Lawrence Reid INDN 241 Sustainable Mediums Project 2
Good to Great
Koop
Designed by Karim Rashid for Martela
Dubbed by Time Magazine as “The most famous industrial designer in all the Americas” , Karim Rashid is well known for pushing design boundaries with vibrant colours and organic curves. A summary of his design style can be found in his description of himself: "design pervert, cultural shaper, poet of plastic, digipop rockstar". In his 40 year industrial design career, over 4000 designs have been produced. Something interesting I learnt about Karim, is that while he has worked with countless luxury brands he prides himself on having his designs picked up by the likes of Kmart, in a move he calls “democratising design”, which I will discuss later. While the majority of his designs may not reflect my personal taste, one particular chair caught my attention.
The Koop was designed by Karim Rashid for Finnish furniture company, Martela.
There is a surprisingly small amount of reliable information available on it, there are only a few images on Karim’s website and nothing at all on Martelas. I have emailed both Karims’ and Martelas offices to find out why the Koop chair has such a small online presence, but they were of no help
This at least confirms that the Koop is no longer in production. Because there is such little information available, I wasn’t able to confidently determine when it was produced. I did find that it was mentioned in some blogs as early as 2010. After a bit of searching I found one listed on a dutch auction website that listed one for €4000, and after translating the page, the description stated the recommended retail price is €12490, which converts to approximately $20,000 NZD.
I also found an image of what appears to be a batch tag on the auction listing, which leads me to believe this particular chair was manufactured in 2015
I also found a list released by Art Plural Gallery which shows that Rashid won an award for the Koop Chair design in 2013
This leads me to believe that the Koop chair was released somewhere between 2010 and 2015. I am now realising the reason I have been struggling to find information on it is that it has a bigger presence on non-english websites, perhaps it was targeted toward the European market?
Analysing Koop with my Good Design criteria
Good Design has a goal
When a designer sets a goal, they have a criteria and a measure of success. Good design is achieved when the goal is met.
I was able to find this quote that gives a small insight into what Rashid was trying to achieve with the Koop chair.
“I have wanted to create the Koop chair as an organic space not unlike a womb. The soft line of the structure comes to form a cradle in which one perceives a sense of serenity, privacy and peace. The egg-shaped seat symbolically represents purity, perfection, minimalism and holism” (Scandinavian design, n.d)
The use of the words “cradle” and “womb” give a clue that this chair was designed with the intention of drawing an emotional connection between the user and the chair. A period of our lives that we associate with the primal desires of comfort, safety and perhaps even our own mothers. I think that the Koop clearly communicates Rashid’s intention.
Below is a description of the Koop chair on a dutch furniture website.
“The Koop chair gives the user privacy in modern activity-based offices. The massive Koop chair offers protected, attractive seating and has a concealed swivel base.
The chair's inviting and intensive look is the result of the combination of the painted fiberglass structure and the soft upholstered interior. The curved, sculptural chair can be used alone or in groups.” (Office Outlet, n.d.)
This description is taken from more of a marketing perspective, and gives an idea of the target audience. The words “modern activity-based offices” paired with a $20,000 price tag make me think about silicon valley and big tech companies.
They also say that they can be used alone or in groups, which I initially thought was odd for a chair that is marketed to offer privacy. It wasn’t until I saw this youtube video, that I understood.
Not only does it offer personal privacy but the way the chairs enclose the conversation almost does away with the need for a meeting room. It seems like it would almost be intrusive to disrupt people having a conversation in these chairs.
Not only does it offer personal privacy but the way the chairs enclose the conversation almost does away with the need for a meeting room. It seems like it would almost be intrusive to disrupt people having a conversation in these chairs.
Good Design is concerned with the entire life of the product
The designer has considered each stage of the product's life, from materials and manufacturing processes, all the way to what happens at the end of its life.
I was able to determine that the body of the Koop chair is constructed of painted fibreglass, which is an interesting material through the lens of sustainability. There are multiple methods of manufacturing fibreglass, the short version being that recycled glass and natural glass, such as quartz or silica, is heated and extruded into thin strands. What is done with the fibres is dependent on what the fibreglass is to be used for. As stated by Valmiera Glass, a European fibreglass manufacturer:
“The special evaluations of fiberglass give it many unique properties: high resistance to bending, tensile, compressive, non-flammable, high temperature and humidity resistance, resistance to chemical and biological effects, relatively low density. It is a material that can be twisted, woven, wound, braided, bent, and processed like any other fiber.”
