So what was the last furniture purchasing

decision you’ve made?

JAKE: Well I think probably it was something

from IKEA haha actually it might be this couch.

Yeah I think when we moved in here we went to

IKEA and got this couch.

ME: And how would you say that went?

JAKE: I mean it’s IKEA, so it’s great and terrible

haha no but I think it went pretty well. I usually

like IKEA’s stuff, there’s just certain things that I

stay away from. Like we’ll buy couches, but I

think we’ve had bad luck with their tables and

TV stands and whatnot.

ME: Where do you think that stemmed from?

JAKE: Well we usually kind of think of IKEA as

like, two different levels. Like they have some

stuff that’s just only there because it’s super

cheap and it’ll move a lot of volume, and then

they also have some pretty good quality stuff.

ME: And how do you like the experience of

going through IKEA?

JAKE: I like it, I don’t know, I’m not sure why

some people get so worked up about IKEA. Like

it’s not that hard to get out. Sometimes I guess

it gets a little long but I just don’t go very often.

Plus the meatballs haha.

ME: Would you say you prefer shopping in

person or shopping online for furniture?

JAKE: Well I’ll shop online, definitely, but I

definitely want to feel the furniture and get a

good sense of its size and whatnot. Sometimes

things online just end up being way different

than you expect and like, that sucks with

furniture. Especially if you have to put it together

yourself.

ME: So what makes the experience better in

person? Just seeing it or…

JAKE: Yeah seeing it, but feeling the fabrics

and seeing the colors, because those can change

in-person too. I guess colors change depending

on the lighting but at least you get a little better

sense.

ME: What do you think will motivate your

decisions?

JAKE: Price is still hard to avoid haha but

I want these to last too, like I said we avoid

certain IKEA things because they’re too cheap

and just fall apart. Don’t want that with a baby

hahah

ME: Haha and what about how the furniture

reflects your personality? Or like, your style…

JAKE: Yeah I mean, I don’t know about my

style, but I want furniture that I like, so I guess

that sort of makes my style. It’s important to

me, yeah, because I see it and I use it every day.

But like, I also really just want it to work, like an

uncomfortable couch just isn’t worth it to me.

To me that’s just stupid. But if I could have both

worlds that would be great. Like a big red couch

with the Wisconsin W on it or something, I don’t

know I probably wouldn’t say no.

ME: Okay great, thanks Jake.

TAKEAWAYS

Price as a priority is hard to ignore.

Furniture is different in person.

Comfort is a priority.


CONCLUSIONS:

CONSUMER INTERVIEWS

While these interviews gave back a wide range

of answers, there were themes throughout that

will be useful as I go forward.

IN-PERSON > ONLINE

Nearly everyone I interviewed mentioned that

buying furniture online felt like a risk, and not

the good kind. This means my furniture model

will need to have a physical location or be sold

in brick-and-mortar stores.

COST CAN BE SCARY

For many first-time furniture buyers, which

many Millennials and Generation Z are,

sticker shock is very real. The investment in

furniture can be scary, especially the feeling

of purchasing something “permanent.” Having

security in the idea that it can be changed

(returned immediately, in the future, altered,

etc.) may help assuage their fears.


MARKET RESEARCH

How do my ideas fit into the current market?


MARKET DATA

To begin moving into the custom furniture market, I first

had to understand what already exists and where there is a

vacuum. Through this process I learned several key pieces of

information to guide my project.


(CUSTOM) FURNITURE MARKET

$114 BILLION SPENT ON

FURNITURE IN 2016

With $3.8 billion of that

money being spent at Ashley

Homestore and $3.2 billion

spent at IKEA.

ONLINE SALES

ARE RISING

FEMALE

INITIATION

But are still smaller than in-store

experiences. Consumers also

express preference for in-store

furniture purchasing.

Women still tend to

jumpstart the furniture

purchasing process, but

the gap is closing.

SINGLE-PERSON

HOUSEHOLDS ARE ON

THE RISE

With fewer people comes fewer

reasons to compromise and

more reasons to customize.


TARGET MARKET:

GENERATION Z + MILLENNIALS

AGE: 18–45

INCOME: $25,000–$75,000

LIVING SITUATION: Urban apartment

CAR:

Small or no vehicle

DESIRES:

Feeling of high quality,

affordable price, smaller sizes, multiple

uses, sustainable, ethical business

practices, social media engagement

CONSUMERS GOING UP, AMOUNT

BEING SPENT IS GOING DOWN

Millennials are spending less per piece

of furniture than previous generations,

but because there are so many new

consumers entering the market, sales

are still strong for the future.

$1382

$843

$961

US: average price paid by

households for selected

furniture items in 2016 (USD)

MILLENNIALS

GEN X

Furniture Today

BABY BOOMERS

$177

$271 $288

$256

$145

$175

SOFAS

CHAIRS

RUGS


USER ENVIRONMENT

The following section details some of the physical spaces that

users live in and use on a daily basis. These are the places my

line of furniture will have to fit into and adjust to.


CAR TRUNK DATA

The difficulties in transporting furniture was one

of the main reasons consumers cited for leaving

their furniture behind or throwing it away.

With the rise of Uber, Lyft, Getaround, Zipcar,

etc., using a car for a day has become easier

than ever. The following pages contain several

car classifications to represent the main car

categories Generation Z owns or has access to.

MAX HEIGHT

673 mm

WIDTH 1016 mm

MAX DEPTH

1524 mm

MIN. DEPTH

762 mm

2013 TOYOTA PRIUS

2018 PRICE: $14,995

CLASSIFICATION:

Compact

TOTAL VOLUME:

623 L3


MAX HEIGHT

875 mm

WIDTH 1245 mm

MAX DEPTH

1800 mm

MIN. DEPTH

1000 mm

2009 HONDA CR-V

2018 PRICE: $9,490

CLASSIFICATION:

Crossover

TOTAL VOLUME:

Max. 2123 L3

MAX HEIGHT

737 mm

WIDTH 1245 mm

MAX DEPTH

1397 mm

MIN. DEPTH

787 mm

2017 SUBARU

CROSSTREK

2018 PRICE: $21,695

CLASSIFICATION:

TOTAL VOLUME:

Crossover

Max. 1557 L3


MAX HEIGHT

381 mm

WIDTH 660 mm

MAX DEPTH

1359 mm

MIN. DEPTH

813 mm

2015 SUBARU BRZ

2018 PRICE: $18,550

CLASSIFICATION: Sport compact

TOTAL VOLUME:

294 L3

MAX HEIGHT

520 mm

WIDTH 1105 mm

MAX DEPTH

1300 mm

MIN. DEPTH

685 mm

2009 HYUNDAI I20

2018 PRICE: $6,450

CLASSIFICATION:

Supermini

TOTAL VOLUME:

326 L3


SMALL APARTMENTS

Getting a general size of apartments has helped determine why

Generation Z and the Millennials will have less space to devote to

furniture. These apartment plans show just how small many of the

new spaces are, and how their layouts affect how they are used.

QUEEN SIZE

MATTRESS

FOR SCALE

474 FT2

373 FT2

LIVING AREA

9’ 7” x 15’ 11”

SLEEPING AREA

9’ 7” x 11’

BATH

7’ x 5’

CLOSET

6’ 8” x 2’

STUDIO

12’ 8” x 19’ 5”

CLOSET

9’ x 4’ 5”

KITCHEN

7’ 1” x 8’ 2”

BATH

6’ 8” x 9’ 10”

KITCHENETTE

CLOSET

3’ 5” x 4’ 5”

STUDIO

13’ 3” x 11’ 10”

CLOSET

3’ x 2’

KITCHENETTE

BATH

4’ x 6’ 4”

241 FT2

BATH

6’ 4” x 4’ 8”

CLOSET

3’ x 3’

KITCHENETTE

STUDIO

11’ 10” x 19’ 3”

330 FT2


MATTRESS SIZES

All measurements in millimeters

TWIN

965 x 1905

TWIN XL

965 x 2035

FULL

1345 x 1905

QUEEN

1525 x 2035

KING

1930x 2035

CALIFORNIA KING

1830 x 2135


CONCEPT RESEARCH

What concepts are worth pursuing?


