Archipelago Sofa
Year
2023 - 2024
Fields
Product Design
Overview
A Holistic Approach to Library Furniture
This three-month project, conducted in collaboration with Indera, a furniture company based in Belgium, aimed to enhance library furniture's user experience and sustainability by addressing the problem of conventional furniture design failing to meet the holistic and user-centric needs of modern public spaces. By incorporating my interaction design thinking into the product design sphere, and using high-quality, sustainably sourced materials, the project intends to promote longevity, durability, and quality as per Indera's DNA. It seeks to improve public furniture's functionality and environmental impact, straying away from the so-called "fast furniture thinking" to make spaces more inviting and efficient for users.
Genk Library
Problem Statment
Why the Library?
Library furniture, particularly sofas, often fails to support user needs, with inefficient arrangements and a lack of user-centric design. This limits the ability of library spaces to facilitate activities like studying, socializing, or quiet reflection. The challenge is to redesign sofas in a way that fosters a more adaptable and holistic picture in the library environment. The Archipelago Sofa project aims to address this by developing a modular, sustainable, and user-friendly seating solution, using interaction design principles to enhance the library experience and support diverse user activities.
Designing for the middle ground
I wanted the sofa to be a multipurpose piece of furniture, as observations during previous field research showed that individuals who chose sofas in libraries tended to do so for comfort rather than productivity. On the other hand, those seeking productivity typically opted for desk seating. My goal was to combine these two aspects, creating a piece of furniture that could be both comfortable and functional, catering to the needs of both types of users.
Additionally, the sofas observed in libraries tended to be either very soft or quite hard with lousy ergonomics, neither of which seemed advantageous from my point of view. To address this, I made a design decision to aim for a sofa with medium firmness—striking a balance between comfort and support.The primary design requirement, however, was to create a sofa that not only served as seating but also connected holistically with the library, blending seamlessly into the space rather than feeling out of place like the existing furniture.
Form & Function
The continuation of the investigation involved exploring various forms and functions that could be integrated into a sofa to best fit the library space, meet user needs, and accommodate the requirements of the library staff. This phase focused on identifying design elements that would enhance both the aesthetic and practical aspects of the furniture, ensuring it serves as a functional and harmonious addition to the library environment. Moodboards and diagrams were utilized to understand different concepts and serve as ideation tools, translating abstract thoughts into tangible design possibilities.
Crazy 8s Concept Ideation
Research through design was employed as the primary method for this project, involving constant iterations and feedback to refine and improve the designs continuously, but instead of users, supervisors were the main evaluators of the designs. However, other methods, such as brainstorming, were also utilised, which was crucial for jump-starting my creativity and getting the ideas flowing. To facilitate this, I used the design thinking method of Crazy 8s, sketching eight different ideas in eight short minutes. This method allowed me to explore various possibilities, generating concepts that laid the groundwork for more structured ideation in the following steps. The sketches were later combined with pictures of similar furniture to add a layer of realism to the concepts. While some ideas might have seemed redundant, uninteresting, or unsuitable for this particular design challenge, the method helped guide me toward other paths, forms, and shapes that felt more appropriate within the context of the library.
CAD Sketches
Following the Crazy 8s brainstorming session, I began creating CAD sketches. This step was essential for translating the rough ideas generated during brainstorming into more detailed and precise designs, while also serving as an ideation tool to develop additional sofa concepts that hadn't emerged during the brainstorming phase. Moreover, using CAD allowed me to visualize the concepts in 3D, refine the proportions, and ensure that the sofa's form and function aligned with its intended multipurpose use. It bridged the gap between the initial sketches and the physical model that would need to be constructed later, making it easier to create an accurate physical replica by leveraging the 3D nature of CAD.
The Decision Making
After much consideration and several supervisory sessions with further iterations on different designs. The final decision came down to three designs: one that focused heavily on the interaction design principle of affordance, and the second being the Archipelago sofa that focuses on modularity, and the third called the croissant sofa focused on intimacy. Deep discussions with the supervisors unfolded about what would be best for the space, users, and staff. Ultimately leading to the decision to move forward with the Archipelago concept for its broader appeal and potential to create a more engaging and versatile library environment than the other two options. The open nature of the design was also appealing as it invites the individual to sit from every observed angle, and as every piece was modular.
The Foundation of the Idea
My own experience as an exchange student in a foreign country served as the inspiration for this design. The feeling of being lost and isolated, similar to the emotions individuals sometimes experience in a library, especially during their first visits, resonated deeply with me. This connection, along with the traditional depiction of a man lost on a small island, greatly influenced the concept. The juxtaposition of solitude and serenity became the foundation of the design, capturing the emotions of both displacement and tranquility. The idea was to create a series of these "islands" spread throughout the library, connected by similar pieces to form an archipelago system that holistically integrates with the library environment such as the book shelves.
The Archipelago Sofa
To advance the design, I focused on a specific portion of the system I had created, deciding to proceed with the four-part sofa configuration, including a central console that ties the components together. The design underwent multiple iterations during development, resulting in a final product that deviated somewhat from the initial concept. This evolution had positive and negative aspects: while the original palm tree concept became less prominent, the design became more industrial and modern. The sofa parts were redesigned for enhanced ergonomics, evolving from the original beanbag shape to a form resembling a car racing seat. This included higher backs, pronounced lumbar support, a tilted sitting position, and a curved shape to better fit the body while maintaining a square footprint for easy connection of pieces. The middle console not only integrates the sections but also functions as a light and outlet station, enhancing convenience for work, study, or charging devices.
Prototype and Model-making
As model-making was an unfamiliar process for me, I began by creating various prototypes to explore how best to approach the task. I started with clay, moulding the pieces along with a base made of hard paper. This initial step was crucial for understanding the proportions and getting the size and measurements correct. The clay models allowed me to experiment with the form and refine the design before moving on to more advanced materials and techniques. Next step the creation of the real model was established with materials provided from Indera, this helped me create a model that was meant to showcase every stage of the manufacturing process, from wooden base to fabrics.
Conclusion
This three-month project with Indera showcased how innovative design and a cross-disciplinary approach can push boundaries and offer fresh perspectives in furniture design. The Archipelago Sofa's unique approach intrigued both the founder of Indera and my teachers, as it stood out from conventional designs. Although as a full-scale version was never built for real-world testing with visitors and staff, there wasn't a firm conclusion as to if the design would work in the context, because a design is never truly finished—there is always room for further development and exploration.