The versatility of fibreglass means it has a place in almost every industry, but how the fibreglass is used is where I found the first issue. Under my design criteria, Good Design is concerned with the entire life of the product. This includes the end of a product's life.
Often, fibreglass on its own is not durable and it must be impregnated with resin to provide structural strength. This means that the natural materials in the fibreglass are unable to be retrieved to make new fibreglass, although that does not mean it cannot be reused.
Recycling fibreglass is a developing field with limited facilities available. My research found there are three main methods of recycling fibreglass.
The first is grinding, where the fibreglass is chopped up and shredded into smaller pieces or ground into a powder. This is a labour intensive process and the glass fibres are damaged in the process, meaning they can’t be used in the same way new fibreglass can be used. They are instead used as a filler in applications such as artificial wood, cement and asphalt. I think that although this process makes use of the fibreglass, it is not very novel and seems like a quick way of making the fibreglass disappear in a place that isn’t a landfill.
The second option is where the fibreglass is burned to create heat, which is used to drive steam powered machinery. The problem is that the heat is not fuelled by the fibreglass, but the resins used in the laminate. Leftover fibres are of a lower quality due to the heat, strengthening concrete seems to be their only application. Only 25-30% of most fibreglass contains organic material, meaning the heat output is low and you’re left with lots of ash… which is sent to the landfill. In my opinion, using the fibreglass as an inefficient fuel is wasteful. This option produces a lesser quality material with limited applications and a byproduct, which is destined for the landfill.. Burning anything has a negative impact on the environment, so it is difficult to say this is a sustainable practice.
The third option, pyrolysis, is a little more sophisticated. The fibreglass is heated in an oxygen depleted environment. Pyrolized fibreglass breaks down into 3 materials: pyro-gas, pyro oil and solid byproduct, all of which can be reused. Pyro-gas can be used as a natural gas substitute, and is used to fuel the reactor used to create it, making the system self-sustaining. Pyro-oil can be used as a heavy crude oil, which is less valuable than crude oil but can be mixed with other fuel oils. This process also does the least damage to the fibres, making them more valuable to manufacturers of fibreglass.
Of the three, I think that pyrolizing the fibreglass is the most sustainable option. It produces materials that have useful applications and damages the glass fibres the least. The issue is that there are very few pyrolysis plants, with proposed plants in New Zealand being met with resistance from scientists, who are suggesting that pyrolysis isn’t as green as advertised.
I think that it is a shame that the only recycling technology that exists essentially destroys the fibreglass, stripping it of its useful properties. I will discuss whether the use of fibreglass is good design under the criteria, Good Design is realistic.
There are other uses boats n shit
I have also discovered that in the past, Rashid has designed packaging to have a second use, such as the packaging for the perfume 5S Metasense for Shiseido Co. Ltd, which can also be used as a purse. This was addressed in an interview Rashid had with Print Mag in 2002:
“YOU LIKE TO CREATE PACKAGING THAT CAN BE USED RATHER THAN THROWN AWAY. WHAT DO YOU SEE PEOPLE DOING WITH THE TRANSLUCENT WHITE PACKAGE?
I have used this secondary packaging philosophy for several years now, creating secondary packaging to eliminate waste. There’s always a purpose for small containers-I use one as a wallet for Euros.”
5S Metasense Perfume bottle and reusable package
I also found this tweet by Rashid from 2012, who suggests designs should have multiple uses to cut down on waste
Good Design is ongoing
The designers commitment to ongoing learning, keeping up to date with new technologies to provide the best option to the consumer.
Considering the sheer volume of his designs (over 4000), it seems unlikely that Rashid revisits each of these designs to improve them. What he has shown is a commitment to understanding plastics. He has a great understanding of both materials and manufacturing processes, even driving the development of new technologies, as I discovered in his interview with Plastic News in 2003:
“Those early impressions gained further currency when Rashid took a number of polymer engineering classes at Ottawa, Canada's Carleton University, from which he graduated in 1982 with a degree in industrial design.