PROJECT PRIORITY MATRIX

PASSION

FEASIBILITY

TACTILITY

2 1

SENTIMENT

7 8

VARIATION

3

5

SUSTAINABILITY

5 3

EXPERIENTIAL

4 4

PERSONALIZATION 6 7

CUSTOMIZATION

8 6

LONGEVITY

1 2

MARKET

SKILL LEVEL

ID CONTENT

FIELD OF INTEREST

3 1 1

2

4 8 8

6

6 6 5

3

5 3

4 4

7 4 7

7

8 7 6

8

2 2

2

5

1 5

3 1


CONCEPT GENERATION

After gathering initial research from consumers and analyzing

their wants and needs, I began generating concepts with

which to gather feedback and continue my research.









DECISIONS

Comparisons between the surveys that had

already been conducted and the sketches I

did showed that the directions that best fit the

market data were “LEGO-like furniture,” v“Furniture

modification store,” and “Swappable-parts

furniture.”

The next step was to conduct another survey with

which I could begin evaluating the ideas.


SURVEY #3


Average Age: 29

Gender:

Living situation:

49 male | 74 female

62 house (own) | 26 house (rent)

| 36 apartment


Location:

United States

Total Questions: 41


PART 1: LEGO-LIKE CONCEPT

This survey focused receiving feedback on

some preliminary ideas for thesis projects.

In this portion I had the surveyees read a

description of the idea along with a picture

help jumpstart their thinking process.

Afterwards, they were asked several questions

to judge their response and opinion and

guide further research.

The passage to the right was the first reading

that coincided with the “Lego-like furniture”

concept.

PROMPT:

This business model begins with a simple joinery system

that will allow all the pieces to be joined together or

taken apart with minimal tools. The shape of this joint is

easy to reproduce and instructions on how to replicate it

would be freely available (open-source).

Similar in practice to LEGOs, pieces will fit together in

multiple ways and have multiple functions so that one

kit/set of pieces can be used in dozens of different ideas.

Pieces will be available in a variety of sizes, colors, and

materials (such as wood, stone, plastic, and metal) in

order to cover a variety of costs and styles. Accessory

pieces will modify others in order to increase possibilities

for creative uses and ideas (like hinges, wheels, sliders,

cushions, etc.).

Modification, buying third-party pieces, and “hacking”

would be greatly encouraged (would not void warranties

or cause other punishments).

METHOD #1

1. Choose base model (Chair A, Table D, Coffee Table A,

etc.).

2. Choose materials for each piece (can all be one

material/color, or could each be different).

3. Assemble furniture according to the instructions.

METHOD #2

1. Have an idea for a piece of furniture for which there is

not a perfect base model.

2. Pick out the pieces individually that you want to use.

3. Purchase pieces.

4. Assemble your custom furniture.

METHOD #3

1. Own a piece of this furniture already.

2. Have an idea for a modification.

3. Find plans for a piece online and 3D print it / make it

yourself.

OR

4. Build a completely new piece to suit your needs.

METHOD #4

1. Do whatever you want with the pieces. Make something

weird, paint it, cut it, burn it. The sky’s the limit.

Just as with LEGOs, there is no wrong way to assemble

them.


HOW COULD THIS IDEA

BE IMPROVED?

“More description on the uses, such as is it for

home or office use?”

“Had clearer limits. ‘Endless possibilities’ might

be confusing, too involved.”

“Wish it incorporated more colors and

patterns into the designs, allowing an entire

room to be outfitted in different styles.”

“If there was a wide variety of colors to choose

from.”

“If it had a platform to share various ideas

from the consumer on how they personalized

the furniture.”

“You could modify the 3D pieces.”

“Didn’t do quite so much, consumers might

be overwhelmed.”

“If the pieces were sold pieces in kits.”

“Showed how it might work with more

traditional decorating.”

“Allowed for a way to create custom

parts without a 3D printer, by perhaps

commissioning them?”

“Is readily available the same day you want it.”

“This idea is interesting to me.”

1 2 3 4 5 6

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

“I have desired something similar to this in the past.”

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree

“I would pay money for this idea.”

ENTHUSIASTIC USERS

Male/female equally

67% under $50k

Split own/rent homes

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree


PART 2: ACCESSORIZATION










that coincided with the “Accessorization”

concept.

PROMPT:

This business model would provide very basic,

affordable furniture that while functional, is

not exciting. However, the money saved by

keeping the furniture so basic would allow

you to purchase the accessories or extra

pieces you would want to make the furniture

perfect for your needs.

These accessories would be provided by the

same company in order to keep the buying

process simple, but third-party manufacturers

could manufacture accessories as well.

METHOD #1

1. Choose base model (Chair A, Table D, Coffee

Table A, etc.)

2. Choose accessory pieces (shelves, cushions,

feet, etc.)

3. Assemble custom furniture.

METHOD #2

1. Have an idea on how to modify the

furniture

2. Purchase base model

3. Modify with your own tools/paints/etc.


HOW COULD THIS IDEA

BE IMPROVED?

“Seems like this is already provided at stores

like IKEA.”

“Was limited to just the basics, but made of

high quality raw material and still affordable

(through simple design and mass production.”

“Came pre-painted. I could get cheaper stuff

at Goodwill.”

“More customization.”

“Had a digital “workshop” where I could see

what the finished product would look like.

That would help immensely in deciding what

option is best suited for my needs.”

“Had furniture that was designed to be

attractive. Furniture can still be basic/

minimalist without being ugly.”

“It was not so simple and boring, but that

goes against the main premise.”

“At first glance I don’t see anything IKEA

isn’t already doing (minus the accessory/

customization idea - but is that really

needed?)”

“If you could choose the materials used.”

“Seems like a normal business model.”


1 2 3 4 5 6

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

“I believe other products/services already do this in

a better way.”

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree


LESS INTERESTED

This idea received less interest and

less anticipation of future purchases

than the LEGO-like furniture concept.

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree


PART 3: MODIFICATION SERVICE










that coincided with the “Modification Service”

concept.

PROMPT:

In this model the business would provide a

service instead of a product itself.

Many processes can both damage and

enhance a product. For instance, burning a

wood surface can give it a beautiful finish,

as seen above, while making it more fire

resistant.

Other methods are random in their

application of texture/color, as seen in a

reused work table cut marks and overspray

from spray paint.


HOW COULD THIS IDEA

BE IMPROVED?

“Is guaranteed to be nondestructive and

damaged furniture is compensated.”

“If someone came and picked it up.”

“Had a guarantee policy of customer

satisfaction of product outcome since

random.”

“If they could potentially reupholster.”

“Offered packages to do complete room sets.”

“Offered materials to do it at home.”

“If the design options were more attractive.

I wouldn’t want burnt or spray-painted

furniture.”

“Had a donation policy where people could

bring furniture they no longer needed. You

could also give them store credit for future

modifications.”

“You could custom order the exact item you

wanted modified.”


1 2 3 4 5 6

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

“I have desired something similar to this in the past.”

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree


VERY SPLIT

While this survey still came out

mostly positive, surveyees were

in less of a majority about the

modification service.

1

Strongly disagree

2 3 4 5 6

Strongly agree


FROM 3 TO 1

If I were to rank these ideas from receiving

the most positive feedback to least, the order

would be LEGO-like furniture, then Modification

Service, then Accessorization.

INTRIGUE...AND CONFUSION

The interest in the Modification Service seemed

to be founded in the abstract idea of damage

and modification. While this interest seemed to

wane when paired with a purchasing situation,

the fact that people found this idea interesting

was worth noting.

Part of the confusion seemed to stem from

the limited options I described and showed. In

future discussions and surveys I should convey

the wide range of possibilities in a better way.

SPEAKING WITH(OUT) THEIR WALLET

Respondents seemed to really find this idea

interesting, but when it came to whether they

would pay money for it, they were split.

OVERALL

WINNER:

LEGO-LIKE

FURNITURE


SURVEY #3 CONTINUED

“Which of these tools do you have at your home?”

Hammer 88%

Screwdriver(s) 88%

Wrench set or crescent wrench 68%

Power drill 60%

Hand saw 53%

Sander 41%

Crowbar 35%

Other 9%

“I like using my hands to make things.”

1 2 3 4 5 6

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

“Other than price, what are your priorities when shopping for furniture?”

Comfort 73%

Style 60%

Size 51%

Materials 47%

Ability to be moved

to another residence

30%

Weight 23%

Other 9%


SURVEY #3

CONCLUSIONS

These surveys gave me several revelations, first of which was

that the modular, LEGO-like furniture communicated the best

and received the most interest.

Some themes that were repeated was the desire for an

online platform for sharing ideas, gaining inspiration, or

commissioning custom options. Another theme was the desire

for more options, implying that the current examples did not

convey the myriad of possibilities very well.

