‘RELAX’ Chair
scale: 40″h x 22″w x 30″d
scale type: Person scale
client: Design Competition
client type: Architects
status: Designed 2010
services: Furniture Design;3D Scanning; 3D Modeling; Packaging
description: Below is a step-by-step description of the form generative steps taken to create the living surface of the RELAX chair:
_00
HDS 3-D Laser Scanner
Will record infinite
number of points in space.
_01
Human Subject
Seated in a range of pre-tested
“comfort” positions, the human body is
scanned in-situ to obtain
information about the form.
_02
Import Point Cloud
Generate a point cloud
definition of the user’s
form and import to Rhino 4.0
via comma separated .txt file.
_03
Edit Point Cloud
Clean away points which
are not informative to
the desired surfaces.
_04
Establish Baseline Point Cloud
Analyze point cloud
for areas of density
and begin informally
understanding the form.
_05
Create Baseline Surface
Use “Mesh from Points” command
to triangulate individual
points from cloud. This
will create a baseline
surface representing the
“sitting” surface.
_06
Revise Baseline Point Cloud
Based upon jagged surfaces
yielded from original
“Mesh from Point,” return
to point cloud model
to further clean surface
edges.
_07
Create Developable Surface
Use “Mesh from Points” command
to triangulate individual
points from revised cloud. This
will create a cleaner baseline
surface representing the
“sitting” surface.
_08
Transform Smooth
Use the “Smooth” command to smooth out the surface using a World Coordinate smooth factor of 0.5.
_09
Contour Surface
Use the “Contour” tool
to project spline curves
to the surface at 6”
intervals across the
horizontal and vertical planes.
_10
Split-Symmetry
Establish vertical line
of symmetry and trim
away extraneous line segments.
_11
Loft surface curves
Rebuild surface curves to
point count (24) and degree (3).
Loft resultant curves.
_12
Fabricate Mesh Form
Rebuild surface with point count: U(24)/V(24) and degree U(3)/V(3) and use model to fabricate/cast/mold/create tensile mesh.
_13
Unify Surfaces
Repeat steps 1-6 for three sitting types: ‘relax’, ‘lounge’ and ‘converse’. Blend three surfaces into a single “three-sided” sitting surface.