``Then I began to see the potential in it [plastic]. And you realize that the potential is far beyond the aesthetic, obviously. The power of plastics is what it can do for us in the sense of efficiency.''
Today, Rashid continues to push the envelope as regards plastics applications, and is excited by some new materials and effects.
``There are some new forms of phenolics that are actually allowing us to do colors and finishes that never existed before.'' He referred to a stainless-steel, Copco tea kettle with a plastic upper half and handle that was on display in his small showroom. ``We've been very successful with those. We have kettles going on the market that are white. White phenolics didn't exist before.''
He also is working with some new, high-heat-resistant melamines and silicones, and is enthusiastic about what he calls ``a new way of clarifying [polypropylene] resin, that's way better.''
Good Design is realistic
The acceptance that compromises may be made when designing a product, whether it be due to technological capabilities or the designers goal for that product.
I think an important point of Good Design being realistic is the justification of using a chosen material. All materials come with their pros and cons under the scope of sustainability and the designer is placed in a predicament where they have to find a balance between performance and material. Two extremes of this scale would be a cardboard chair vs a plastic chair. The cardboard chair is compostable and recyclable but would not last very long and would most likely lack in comfort and performance. The plastic chair may last 30 years and additives may increase its tensile strength and resistance to the elements, but it can’t be recycled. A lot of sustainability seems to be concerned with the end of a products life, but we must remember that it must also have a life.
I think this criteria may be the most difficult to define, as the justification of using certain materials is subjective. I found that Rashid has made two interesting points around this criteria. The first is the idea of plastic being a “democratic” material, a perfect medium for reaching the masses. In his Architonic interview, his second of three criteria explains this.
“Second, it should be a very democratic, inexpensive material, so that I can make something for a massive audience. Plastic enables my designs to be more accessible on the market. And it is a material that has phenomenal properties. It is durable, malleable and it can actually be quite comfortable.”
This point is reiterated in his article with PlasticNews:
``Twenty years ago, it was such an honor to be in a museum in a permanent collection. For me now, it's an honor to be in Kmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, and the Container Store. You know, I almost have at least one product in every store in America. And that was kind of more my goal ... to make good design really accessible and available, to be part of everyday life.''
Firstly, this shows that Rashid has a goal, to make good design really accessible and available. Because plastic is a relatively cheap material, he sees it as a suitable vehicle to deliver his idea of good design to people of all classes. I had mixed feelings after reading this. It seems that in Rashids mind, mass producing his idea of good design is more important than the environmental impact of his products. This was countered by the thought that if Kmart is mass producing plastic products anyway, it might as well be good design, right? Also, as I discovered earlier, the client has the final say around materials, and his stance is made a little clearer later in the interview:
Rashid believes the flexibility, functionality and efficiency of plastics in vital and wide-ranging applications - from toothbrushes to heart valves - more than outweighs environmental concerns about the materials.
“Plastic is in our clothes, in our eyeglasses, in our dental products and in our shoes. It's so much a part of our lives that to be critical about it is to be ignorant, actually,'' he said. Yet he remains environmentally conscious. He works with biodegradable resins, designs for reuse and encourages clients to employ recycled plastics whenever feasible.
“I always bring this up. If I'm going to work with plastics a lot, then I have to be knowledgeable about it - that's my responsibility as a designer.”
“The real contribution of the plastics industry is to eventually develop a seamless, perfect, cyclic, disposable world, where disposability is almost ritual. There is no guilt attached to it and consumption has no guilt. And that's going to be the future, really. It's starting to happen now.'' Asked if that wasn't an irresponsible approach, he replied: ``Not if it's perfectly seamless and cyclic. It's not at all. It's about new experiences all the time…”
Rashid speaks of the plastics industry developing “a seamless, perfect, cyclic, disposable world” and while it does sound nice, it is not the reality we currently live in and I think it is irresponsible to justify the use of plastic on the premise of a future development. The truth is that we already have more plastic than we can manage and even if this future development comes to fruition, there will be decades of plastic waste to catch up on. It’s like smoking cigarettes with the belief a cure for cancer will exist in the future.