Another theme was the desire for pre-designed options that

consumers could purchase if they did not choose to customize

their piece.

All of these ideas are worth considering as I continue further

into the concept stage.


SURVEY #4


Average Age: 32

Gender:

Living situation:

66 male | 67 female

73 house (own) | 20 house (rent)

9 condominium | 30 apartment


Location:

United States

Total Questions: 53

“What does furniture that you can’t afford have that more affordable options lack? (I.E. What

features do you wish you could have but can’t afford?)” (most common responses)

QUALITY

DURABILITY

HIGHER QUALITY

MATERIALS

COMFORT

LOOKS

STYLE


“My biggest complaints with most furniture I buy include:”

The furniture only gets worse from the

time I buy it (it ages poorly).

29%

It is made of materials that are not what I would

want (i.e. made of plastic but want wood).

26%

I have no personal connection to the furniture (i.e. it is

just furniture that I will use and discard someday).

20%

It does not function as advertised or expected.

18%

The furniture is plain or boring.

17%

It doesn’t match my decor after some

time has passed.

11%

I get bored of it quickly and want a new

one instead.

9%

The size is wrong.

7%

Other.

4%

“Think of the last piece of furniture you threw away. Why did you throw it away? (Select up to two)”

The furniture was functionally damaged (e.g.

broken pieces, falling apart, etc.)

39%

I was moving residences and it was

inconvenient/I could not move the furniture.

29%

The furniture was aesthetically damaged (e.g.

scratches, blemishes, stains, etc.)

19%

The furniture was cheap and not

worth the effort.

18%

I was moving residences and the new residence

could not accommodate the piece of furniture.

16%

I like changing the style of my furniture

from time to time.

11%

My functional needs changed (e.g. needed a

larger table, bigger shelves, more storage, etc.)

9%

I wanted to upgrade. 1%


How much would you currently plan

on spending to purchase a dining table?


on spending to purchase a bed frame?

$0–$20 $0–$20

$21–$50 $21–$50

$51–$100 $51–$100

$101–$200 $101–$200

$201–$500 $201–$500

$501–$1000 $501–$1000

$1001–$1500 $1001–$1500

$1501–$2000 $1501–$2000

$2001–$3000 $2001–$3000

$3001+ $3001+


on spending to purchase a dining chair?


on spending to purchase a side table?

$0–$20 $0–$20

$21–$50 $21–$50

$51–$100 $51–$100

$101–$200 $101–$200

$201–$500 $201–$500

$501–$1000 $501–$1000

$1001–$1500 $1001–$1500

$1501–$2000 $1501–$2000

$2001–$3000 $2001–$3000

$3001+ $3001+


on spending to purchase a bookshelf?


on spending to purchase a three-person couch?

$0–$20 $0–$20

$21–$50 $21–$50

$51–$100 $51–$100

$101–$200 $101–$200

$201–$500 $201–$500

$501–$1000 $501–$1000

$1001–$1500 $1001–$1500

$1501–$2000 $1501–$2000

$2001–$3000 $2001–$3000

$3001+ $3001+


on spending to purchase a dresser?


on spending to purchase a lounge chair?

$0–$20 $0–$20

$21–$50 $21–$50

$51–$100 $51–$100

$101–$200 $101–$200

$201–$500 $201–$500

$501–$1000 $501–$1000

$1001–$1500 $1001–$1500

$1501–$2000 $1501–$2000

$2001–$3000 $2001–$3000

$3001+ $3001+


Which of the following would you most like

to customize to your functional needs?

Dining table

Dining chair

Small stool

Coffee table

Bedframe

Side table

Bookshelf

Three-person couch

Lounge chair

Desk


to customize to your stylistic needs?

Dining table

Dining chair

Small stool

Coffee table

Bedframe

Side table

Bookshelf

Three-person couch

Lounge chair

Desk


to be unique from other people’s?

Dining table

Dining chair

Small stool

Coffee table

Bedframe

Side table

Bookshelf

Three-person couch

Lounge chair

Desk

Which of the following would you like to “make

a statement” (i.e. stand out by being very

different from expectations)?

Dining table

Dining chair

Small stool

Coffee table

Bedframe

Side table

Bookshelf

Three-person couch

Lounge chair

Desk


WHAT ARE YOUR “PET PEEVES”

WHEN IT COMES TO FURNITURE

OR THE FURNITURE BUYING

PROCESS?

“There is such a discrepancy when it comes

to pricing and quality.”

“It’s hard to tell how long it will last.”

“Pricing games - delivery fees or waived,

added bonus pillows, funky financing,

overpriced items so discounts can be added.

A straight price would be nice.”

“I feel like A LOT of furniture nowadays

is made very cheaply, with sub-par parts

and materials. Also, many brick and mortar

stores are closing, so I have to gamble with

purchasing online. Even if the return policy is

generous, it’s still a pain.”

“I dislike that often furniture is no longer

made to last, and the materials are cheap

(particle board).”

“Furniture is way to expensive, for what I can

afford it is made extremely cheap, there is not

always a big selection of color combinations.”

“I hate when a salesman tries to sell me

“bigger and better” when I’ve already stated it

isn’t what I am looking for.”

“Which of the following are desirable traits that you feel most affordable furniture lacks?”

Durability

71%

Pleasant textures

44%

Appealing color options

43%

Overall attractiveness

43%

Diversity of style

34%

Cost-effective repair options

33%

Emotional connection

24%

Diversity of materials

22%

Intricate designs

21%

Other

2%


SUMMARY OF SURVEY #4

DURABILITY WINS OUT

SPECIFIC PRODUCT CATEGORIES

Time and time again, consumers cite durability Overall, bed frames, dining tables, coffee tables,

and quality as two of their biggest concerns and couches were what won out in terms of

with furniture in general, and one of their popular vote. These may be the first directions I

biggest frustrations with affordable options. start applying the modular system to in order to

get feedback.

Along with aligning with the consumer desires,

pursuing durability in my future designs will

also allow the products to age in interesting

ways, as opposed to fragile products that

deteriorate before they ever have a chance.

STICKER SHOCK

Consumers expect to pay less than market

value for their furniture goods. Despite this, they

do not anticipate paying absolutely ridiculous

prices, but simply at a price point that currently

has limited options. If my products fall in this

price range, I will already have an advantage

over the competition.


EXPERIENCE EXPERIMENT

1. Listen to introductory story explaining that

they have decided to purchase this coffee table

and now have the option of customizing it.

2. Observe in context mockup (below).

3. Observe options.

4. Observe sample pieces of surface finishes.

5. Experiment on sample piece if desired.

6. Begin experimentation.

7. Assemble and evaluate their finished piece.

GETTING THEM INVOLVED

Participants enjoyed working with their hands,

and in particular enjoyed doing this in a group.

Many had fears about messing up their piece,

especially when thinking about potential price.

Certain kinds of furniture (less “important” or less

expensive) may work best for this idea.


EXPERIENCE EXPERIMENT

CONCLUSIONS

Throughout this process the subjects appeared

to have fun, even while getting messy. Despite

this, there were still some concerns.

ANXIETY ABOUT RESULTS

During this experiment there were many

moments of hesitation and delay as the

subjects tried to decide what to do. When there

was a small group, it appeared that individuals

were actually more willing to experiment and

less fearful of destroying their piece.

FIX IT AT THE END?

One idea that was brought up near the end was

the concept of alteration, and then a final step

to clean everything back up again. In the case

of a tabletop, perhaps the top is perforated or

uneven, the user fills it with different colored

resin, and then the surface is planed flat again,

only leaving the user’s marks in specific places

and reducing the opportunity for drastic failure.

WHAT IF IT DOESN’T FIT IN?

As none of the experimenters were industrial or

interior designers, some expressed fear about

the furniture blending in with their decor at

home. Those that had those fears ended up

being very restrained in their choices and

avoided doing anything too distinct.

LONG STORY

SHORT, IF A USER

CAN’T SEE THE

OUTCOME BEFORE

THEY MAKE A

PURCHASE, IT

STRESSES THEM

OUT AND THEY

DON’T LIKE THAT.


JOINERY FOR

LEGO-LIKE FURNITURE


≠90°

FAILED MODULARITY MOCK-UP

As a simple demonstration of what an ultramodular

piece of furniture could look like, I

attempted to create this mockup using a jig to

drill pilot holes for the joinery.

This did not ensure squareness and led to the

mockup looking “particularly jenky” and would

have led to distracted conversations with

consumers. This model was scrapped instead of

showing it to the public.


