A sleek, flat-pack lounge chair blending bold geometry with suspended comfort.
- Plywood Frame
- Ripstop Nylon Seat
- PLA 3D Printed Brackets
- Chair Modeled in Rhino + Fusion
- CNC Routed Plywood 3/4" Frame
- Webbing Attached to Brackets for Removable Seat
- No Glue Assembly
Designed, modeled, built, patterened, sewn by me.
Ideation
Project Statement
This chair represents my exploration merging textile craftsmanship with industrial design fundamentals. I focused on furniture design to challenge my skills in creating structural pieces that harmonize soft and rigid materials.
Core Objectives:
- Fabric as Structural Element
- Modular Disassembly System
- Ergonomic Body Support
Development Approach:
The process began with exploratory sketches examining how sewn fabric components could integrate with load-bearing frames.
Early concepts prioritized:
- Clean transitions between materials
- User-friendly assembly logic
- Contoured support geometry
Initial File Work
The chair's components required specialized digital toolsets:
- Rhino 3D - Primary frame modeling emphasizing organic ergonomic curves
- Fusion 360 - Precision-engineered bracketry with tolerance-controlled assembly features for webbing
- CLO - Pattern development for fabric seat, focusing on drape distribution for comfort.
The initial prototype required engineering of component interfaces - screw sizing, webbing gauge, and retention clearance were strategically balanced. These considerations ensured secure fabric tensioning while maintaining user-adjustable flexibility and removal of brackets when disassembling.
The chair's digital framework was developed in Rhino to optimize a flat-pack assembly strategy. Initial prototyping prioritized rapid iteration:
- Material Testing - 1/2" MDF prototype validated structural concepts while exposing flexion limitations
- Modular Joinery - Eight dog bone joints enabling tool-free slot assembly
- Failure Analysis - First-gen weaknesses informed later material upgrades
Prototyping and Iteration
Following digital validation, the design transitioned to physical realization through strategic use of the University of Minnesota's XYZ Lab resources. I harnessed industrial-grade CNC routing for precision framework fabrication and 3D printing for bespoke joint components to execute this flat-pack assembly concept.
Following CNC fabrication, the first physical assembly revealed both promise and critical learning opportunities:
Successful Elements:
- Joint systems demonstrated precise friction-fit functionality
- MDF's dimensional stability allowed accurate dry-fit verification
- CNC-cut edges provided clean mating surfaces for tension testing
Testing Limitations:
- Conducted preliminary load testing with partial component set
- Bracketry prototypes remained in iterative development phase
Structural Validation Challenge ▲
Early success in static assembly gave way to critical revelations during dynamic testing.
Reasons for Structural Failure:
MDF material choice and thickness. There's no grain for MDF so the lack of strength is prevalent. I could have maybe been successful with a 3/4" MDF instead of 1/2" MDF
Frame Design. The thickness of the frame was simply too thin, this had to be improved in the final.
Changes for Final Design
Make the dog bone joints smaller to ensure it doesn't break at the joint
Make sure the male and female parts of the dog bone joints are the same measurements. Double and triple check.
Chose a thicker, stronger material for the job. Plywood will be better suited for strength and get at a larger width than .5"
Consider a way to add support to the upper part of the chair, it feels flimsy. This could be a result of the material choice and thickness, but overall something to help stop it from bending when weight is applied. Possibly make the frame larger than 2" height.
Final Assembly
Changes Made:
- Frame is now 3.5" wide
- Purchased Plywood at .75" instead of MDF at .5"
- Triple checked measurements in dog bone joints.
- Cross supports are flush with frame
- Added more cross support for extra strength
- 3D printed brackets have a thicker base.
The CNC routing phase executed with improved an improved design, followed by targeted hand-finishing of critical joints.
These design refinements enhanced structural integrity, eliminating wobble while maintaining full load-bearing capacity.
The production phase culminated in functional integration of key textile and mechanical components:
- Structural Textile Integration - Executed lockstitch reinforcement pattern (square perimeter + X-axis cross) optimizing tensile load distribution
- Bracketry Installation - Precision-mounted 3D-printed tension nodes using calibrated torque settings
Validation testing confirmed complete structural integrity - the hybrid chair maintained dimensional stability under dynamic loading scenarios while preserving designed ergonomic contours. This successful material synthesis proved the viability of merging textile craftsmanship with digital fabrication methodologies.
Conclusion
This exploration successfully marries soft goods fabrication with industrial design fabrication, proving engineered fabrics can transcend decorative roles to become load-bearing architectural elements.
The chair manifests three core principles:
- Material Hybridity Achieved - Lockstitch-reinforced webbing now transfers loads through cantilevered geometry, transforming sewn seams into structural joints
- User-Centric Assembly Validated - Precision-cut dog bone joints enable tool-free assembly while maintaining <5/32" alignment tolerances
- Ergonomic Intent Realized - Contour-mapped geometry distributes body weight across tension zones as intended in early sketches
The iterative journey - from MDF proof-of-concept to final hybrid assembly - confirms industrial design's evolving landscape where CNC precision and soft goods fabrication coexist. This project establishes a replicable framework for future explorations in adaptive furniture systems, particularly for compact urban living solutions requiring disassembly-ready design.
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