Something else he said that made me think was: “It's so much a part of our lives that to be critical about it is to be ignorant, actually” Initially I disagreed with it and thought he was gaslighting me, then I looked at my desk. I have a plastic drink bottle, pens made of plastic, my earphones, my computer mouse, my wallet is full of plastic cards... Plastic is such a versatile material with so many applications, and I suppose he is right, plastic plays an important role in our society. I think the answer is in finding better alternatives and he does show some sensibility toward sustainability
He speaks of being knowledgeable about plastic as his responsibility as a designer, and as mentioned previously this is true. He pushes for the development of new technologies and also talks about using biodegradable resins, designing for reuse and encouraging clients to employ recycled plastics where feasible. As discussed earlier, the designer usually doesn’t get to choose materials, but it is good to see that he uses his influence to guide his clients in a positive direction.
As for Fibreglass, I think it is similar to plastic in the sense that it is a versatile material with so many applications. Not only does it make use of recycled glass, it lasts a long time and requires very little to no maintenance so it provides a lot of life before it needs to be disposed of. As I mentioned before, it is all about balance and I think that fibreglass offers that. Another thing to consider is the price of the chair. There is a relatively small market willing to fork out $20,000 for a single chair. As Martela is not mass producing millions of these chairs, perhaps this further justifies the use of fibreglass?
I think the discovery of fibreglass reuse has been inhibited by the fact that recycling fibreglass is not very profitable at the moment.
Good Design is the unification of disciplines
Good design combines form and function, in a way where they support each other harmoniously
I think that the Koop chair is a perfect example of this. It offers an interesting aesthetic that breaks away from the traditional sense of what a chair is.
The elegant curves of the egg-shaped body are contrasted by the linear slice that reveals the sitting area of the chair. While this may appear as a purely aesthetic feature, if you refer back to Rashid's intent when designing the chair, there is a strong function element also:
“I have wanted to create the Koop chair as an organic space not unlike a womb. The soft line of the structure comes to form a cradle in which one perceives a sense of serenity, privacy and peace. The egg-shaped seat symbolically represents purity, perfection, minimalism and holism”
The Koop chair encapsulates the user, comforting them with a soft upholstered interior while presenting a hard exterior shell to those on the outside. In the description of the youtube video, they also say the chair offers visual privacy, as well as some sound protection. To me, this is form and function supporting each other harmoniously.
Looking at Rashids’ designs, I think it would be easy to assume that he is bigger on form than he is on function, but I found an interesting point he made in an interview with Autodesk:
“You’ll find, in the history of industrial design, the most successful things are function-driven. That leads to something beautiful. I like to use the phrase “to inform form,” meaning the production method we choose, the way polymers want to move, and the way we use objects informs us on how to come up with new forms.”
Good Design is sincere
The designer is genuine in their attitude towards sustainability
Another title Karim Rashid has been dubbed with is the “Prince of Plastic”, and it would be easy to make assumptions about Karim’s attitude toward sustainability based on this title. While I was unable to find anything specifically about the Koop chair, I was able to find some more clues around his general attitude toward sustainability, in an interview Rashid had with Architonic in 2016.
The interview opens with Rashid being asked to choose one material to work with for the next three years, in which he replies “Sugar cane derived polypropylene, which doesn’t rely on petroleum. So it’s a very, very sustainable product. Or a biodegradable polymer.”
When asked “Why these choices?” He responds:
"There are three criteria: one is sustainability and 100% choice for the environment. I prefer to work with recyclable and disposable materials. Second, it should be a very democratic, inexpensive material, so that I can make something for a massive audience. Plastic enables my designs to be more accessible on the market. And it is a material that has phenomenal properties. It is durable, malleable and it can actually be quite comfortable. Third criteria is the processing options. There are things you can do in polymer that you can never do in any other material."
He then goes on to talk about design being a “commercial art” and that designers hands are tied by the criteria set by the client, including materials. He says being a designer is about doing something that works for the client while still being able to produce a design “that is very much a part of you.”