ULTRA-MODULARITY V. 2.0

This mockup was more functional than the

previous and allowed users to play with and

experience the “LEGO-like”’ furniture concept in

more concrete terms.

One negative I did not anticipate was that

having a metal joinery could lead to damage of

the piece itself. On the bottom of the surface,

you can see scratches where people have

missed the threads and gouged the wood

instead.


MORE SUCCESS, MORE FEEDBACK

This mockups increased durability and structure

allowed me to gather much more feedback.

Despite it being stronger, one of the bolts

did come unscrewed from the peg, which

shows the limited strength of wooden threads,

especially when paired with a metal screw.

The rotational joinery also presented limited

possibilities for accessorization, especially for

connected more surfaces together (to gain a

larger table, for example). A joinery method that

is more linear may make more sense.


LEGO-LIKE FURNITURE

EXPERIMENT CONCLUSIONS

Responses were good to this prototype, with

many people enjoying putting it together and

taking it apart. The satisfaction from having

the pieces fit tightly together was a strong

motivating factor.

EVEN MORE TACTILE FEEDBACK

While the respondents enjoyed putting the

pieces together, they wanted there to be more

of a definitive “click,” as both a reassurance it

was tight enough and as a satisfying tactile

experience.

SHOULDN’T FEEL MODULAR

Most of the respondents felt that most furniture

that came apart ended up feeling cheap, and

they said this was very important to avoid.

STILL SOME CONFUSION

While the assembly process was fairly simple

and straightforward, when discussing the future

options, the reviewers were confused about

how this would be possible given the current

joinery system. One suggestion was that when

the final version was created, a slick animation

could really help sell the idea.

MIX OF LONG AND SHORT PIECES

Several respondents found the idea of using

many small pieces to create a piece of furniture

interesting, but one brought up the notion

that there would be individuals who were still

mostly just looking for furniture. For them, fewer

pieces means a simpler and shorter assembly.

NO TOOLS

Everyone agreed that it was a huge plus that

this model didn’t require any tools. This feature

should be carried over into the final version.


ADDITIONAL RESEARCH

Where can I find more information?


PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEWS


INTERVIEW: AARON WALLACE

VOCATION: Woodworker

COMPANY: Oxbow Designs

LOCATION: Menomonie, WI

PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Timber-framed

structures, hand-crafted furniture

So to start off, how do you see your

values reflected in the work you create?

At one point on your website you

mention avoiding efficiency; where can

that be seen?

I would say when it comes to execution

of work that has been well designed and

prototyped, efficiency is important and

desired.

When it comes to general creative direction I

believe flexibility is key. Being hyper curious

about anything and everything in this world

leads to great ideas...oftentimes that’s not

the most efficient life path, but leads to great

ideas that can truly resonate within your life.

Another part of your design philosophy

you discuss is trying to create “timeless”

designs. A lot of people move towards

minimalism in that same pursuit. How

would you say your designs try to be

timeless?

I do love minimalism...but I’ve always thought

that term was lacking. I like “essentialism” and

“extravagant minimalism”...beautiful, honest

materials with essential forms...that’s when

things become timeless in my opinion.

Stripping away for the point of stripping away

isn’t what I go for, but if you can strip away to

find the gold in the form...that’s what I love. I

feel that’s why I relate to Japanese aesthetics.

If you combine that philosophy with amazing

materials...then I’m in love.

Are you familiar with wabi sabi? It’s come

up several times in my research.

Where do your customers find value in

your work vs. the industrial or massproduced

versions? Obviously most

people have the choice of owning a $75

“IKEA” table that will serve most of the

same functionality, so what kind of

people choose to purchase your services

instead?

to touch and stare at the Nakashima and

totally forget about the IKEA...it’s a foreign

sports car compared to a domestic econo line.

Yes, wabi sabi is profound. Seems to be

misunderstood oftentimes.

What I make usually consists of solid hard

wood with hand cut joinery. So it’s very

substantial in material and aesthetics. The

materials alone, knowing how to work with

them and the time it takes, not to mention the

design, is where cost really begins to increase.

If you were to look at an IKEA table and a

Nakashima table in the flesh, one would want

TAKEAWAYS

Minimalism for the sake of minimalism

can be considered just another style

Wabi sabi is intangible, but still valuable


INTERVIEW: MACK MARBAS

VOCATION: Handmade garments

COMPANY: n/a


PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Hand-spun yarn,

hand-woven cloth

What has been motivating your craft and

design lately?

We’re living in a time where there’s such a lack

of personal connection to what we wear, what

we own, and everything seems to be trending

towards digital and disposable. You know

there used to be a time where people would

save up their wages for a few weeks to invest

in something they really cared about, a pair of

shoes, a nice jacket. But at the same time that

perpetuates this material culture, like I don’t

want to make more “things.”

So it’s a duality between making objects,

garments, etc. that are more than just more

junk, and contribute something more to their

owners’ lives, and looking at how really high

quality garments can do that.

What project are you working on now?

Well to be honest, I’m not working on this, yet,

but it’s been mulling around my head for the

past few months.

It kind of hearkens back to the cottage

industry, where you had maybe eight workers

working full-time to keep one spinning wheel

going and supplied with material. These were

people working in their own town, maybe

even their own home.

So nowadays the garment that was made

from that yarn or textile would be a four digit

garment. And to me that’s unacceptable,

because if you’re going to change the world, it

has to be accepted by more than the top one

percent.

I guess the project is starting to look at the

idea of how we can provide equipment that

embraces modern technology to allow these

small towns to create goods for themselves,

made by citizens of the town and sold at a

reasonable price. Maybe it’s more expensive

than a fifteen dollar t-shirt, but it’s something

that’s considered a worthy investment. There’s

a lot of open questions in there, but I’ve been

really intrigued by that.

Do you see the consumer getting

involved in the creation of garments or

products anywhere?

Well I think that gets back to providing

something that is more than just a

materialistic good, and that dualistic nature

of creating products that are commodities

and trying to not perpetuate this materialistic

culture. So if getting people involved was an

enjoyable process, maybe if people decided

their garments had more value to them and

it had some sentimental value or emotional

connection...it could be interesting.

The problem is that people don’t know how

to design, they don’t know what they want.

Danny Hess is working out of the Sunset right

now making these amazing wooden boards,

seriously just works of art and they’re great

boards too, but could someone go in there

and make a board like he could? People don’t

want to make surfboards; they want to surf.

TAKEAWAYS

Consumers may not want to learn how

to craft, but still want the end product

Is it possible to sell material goods and

still discourage rampant materialism?


MATERIAL COLOR SURVEY

At the core of my project is the idea of rethinking how furniture

and furniture buying process operate.

While new materials are introduced or created quite often, their

entrance into the mainstream furniture market is quite slow.

Because of this, the palette that many designers work with is

quite narrow and restricted.

This survey hoped to reveal how the color of materials was

distributed, and see where there might be an area of design

opportunity.

*this survey is not meant to be exhaustive

nor comprehensive.


MATERIAL COLOR SURVEY

Materials such as cloth, textiles, glass, as well as gemstones have been excluded.

EXCLUDES PLASTICS, FABRICS, AND OTHER DYED OR COLORED MATERIALS

UNCATEGORIZED

PEAT

BISMUTH

BRICK

ADOBE

PORCELAIN

LIMESTONE

GRANITE

LEATHER

WALNUT

RUST

BRASS

WALNUT

COPPER

LEATHER

COPPER

WORN

COPPER

BLOODWOOD

COPPER

BRASS

PADAUK

SAND

GOLD

PURPLEHEART

BRICK

BRICK

RAW

GOLD

IVY

OXIDIZED

COPPER

RVEY

LORED MATERIALS

EY

ATERIALS

NEUTRALS

NEUTRALS

PORCELAIN

BONE

CONCRETE

CARBON

STEEL

EBONY

CHARRED

WOOD

(CARBON)

GRANITE

WALNUT

PORCELAIN

BONE

CONCRETE

CARBON

STEEL

MARBLE

EBONY

CHARRED

WOOD

(CARBON)

GRANITE

MARBLE

WALNUT

WORN

COPPER

BRASS

WORN

COPPER

LACK OF MATERIAL

OPTIONS

GOLD

ASS

RAW

GOLD

IVY

OXIDIZED

COPPER

LD

IVY

OXIDIZED

COPPER


ANTHROPOMETRIC DATA

All measurements in millimeters


ANTHROPOMETRIC DATA, (cont.)


PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

DOCUMENT

THIS PRD USES THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS:

MUST: Necessary or essential

SHOULD: Recommended but not critically important

MAY: Expresses a possibility or tertiary requirement

WILL: Indicates a statement of fact

Addition of the word “not” to any of the aforementioned

definitions will change its meaning to the negative or

opposite.


LEGO-LIKE FURNITURE

TASK FLOW

ONLINE

RESEARCH

EVALUATE

OPTIONS

ONLINE

Look at kits

Browse forums

Browse galleries

Compare w/ comp.

ONLINE

PURCHASE

A. Kit only

B. Loose pieces

C. Kit + loose pieces

CUSTOMER

NEEDS

FURNITURE

AT HOME

ASSEMBLY

DRIVE TO

PHYSICAL

LOCATION

EVALUATE

IN

PERSON

Look at kits

Look at inspiration

IN-STORE

PURCHASE

A. Kit only

B. Loose pieces

C. Kit + loose pieces

RETURN

HOME

Compare styles

Wait and think

Take measurements

REPLACE

PIECE AT

STORE

PIECE IS

DAMAGED

RETURN

ALL

PIECES

RECEIVE

CREDIT

OR

CASH

COMMISSION

NEW PIECE

Online

Local

AT HOME

USE

NEEDS

CHANGE

BUY

NEW

PIECE

MOVE

RESIDENCES

DISASSEMBLE

TRANSPORT

TO NEW

LOCATION


FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

The products must fulfill the function of their

corresponding piece of furniture as well as a

price-comparable alternative.

The products must accommodate or adjust to

varying sizes.

The products should accommodate a variety

of materials.

The products should have many possible

outcomes.

The seating products must be able to hold

250–400 pounds.

The seating products must maintain their

strength when tilted on two legs.

The surface products should be smooth.

The products must not give slivers or splinters.

The seating products should be comfortable.

The products should be unique from one

another through a natural, organic process.

The products should be sold in kits.

The products should be sold as individual

pieces.

USABILITY REQUIREMENTS

The products must be easy to move between

residences.

The products should come apart and be put

together without the need for tools.

The products should not take more than an

hour to assemble.

The products should be easy to clean.

The products should need minimal

instructions.

The instructions should be comprehensible

without any words.

The products should make it easy to modify

the pieces or alter the products themselves.

The products may be reproducible at home.

The products should be easy to alter with

tools at home.

The products should be able to be carried by

one person.

JOSHUA THORSON | SPRING | FALL 2018 | | THESIS RESEARCH DESIGN | JOHN | TED GUENTHER RENTERIA |

277

MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS

The materials should age in an aesthetically

pleasing manner.

The materials should be able to be cut with

woodworking tools.

The materials must be able to be machined

on by a CNC mill.

The materials should be functional after an

eight foot drop test.

The materials should not splinter or shatter.

The materials should be recyclable.

The materials may be compostable.

The materials should be carvable.

The materials should be paintable.

The materials may be inherently unique.

The materials should feel durable.

ENVIRONMENTAL

REQUIREMENTS

The products should allow for resale and

reuse.

The products should be durable and long

lasting.

The products should be made of renewable

materials.

The products should make less of an

environmental impact in their product cycle

than traditional furniture.

The products should use recycled materials as

often as possible.

Products may use low or zero VOC finishes.


279

MANUFACTURING

REQUIREMENTS

The products must be uniformly machined

within a 1/64” tolerance.

The products must be square to within 0.1°.

The products must be able to be machined

smoothly and without excessive chip out.


281

BRAND REQUIREMENTS

The brand must appeal to Generation Z and

Millennials in particular.

The brand may adapt to each user.

The brand should be transparent in its

messaging.

The brand should have an active social media

presence.

The brand may reflect my heritage.

The brand should be flexible.

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

The assembled products (as described in the

kit instructions) must adhere to the following

furniture safety guidelines:

ANSI/BIFMA

EN 12520:2015 Furniture


283

THESIS DESIGN

How do we make “Lego-like” furniture?


285

CURRENT PROGRESS

IT STARTED WITH “IMPERFECTION.”

At the end of the last semester, I was chasing

this dream of extending the appreciation of the

natural variations and infinite possibilities that

imperfections allowed.

To me this meant abandoning the pursuit of

uniformity, or even the desire for predictability,

especially in regard to furniture design.

It appeared that wealthy consumers could find

options in this area; limited runs from designers,

local craftsmen, etc.. Who really was missing

out were lower to middle-class consumers,

individuals were looking to spend $500 on a

dining table, not $5,000.

LESS OF A TURN AND MORE OF A

SLIGHT LEAN

As my research progressed, I found many of my

values aligning with creating durable products,

which was the defining goal of my target

market. Furniture that stayed with individuals

longer would naturally achieve these variations I

pursued, it would reduce waste, and it was what

my demographic wanted most.,


PROBLEM STATEMENT

As more and more of our lives are replaced with digital or

disposable experiences, there is a worldwide movement, in

particular with Millennials and Generation Z, towards authentic,

lasting products.

Furniture is one area where products used to be of lasting quality

and durability, and because of this, individuals held onto them

for years and passed down these products to their children.

Modern technology has allowed the cost of furniture to be

reduced dramatically, but has replaced personal, emotionally

connected products with disposable, neutral, future-garbage.

UPDATED HYPOTHESIS

If we design a brand of furniture that emphasizes longevity at an

affordable price, individuals will grow to value their products more

while reducing the amount of furniture ending up in landfills.

GOALS

This project hopes to address several key issues. At the forefront

is the lack of durable, long lasting furniture options for more than

just the top 1%. In addition to providing an important product

that can grow and change with the individual, this will also

reduce the environmental impact the furniture industry has on

the planet by reducing the amount of furniture that is disposed

of each year.


PERSONA: JERICA

Jerica is a member of Generation Z, those

young, digitally-immersed individuals that

will be entering the workforce in the next few

years. Growing up surrounded by the hipster

movement, Jerica was influenced to enjoy

niche hobbies like vinyl, hole-in-the-wall

cafés, and reading old books.

To Jerica, IKEA, Ashley Furniture, and other big

box furniture stores represent a culture that

she doesn’t relate to. She wants furniture that

has the durability, tactility, and intangibles of

old furniture with the convenience of IKEA.

AGE: 17

GENERATION: Gen. Z

PROFESSION: Student, part-time retail

INCOME: $5,000

HOUSING: 180 sq. ft. dorm room

PASSIONS: Social media, political activism,

NEEDS: Self-expression, tactile experience,

small carbon footprint


PERSONA: ANNIE

Annie borders Generation Z and the

Millennials, and is influenced by both. She’s

never experienced a world without the web,

and has begun pushing back against this

digital, plastic age.

Annie values experiences and authenticity,

choosing to invest in memories whenever

she can. Whether it be the vintage sweater

she found in her mom’s closet, or the tickets

to Lollapalooza that she could barely afford,

Annie values self-expression and wants her

furniture to reflect that.

AGE: 22

GENERATION: Split Gen. Z and Millennial

PROFESSION: Finance intern

INCOME: $10,000

HOUSING: 400 sq. ft. apartment

PASSIONS: Hiking, photography, DIY

NEEDS: Easy to move, multi-use,

photographs well, affordable, tactile, digital/

electronics-friendly, opportunities for

alteration


PERSONA: KEVIN

Kevin is a millennial, and just like many

members of his generation, he has high

expectations for the world. He doesn’t feel like

just one member of a herd and doesn’t want

his products to give that appearance.

Being a unique individual is at the core of

Kevin’s identity, and ever since he graduated

college he has used his extra spending money

to find ways to express this individuality.

Whether through new experiences, events

with friends, or new and interesting products,

Kevin always looks to maximize the value he

gets out of his money.

AGE: 33

PROFESSION: Event photographer

INCOME: $55,000

HOUSING: 800 sq. ft. apartment

PASSIONS: Music, socializing, beer tasting

NEEDS: Fashion-forward, easy-to-assemble,

adaptable, multifunctional, small, easy to

move


DESIGN GOALS

Before starting designing, I boiled the product

requirements document down to three areas

that my user needs.

All three of these are high on the list of priorities

for the people for whom I’m designing.

These are separate from market goals in that

all of these goals should work together to hit

the project mission statement. That is to say

all should help create an affordable, modular

furniture system that can age gracefully.

ENJOYABLE TO ASSEMBLE

AESTHETICALLY HONEST

ABLE TO PATINA

JOSHUA THORSON | FALL 2018 | THESIS DESIGN | JOHN GUENTHER | 297

BASIC FURNITURE GEOMETRY

INSPIRATION


KEY FURNITURE GEOMETRY

The basic furniture blocks need to be able to

create all of these shapes in order to fulfill their

mission to make almost all furniture possible.