Summary
Karim Rashid
Extracting the Design Language
Karim Rashid has a distinguishable design style, he is all about pushing beyond the idea that our spaces and the things that go inside them should consist of straight lines, hard edges and sharp corners. I imagine entering a space designed by Karim to be a sensory shock because spaces like Karims’ are not what we’re used to. Everything is fluid, everything is dynamic. These are the features I was able to identify and while I don't think that they necessarily are features of Karims design language, they are things that I want to incorporate into my design
- The Koop chair is not a container. It provides privacy to the user but it does not disconnect them from their surroundings. It is also spacious enough to relax in but not overbearing to the point where it is unrecognizable as a chair.
- This chair has contrast, and not necessarily the colour or material. The soft inside of the chair is inviting and the way it hugs around the body is comforting while the outside presents a large, hard shell to those outside of the users’ view, like a big shield to deter from disturbance. The surface qualities of the materials also give a visual indication of the physical properties of the chair. Matte fabric is soft and glossy painted fibreglass is hard. The way the cushioning folds over the stitching emphasizes the fact that the area is soft.
- The outline of the soft inside follows the form of the hard shell, communicating that they are two components of the same object but the contrast in colour and material clearly defines where one stops and the other begins
Design Language
From this, features I would use to define Karim Rashids design language are
- His three dimensional designs are dynamic. His use of curves are soft and fluid and flow into the next curve, they are not tight curves densely packed into a small space.
- Objects Karim designs incorporate forms and shapes that inform the next. They aren't necessarily the same shape but they make sense in their placement, often following a curve and breaking away to form its own.
- I have also learned a phrase that Karim uses often in regard to function and form, which is "to infrom form". By this he means the function of a design comes first and it guides Karim in creating new forms. This is evident in his designs, that can at times appear quite wacky, but they all serve a function that isn't compromised for the sake of from.
- The use of vibrant colour. Although this isn't always necessary as seen in some versions of the Koop chair. I think the form of Karims designs are recogniseable as they are but the use of colour adds an exclamation mark the end.
What am I designing?
A feature I want to incorporate into my design is the semi-privacy aspect of the Koop chair. Referring back to Karims design intent for the Koop:
“I have wanted to create the Koop chair as an organic space not unlike a womb. The soft line of the structure comes to form a cradle in which one perceives a sense of serenity, privacy and peace. The egg-shaped seat symbolically represents purity, perfection, minimalism and holism”
To help me direct my design, I have created a list of words.
Peace
Solitude
Privacy
Calm
Undisturbed
Productivity
Secure
This reminded me of a News report I saw on TV a few weeks ago where they discussed the difficulty of working from home. As offices are operating at reduced numbers due to COVID-19, working from home is becoming the new normal. COVID-19 has challenged the traditional idea of how we work and there is a possibility that working from home may remain after the threat of COVID-19 passes. I couldn't find the original news report but there are many articles that confirm this likelihood.
"Working from home is here to stay, with hybrid arrangements fast becoming the dominant strain. By 2022, the typical firm will have everyone in the office three days a week, typically Tuesday to Thursday, and working from home Monday and Friday." (Barrons, 2022)
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/home-office-might-be-here-stay-workers-are-flexing-their-n1278395
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2022/02/01/remote-work-is-here-to-stay-and-will-increase-into-2023-experts-say/?sh=59eb84ff20a6
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-18/the-five-day-office-week-isn-t-coming-back-wfh-is-here-to-stay
While the above articles discuss the benefits of working from home, the news report I saw was talking about the difficulty of working from home and as a student that has had to study from home, I found I could relate.
In my personal experience, I found it difficult to concentrate because there are so many distractions and temptations at home. I also don't have the luxury of having a personal study room. My desk is right next to my bed which blurs the line between work and rest. On late nights of study I often find myself going straight from my desk to my bed. I think of sleep as sacred and often uni work is stressful. Having these two spaces in such close proximity to one another taints my entire bedroom in a way. I should associate my bedroom with peace, not stress.
I also lived with someone that worked from home last year, and he chose to work at the dinner table. Living in a small apartment, this was annoying as it made our limited communal space his office and I would imagine this is a common problem for many people.
I want to design a workspace for people working at home that draws a clear line between work and home life. I intend to do this with a physical barrier that offers privacy to the user. This will provide a visual barrier to prevent distraction and disruption while providing a calming space for focus and productivity. I think something like this would appeal to people that struggle to remain focused and perhaps even something companies would invest in to increase productivity from their employees.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/ive-been-studying-work-from-home-for-years-heres-whats-coming-51641330825
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-18/the-five-day-office-week-isn-t-coming-back-wfh-is-here-to-stay
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2022/02/01/remote-work-is-here-to-stay-and-will-increase-into-2023-experts-say/?sh=59eb84ff20a6
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/home-office-might-be-here-stay-workers-are-flexing-their-n1278395
Ideation
I started out by sketching forms and mechanisms but I was struggling to draw 3D forms so I played around with modelling clay. While this was helpful, I was struggling to get the precision I wanted and it was difficult to imagine how this would fit around a person which I think was the most important part, so I took to Fusion.
These were some of the early forms that I ended up giving up on because they were too close to the original form of the koop chair. I wanted to express the design language, not replicate the form.
I found it really useful to use a model of someone in a chair, it made it easier to visualise how the design interacted with a person and it helped with placement of features. I came to this form for multiple reasons:
- The footprint takes little more than the space a desk and chair would normally take up. This is important in consideration of this design being used in smaller rooms
- The pod widens at the front so the person sitting inside does not feel closed in and make the pod appear spacious
- This form visually blocks out the possibility of distractions and creates an area of focus
- The front of the desk is curved so the person is able to move closer and be immersed in their work
Looking at it now, an issue that I have is that the top of the entrance is quite low. I was too focused on blocking visual distractions that I didn't put enough thought into how the person gets into the pod. I thought that the organic cutaway of the door kind of gestured to the person that they have to bend forward to enter but I think it is likely that someone would bang their head on the way in, just like they do with car doorframes.
Anyway, here are some models I made before I had this realisation.
Leave to hang fabric like curtain?
Experiment 1
The idea of this one was to print a frame that I could then attach fabric panels to. I was planning on lining the inside with cork so I printed it in two halves so I could access the inside easier. Because of the orientation of the print, parts of the frame failed and I had not put much thought into how the printer would handle it.
This led me to think about the form of the framing itself. It is very square and industrial, which I think distracts from the organic form. If I could redesign the frame to use organic curves that the 3D printer can print without support material, that would be a really good idea!!!
Experiment 2
I discovered a program called slicer for fusion 360 which slices 3D models and gives a template to laser cut sections. I really like how it looks, I thought using slices would lose definition of the curves but I think that they actually make them more pronounced. It was difficult to align the sections and this model was too small to make holes for the dowel, which is what I intend to assemble it with, as opposed to glue. When I tried to assemble it, I realised some of the sections were floating so they couldn't be attached to the rest of the pod. I like how the table is formed but the edge is jagged. From an efficiency perspective, I don't want to laser cut and then sand.
A benefit of this design is that it can be flat packed which would be more sustainable for shipping.
I am unsure which one I will develop further, I will sleep on it.
Development
I decided to go with the laser cutting method but using slicer didn't give me the control of the form that I wanted so I decided to create each layer in fusion. I find the way that you're able to use the layers of wood to create a dynamic three dimensional form quite fascinating.
I started out by creating the form of the pod and played around with the ends that terminate to create some dynamic curvature
I played around more with the termination curve. I used a model of a person sitting to get a better understanding of the relationship between the user and the pod
I was able to create a dynamic wave effect by staggering the termination points. Like I had identified in Karims design language, each curve of the from informs the next but doing it on both sides opened the pod up too much. . I want this to create a sense that you are working inside the pod, not just underneath it.
This is a test with asymmetry, which I like better. I think that it makes the entry point into the pod clear. It also presents an uninviting barrier behind the user that would deter someone from disrupting the user. It also looks like the pod is unrolling to create an opening to enter the pod.
I added the floor, which follows the curve of the above overhanging ceiling
And this is the finished product with the desk added. I did try to curve the front edge of the desk inward too to follow the form of the wall in front of it but it was too jagged and I think it would've been uncomfortable. Like I identified in Karims design language, I didn't want to sacrifice the function and user experience for the sake of form.