INITIAL JOINERY SKETCHING




HALF-LAP V1

Combining the half-lap concept with lock-in

pins was one attempt to create a rotatable joint

that would lock itself in all orientations.

Unfortunately, the pins did not hold very

tightly, so I needed to find a different

solution.


HALF-LAP V2

Mid-plank joint is oriented 90-degrees from

the other joints in order to allow all forms of

furniture to be built.

The overhang aspect of the joint was inspired

by scarf joints and helps lock the planks in place.

However, this overhang was too small and

prone to breaking.


HALF-LAP V3

With the proportions of the overhang reversed,

the joint is much stronger while maintaining

the same level of complexity.

This model was rough, but even with the wide

tolerances, it was surprisingly strong.

It was also incredibly satisfying to assemble.


HALF-LAP V3 (TESTING)

There were a few key takeaways from the

testing I did with this version of the half-lap

joint.

IT’S STRONG ENOUGH

One of the important points that I learned was

that the dimensions were sufficient to uphold

more than 160 lbs of force without suffering

damage or feeling unsteady.

PROPORTIONS NEED TO CHANGE

Overall this design was not particularly

beautiful, looking chunky and awkward. Luckily

I had an idea that would take this same design

and push it into something desirable.

FAIL POINTS

Like any design, I found where some of the

weak points were, and how they would fail.


HALF-LAP V4

This is the same parametric model as V3 but

with the geometry pushed to its limits. It is:

1. Easier to grasp

2. More confident in its aesthetic

3. Equally adaptable as V3

4. Able to use smaller pieces of material


ARRANGEMENT

TESTING

These mockups helped visualize how the

system would fit together and confirmed

that the pieces line up with each other.

After the base sizes were confirmed I

lasercut scale pieces and tested how they

would assemble and what forms were

possible. This proved that the arrangement

of joints would allow for many possibilities.

JOSHUA THORSON | FALL 2018 | THESIS DESIGN | JOHN GUENTHER |

319

PROTOTYPING CONCLUSIONS

Half-lap V4 was the winner for its ability to

use a larger percentage of material scraps.

It is also lighter, and visually much more

exciting than the other versions.

Finally, the large overhangs allow accessories to

be developed to hang off of these or even use

them as sliding rails in the case of drawers.

Additionally, this version is easier to grip

because of the shape of the profile, making

it easier to assemble and disassemble.


PRODUCTS + DETAIL SKETCHES


FINAL DESIGN


PLANKS

The final design of these planks is both simple

and versatile, opening up possibilities for

improvisation while remaining dead simple

to assemble.

NO TOOL ASSEMBLY

Assembling a piece of Summ furniture only

takes a mallet, and even that is optional if

you’ve got strong hands.

ABLE TO FLAT PACK

In the world of affordable furniture, this is not

optional. Luckily these planks are dead simple

to pack flat.

MULTIPLE ORIENTATIONS

Each plank can be flipped 90 degrees or slid

into a center slot, without the need for specialty

pieces. And it looks simple and clean either way.

Summ’s plus sign saves

approximately 23% shipping

volume compared to

rectangular beams.

Clean, consistent geometry.


STARTER KIT 1:

SIT/SNACK

A bench or coffee table with an optional shelf.

PLANK BREAKDOWN

12

1 – 2

0

0

4

0

Price: $180 – $260


STARTER KIT 2:

STORE + MORE

Add a top surface to transform into a kitchen

island or side table.

PLANK BREAKDOWN

28

3 – 7

0

4

0

0

Price: $240 – $500


STARTER KIT 3:

SLEEPY BOY (QUEEN SIZE)

A bedframe for all your sleeping needs.

PLANK BREAKDOWN

56

4

1

2

20

0

Price: $650 – $850


WEBSITE HOME SCREEN

CUSTOMIZATION TOOL


DESIGN GUIDELINES

What are the rules?

JOSHUA THORSON | | SPRING FALL 2018 | | THESIS DESIGN RESEARCH | JOHN | TED GUENTHER RENTERIA | | 337

2”

14”

10”

3”

4”

6”

CURRENT PLANK SELECTION

These initial planks were designed as a

system that satisfies the majority of consumer

demands when it comes to constructing their

furniture. They work together to create most

shapes and sizes, but not all.

CONSISTENT THICKNESS

The material thickness is consistent across

all pieces to maximize compatibility and

strength.

RELATED LENGTHS

Planks fit together and are based on the same

system so that even with diverse pieces, equal

length segments can be achieved. This system

is based off the ten inch plank with a two inch

overlap and two inch joint.

FUTURE EXPANSION

The current selection allows expansion of the

system by setting basic requirements that

allow diverse additions to the platform.

= =

Here you see how three 6”

planks, one 14” plank, and a

10” plank with a 6” plank all

are equal in length.


FUTURE ADDITIONAL PIECES

This brand is alive; it changes and grows as

the users demand new and exciting pieces.

Designing these pieces to fit into the system is

paramount to the brand living into the future.

SIZE

The size of the pieces is determined by a

multiplying factor which relates to the core

size pieces and multiples of the base size. Use

the table on the right to give a sense of what

lengths and angles make up this system.

FUNCTION

At the core of this system is the ability to use

any pair of pieces in novel ways. They should

be able to be used in multiple orientations, for

multiple uses, even if originally designed to fill

one niche.

Any new piece should be made so that it fits

a category, i.e. no quick fixes for a one-off

problem.

FORM

The overall form of the pieces should be

simple and easily understandable.

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?


MATERIALS

Where and what our products are made from

is at the core of our company. The guidelines

for making these choices are simultaneously

broad and strict, so at the end of the day

it may be your gut that determines if it is a

correct fit for our company.

With that in mind, it is important to put in

the time and energy to find good wood

sources regularly. Using public websites

such as Freecycle.org, Craigslist, and other

woodworking forums is important in order to

find free wood as often as possible.

Final note on materials; there is no quantity

too small. Experiments are encouraged and

necessary to keep this brand alive. You can

only find enough material to make one piece?

Do it, and the owner of that piece will revel in

the knowledge that no one else in the world

has a piece like them.

SUSTAINABLY SOURCED

For us that means using scrap or otherwise

wasted materials, especially offcuts from

lumberyards.

STORY AND A LOCATION

Sources of material should have both, which

should be documented with a set of GPS

coordinates and a photos of the material pre

and post-processing.

AUTHENTICITY

Whether it is scrap lumber, remolded plastic,

or even concrete, the material should be

veneer free and true to its appearance.

DURABILITY

Materials should age and absorb damage

in a durable way; dent or chip, not crack;

refinishable; able to absorb the shock from a

reasonable (~5’) fall.

SUGGESTED MATERIALS

Scraps/unused lumber from furniture makers,

lumberyards, etc.

Urban fallen trees

Driftwood

Dismantled/destroyed homes (check for

mold, asbestos, etc.)

Recycled plastics (reference Dave Hakkens’

work with Precious Plastic).

Depicted here is waste wood scraps from

Munson furniture. This would eventually be

processed at a green waste facility.

JOSHUA THORSON | FALL 2018 | THESIS DESIGN | JOHN GUENTHER |

343

FINISHES

The variety of materials that will be included

in this system demands a variety of surface

finishes, but between all of them there are

similarities.

DURABLE

In all cases, the finish must add to the actual

and perceived durability of the material, not

diminish it. While a mirror gloss does not

weaken the material itself, it is easily damaged

and shows this damage prominently. Matte or

satin finishes are preferred for most materials.

DEEPER THAN THE SURFACE

Finishes should be penetrating in order to

create lasting protection that does not scratch

off from everyday wear and tear.

REPARABLE

Finishes should patchable with minimal work

(i.e. sanding and able to gain a patina.

PATINA-CAPABLE

All finishes should aid in allowing the material

to age gracefully, even increasing the amount

of visual change it undergoes through time.

SUGGESTED FINISHES:

Hard-paste wax

Hard wax oil

Submersion in hot linseed oil

Boiled linseed oil

Tung oil


THESIS IMPLEMENTATION

How do we make Summ a reality?

JOSHUA THORSON JOSHUA THORSON | SPRING | 2019 SPRING | THESIS 2018 IMPLEMENTATION | THESIS RESEARCH | JOHN | TED GUENTHER RENTERIA |

347

MANUFACTURING PROCESS #1

Offcuts from furniture and construction

industry < 2.25” in thickness.

1. ROUGH-CUT: First cut that takes

the pieces down to rough dimension and

confirms squareness.

2. PLUS-SIGN GLUE UP: Using a specially

designed jig, the pieces are glued into an

extruded plus-sign shape.

3. JOINERY MACHINING: using a CNC

mortising machine the square dowel holes

and the rest of the joinery are cut at correct

intervals.

4. FINAL DIMENSIONING: the planks are

rip cut using a square-toothed blade to final

thickness which also serves to clean up any

tear out.

5. FINAL CUTTING: the planks are cross

cut referencing the square dowel holes with a

jig to ensure accurate lengths.

6. FINAL SURFACING: wood is wetsanded

to a moderate grit of ~200 grit.

7. FINAL SEALING: depending on the

wood, it is sealed with a moisture-resistant or

moisture-proof coating.

The Centauro Beta 3 Axis

Cnc Swing Chisel Mortiser is

capable of producing square

and rectangular holes of

varying widths and heights,

and is nearly tear out free.

~$20,000

JOSHUA THORSON | SPRING 2019 | THESIS IMPLEMENTATION | JOHN GUENTHER | 349

MANUFACTURING PROCESS #2

Found or reclaimed lumber >3” in thickness

1. WET-CUT: in this step, the wood is cut

into 3” slabs, but still has moisture in it.

2. INITIAL DRYING: in order to begin

stabilizing and removing stresses from the

wood while minimizing cracking, it should be

dried to ~15-20%.

3. ROUGH-CUT: this cut takes the slabs

and turns them into square dowels that are

3x3” and are the full length of the slab.

4. FINAL DRYING: the final drying

reduces the moisture content to ~6% for

maximum stability. From this point on the

wood will stay in a moisture-controlled

environment.

5. ROUGH DIMENSIONING: pieces

are cut in order to maximize material use

while avoiding any extreme twists or other

unusable deformities. At this point the pieces

are over-sized plus-shaped dowels.

6. JOINERY MACHINING: after being

mounted on the rotary CNC machine, the

joinery is machined.

7. FINAL DIMENSIONING: the planks are

rip cut to final thickness which also serves to

clean up any tear out.

8. FINAL CUTTING: the planks are cross

cut referencing the square dowel holes with a

jig to ensure accurate lengths.

9. FINAL SURFACING: wood is wetsanded

to a moderate grit of ~200 grit.

10. FINAL SEALING: depending on the

wood, it is sealed with a moisture-resistant or

moisture-proof coating.

While not completely

necessary, a CNC table saw

would aid in precision and

would raise the quality and fit

of the planks.

$22,695.00


INTERVIEW: PAUL MUNSON

VOCATION: Parametric furniture

COMPANY: Munson Furniture

LOCATION: Oakland, CA

PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Shelves, tables,

coffee tables, dining table chairs.

What have been your biggest challenges

in designing for CNC machining and

parametric furniture?

Designing a piece of furniture that is machined

by a CNC takes many versions with many

iterations. We’re already on version three of the

Radius line.

What is it that you’ve been adjusting?

Each piece ends up going through a process of

optimization where each edge and each cut

needs to go through a bunch of iterations. These

are fine woodworking pieces and so blowout

is unacceptable, but we don’t want to have

too many failures. Failures not only cost more

because we waste all that materials, but it costs

time and that’s the real killer.

Basically that means that we run into issues with

the more individual pieces we have because

each one is almost its own project.

The other amazing thing is that despite our

website allowing something like 800 million

different configurations, we still get orders

outside of them.

Wait so your website can do 800 million

variations of the same product and

people still want things outside of the

parameters?

We end doing a fair number of custom orders

like this one over here. They wanted it this long,

which was longer than the parameters because

we knew that not only would it suffer strength

issues, the proportions start to look off.

I expect we’ll get a request to take this one back,

to be honest. It racks pretty bad, even with these

extra supports I put in there.

I think if I was to do another line, that might

be the next step in parametric furniture design

that I would want to jump into. Changing

proportions so that as the furniture scales up in

size, so do the leg thicknesses, other details.

As it is right now, even just stocking all the

different sizes of lumber for that kind of

variability would start to be a nightmare.

What kind of scraps does Munson

Furniture produce throughout out the

manufacturing process?

We primarily rip our stock down to 1 15/16”

square stock, so we’re able to get a lot out of

our raw lumber. We do still create quite a bit of

waste that ends up going into the green waste bin.

I’d say the majority is narrow offcuts, anywhere

from six inches to a couple feet. There are larger

chunks of say, raw eight quarter stock but a lot

of times they come from the ends of the boards

so they’ll have some checking somewhere on

them. A lot of it is still good solid wood though.

PROJECT TAKEAWAYS

Parametric furniture allows no added

cost to labor for customization

Number of machined parts greatly

increases time to perfect

Reduced number of parts means:

Simpler fulfillment of custom orders

Reduced time optimizing manufacturing

Lack of glue/screws/nails means:

Flatpacking can reduce shipping costs

Reusability after return to company


INTERVIEW: EZEQUIEL LOPEZ

VOCATION: Head of marketing + sales

COMPANY: ShapeDiver

LOCATION: Vienna, Austria

PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Visualization and

user interface for parametric design

How does ShapeDiver work?

ShapeDiver is a tool for designers to use that

allows users to input parameters and see the

changes directly on their web browser. We

provide an API for our clients or their developer

to customize.

We also do provide Grasshopper services,

although this is not our main focus. We

encourage customers to find someone skilled in

Grasshopper and hire their services separately

from us.

Well since ShapeDiver is directly editing the

Grasshopper file, it is able to just grab that file

and send it to the client.

Different clients have developed different ways

of working with the Grasshopper files on their

end, sometimes with custom software.

I met with Paul Munson from Munson

furniture and he talked about the custom

software they developed that created a

task list for them to execute directly after

the purchase is made. Is this something

standard or did they custom build that?

Munson is actually a bit of an exception in

that their ShapeDiver is actually set up with a

different piece of software than Grasshopper.

In short, no, that is not standard and they hired

someone to develop that for them.

What happens after a customer purchases

a design on a ShapeDiver website?

Would it be possible to configure a

ShapeDiver to work sort of like LEGOs?

Instead of the user manipulating the size

of parts, simply manipulating the overall

dimensions and having the part created

by adding together smaller parts?

This really has more to do with Grasshopper

than ShapeDiver, but yes Grasshopper is

capable of doing something like that. You would

simply need some custom script to swap pieces

in and out based on lengths. But yes, that’s very

possible.

Great, and how does ShapeDiver work in

terms of payment plans?

We have different break points based on

number of uses per month, starting at ninetynine

Euros and going to nine hundred ninetynine

Euros. There is also obviously a different

pay rate depending on if the client is having us

do an Grasshopper development for them.

Like I said though, we greatly discourage clients

from having us do their development for them.

It’s a much smoother process if they have a

developer on hand to work with.

PROJECT TAKEAWAYS

ShapeDiver directly manipulates

Grasshopper files that can be used for

CNC machining

Grasshopper is the best software to

design parametric furniture right now

Using a tool like ShapeDiver can be

playful and fun for potential buyers

My proposal is totally possible and viable

as a collaboration with ShapeDiver

and would be best created through

Grasshopper.


BRANDING

What is the Summ brand?


357

WHAT IS SUMM?

For millions of people around the world,

their furniture purchases have been bandaids

on a very serious unfulfilled need; to

create an environment around yourself that is

meaningful.

With a simple product derived from complex

thinking, Summ provides not only furniture

that adapts to your lifestyle, but also is created

from honest, real materials that will age with

you instead of dissolving into sawdust. And

when you’re ready for something new, just

return it to a store near you for some credit

and the chance to pass on your memories to

someone else.

Summ is about engagement, getting people

to view their furniture as something they have

real choice in and an opportunity to flex their

creative muscles.

Our messaging is meant to encourage these

ideas, keep possibilities open and overall

allow our products spark the imagination of

our consumers.

JOSHUA THORSON | SPRING 2019 | THESIS IMPLEMENTATION | JOHN GUENTHER |

359

LOGO

While our brand is eclectic, natural, and everevolving,

but our logo conforms to set rules

and standards.

When compared with the materials that we

use, our logo is stark in its simplicity of color

and form, but this is not by accident. The logo

quickly spells out our name, introduces the

brands colors, and implies much about the

functions of the planks. Just like our name

implies, we are more than our parts, and so is

our logo.

LIGHT-HEARTED

Our brand doesn’t take itself too seriously.

ORGANIZED

Just like the Summ system, our logo is

rectilinear and easy to understand.

ECLECTIC

Not one color, but many.


GRAPHIC STANDARDS

Keeping our type choices and color standards

organized allows the beauty of our materials

and products to shine through. Although at

times a standards manual can feel limiting,

remember that it is the products that add the

detail and excitement through bright and

exciting photos.

Aa

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

TITLES

Gotham - Bold

Aa

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Myriad - Light

Body text should be on the small side, around

size 10 for a regular document with slightly

increased leading to let it breathe (around 1.5

the point size is a good rule of thumb).

Cyan: 70

Cyan: 0

Cyan: 9

Cyan: 53

Cyan: 0

Cyan: 0

Magenta: 0

Magenta: 75

Magenta: 15

Magenta: 23

Magenta: 39

Magenta: 0

Yellow: 52

Yellow: 68

Yellow: 100

Yellow: 0

Yellow: 54

Yellow: 0

Black: 0

Black: 0

Black: 0

Black: 0

Black: 23

Black: 80


BUSINESS PLAN

How does Summ exist in the business world?


365

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This business plan proposes a partnership

between myself (the designer) and a

manufacturing facility and finally, a

distributor. I would retain intellectual

ownership

Summ is a furniture system that is based upon

a simple wood joint. This wood joint is the

core of the business and the system because

it allows the user to move the constituent

parts around into numerous permutations,

instead of having parts designated as a table

leg or a chair’s arm.

By breaking furniture down into this set

of parts, manufacturing is simplified while

allowing parametric alterations to any idea,

adding height, length, width, or other features

without machining any custom pieces.

Other added bonuses of the system include

flat-packability, easy CMF variation, simpler

order fulfillment, and a post-purchase market

for resale of used pieces and/or accessories.

MISSION STATEMENT

Delivering a furniture system that inspires

improvisation and creativity, reduces waste,

and provides a product that will live and age

with its user.

VISION STATEMENT

No two pieces the same.


DIRECT COMPETITORS

OPENDESK

FLOYD

MUNSON MODOS IKEA UPSOP

EASE OF

ASSEMBLY

no disassembly

easy

n/a

easy

medium

easy

NO-TOOL

ASSEMBLY?

n

y

n/a

y

n

(although some soon)

y

CUSTOM

SIZE?

y

(set intervals)

n

y

y

(through DIY)

n

y

(set intervals)

CUSTOM

MATERIAL?

one choice

(plywood)

plywood + linoleum

~3 choices per category

extremely limited

(aluminum joinery +

plywood or bamboo)

choose from pre-existing

choices

one choice

(plywood)

FINISH

CHOICES?

n

(unless DIY)

colored linoleum

limited

limited

(anodized aluminum)

y

n

DURABILITY

medium

(sharp edges, delamination)

medium

(sharp edges, delamination)

high

high

low

(delamination, veneers,

particle board, etc.)

medium

(exposed gaps)

FIT/FINISH

medium–high

(varies by maker)

medium

high end

medium

(depends on assembly)

cheap

medium

(exposed gaps)

DIY’ABLE

easy, encouraged

some products

(user provide surfaces)

n

easy, encouraged

variable

(requires creativity)

limited, requires hacking

PRICE

$518

%595

$800 – $1200

$1200

$300

$600

STARTING

OPTIONS

desk, cafe (dining) table,

meeting table, low stool,

low table

table legs, dining table,

bed frame, sofa

table/kitchen island,

TV stand, dresser (w/

drawers)

standing desk, shelves,

stool

n/a

standing desk/coffee

table, desk

FLOYD OPENDESK FLOYD

FLOYD OPENDESK

OPENDESK UPSOP FLOYD OPENDESK UPSOP

UPSOP UPS

MODOS

MODOS

MODOS IKEA

MUNSON MODOS

IKEA

IKEA

MUNSON

MUNSON IKEA

MUNS


COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

An online marketplace for high quality

secondhand, vintage, locally made, or

resale furniture.

Online furniture store that allows

moderate customization of size,

material, and finish.

One of the largest traditional furniture

retailers in the world.

Manufacturer of furniture known for

its comfort.

A curator of home furnishings,

focusing on a distinct, experiential

store environment.

An online marketplace that matches

artisans with customers.

A modular system of furniture based

on large, Lego-like bricks.

World-renowned high-end furniture

brand.

Known for affordable, Scandinaviandesigned

home goods. Especially

known for distinct in-store experience.

An online community of DIY’ers and

designers that discuss and sell IKEA

products with added functionality or

altered aesthetics.

“Museum quality handmade furniture”

CNC’ed furniture and plans for said

furniture.

Curator of unique and handcrafted

goods.

Online furniture store that allows

moderate customization of size,

material, and finish.

A design studio working in home

goods, specializing in a minimal

aesthetic.

A physical and online store offering

mid-century modern furniture with

limited material selection.

Area of design opportunity.

EXPENSIVE

LOW

CUSTOMIZATION

HIGH

CUSTOMIZATION

AFFORDABLE


LONG

LIFESPAN

NARROWLY

ACCESSIBLE

WIDELY

ACCESSIBLE

SHORT

LIFESPAN

DURABLE

MATERIALS

HANDS-OFF

HANDS-ON

FRAGILE

MATERIALS


LONG

LIFESPAN

DIFFICULT

TO MOVE

EASY TO

MOVE

SHORT

LIFESPAN

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

CONCLUSIONS

AFFORDABLE, CUSTOMIZABLE

FURNITURE

In this categorization there were almost no

entries, and this is where I see a strong potential

market. My research also showed many

consumers in the middle-lower price ranges

are frustrated with their limited options, and

customization could help them overcome this

lack of options.

MADE TO LAST, AND TO MOVE

Currently, longevity and portability are inversely

related, meaning that the more durable a piece

of furniture is, the more difficult it is to move.

This is frustrating for Millennials and Generation

Z who are living in small spaces, often moving

apartments and have to choose between

keeping their furniture and having a seamless

moving process.

Summ will solve this problem by being made of

solid materials that retain their material honesty

even after being chipped or scratched, but as a

system will be simple and easy to disassemble

and reassemble. Both of these features are key

for both ease of use and the longevity of the

pieces of furniture.


SALES MODELS

The diversity of our users requires several

sales models that lead to very different user

experiences.

IN-STORE EXPERIENCE

Users who are new to the brand have voiced

a strong desire to interact with the furniture

and planks before their purchase.

Planks should be readily available to touch,

assemble, and play with so that any concerns

may be assuaged through real, in-person

experiences.

ONLINE PURCHASING

The convenience of online shopping is hard to

ignore. Even users who wish to experience the

products in-person will often wait to purchase

until they are home.

MAKER PARTNERSHIPS

Because of the ubiquitous nature of the

pieces, any person skilled with a CC-router can

create them.

That being said, those makers that wish to

partner with the brand will go through a

vetting process along with a best-practices

class in order to protect the brand’s

reputation.

KITS VS. INDIVIDUAL SALES

While many users will be content to purchase

and assemble their kits as sold, the key to this

system is the ability to purchase individual pieces

to modify these kits or create a completely

new design.


FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS

To keep the Summ brand dynamic and

supplying new ways for consumers to express

themselves, partnerships will allow new

offerings for material choices. Whether these

are limited editions or permanent additions to

the offerings will vary depending on material

availability and market reaction.

These partnerships should contribute to the

core values of Summ, while adding value in

ways that the Summ brand does not normally

provide. Whether this be a new aesthetic,

a new texture, something more locally

available, or any of the above.

FROM TOP LEFT:

Precious Plastic by Dave Hakkens

using recycled plastic, Protein by Tessa

Silva-Dawson using converted waste

milk protein, Structural Skin by Jorgé

Penades using wasted leather scraps

and resin, and Precious Plastic again.


NEXT STEPS

The first step in making Summ real is creating

a parametric model, most likely in Rhinoceros

and Grasshopper, that can adapt and alter the

starter kits in order to allow users to see their

alterations in real time.

the perfect brand/combination of brands of

finishes will allow Summ to further optimize

its costs and still provide an amazing product.

Shapediver as a visualization software

would be fantastic in allowing real-time

customization online.

Additional safety verification would be

necessary to be approved for sale, including

stress testing on the scale of thousands of

repetitions. Other testing, such as finding


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SUMM Modular Furniture System: Joshua Thorson's Master's Thesis

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