I filleted the points where the desk meets the rest of the pod to give it strength but to also make the inside of the pod as dynamic as the outside. I also added holes for dowel for assembly because I want to avoid using glue. I wasn't able to find any dowel that was small enough for my model so I purchased some skewers which have a diameter of 2mm which should make a good substitute.
With the dowel holes being the same in every section of the pod, the layers can be assembled in the reverse order so that the opening is on the other side which I think is a neat feature. This would allow the user to assemble it in the way that best suits their home. With one side more open the pod can be entered from a diagonal position which means the pod can be put in the corner. This would be difficult if the entry point only allowed entry from the side.
I think this form is closed in enough for privacy and the reduction of visual distractions but open enough that the user doesn't feel enclosed and completely shut off from their environment. It could be dangerous if the house is on fire and you are too removed from your environment to notice.
I also purposely chose to use a consistent width for the floor, walls and desk as well as terminating them with a half circle. The reason I did this is because individually each layer looks quite dull, but with careful positioning they are able to create an exciting dynamic form. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
I also think that including the desk in the pod was a good idea. I spoke earlier about how the koop chair has an odd shape but it is still recogniseable as a chair. Without the desk built in, it might be a bit confusing. The pod communicates its purpose
I also spoke earlier about how the koop has contrast. I considered lining the inside with something soft but that wouldn't make sense. The contrast of this pod is the inside and outside of the pod. Outside we have this hard shell that protects what is inside, and when you're inside, you're safe. Like how Karim talked about being inside a womb.
Preparation For Laser Cutting
This was a very stressful process and I learnt lots about software and laser cutting. I had to get my multi part model out flat and so I used Slicer for Fusion 360 again as it worked with my previous model. Slicer only takes one file at a time and so I had to export the whole thing in one STL file. For some reason Slicer didn't like the file
After doing some googling, I found out that fusion has the capability to lay out components which is handy. It also has a feature that arranges the components for the most economic use of material. This is how my model will be cut from a 600x800 sheet of MDF. It leaves plenty of space to add more components, making most of the sheet.
I also played around with how it it might look if it were created at full scale. I was thinking that the segments could be shipped in the sheet that they were cut from for protection. I decided that probably wasn't very economic because it would be heavier. This made me think a bit more about materials, if I could use a material that could recycle the left overs after the form has been cut that would be good.
Sustainable Timber in New Zealand
As I have learned, there are many aspects that could contribute to making timber sustainable. Timbers of New Zealand is a buyer of logs that encourages forest owners to sustainability manage their forests. According to Timbers of New Zealand (Timbers, 2020) “sustainable production of specialty timbers in New Zealand is maintained by legislation and monitored by central and local government.” These include
The Resource Management Act 1991: Aims to achieve sustainable management of natural and physical resources. The RMA covers most forest and woodlot harvest in New Zealand.
The National Environmental Standard – Plantation Forestry (NES-PF): Is mandatory for all forests, farm woodlots and shelterbelts over 1 hectare in area. Regional Council land and forest advisors undertake site visits, they provide a planning and advisory service with an emphasis on environmental values and sustainable forest management
The Forests Act of 1949: Sustainable harvest of native timber with chain of custody is required for all privately held forests with approval from the Indigenous unit in MPI required for each year’s harvest at an individual forest level.
Timbers of New Zealand is selective about which trees they harvest:
“All native timber harvest is single tree selection with priority on dead trees, and improving the forest ecosystem. About 90 percent of exotic tree harvest is replanted. The total area of both native and exotic forests has been increasing by about 15,000 hectares over the past few years.” (Timbers, 2020)
For aesthetic reasons, the timber of choice is “clean timber” which is timber that does not have knots or marks. Clean timber is available in only 10-20% of a tree (Archipro, 2017) but as sustainability is becoming more of a focus internationally, importance is being placed on using the whole tree. Instead of trying to hide the imperfections, it is something that is to be celebrated. Doing this ensures the entire tree is used practically instead of using it as firewood. Archipro also states that exotic trees that are replanted and grown quickly produce an inferior quality of wood with less structural integrity.
Sustainable Certification
FSC
The Forest Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organization established in 1993 that promotes responsible management of the world's forests. FSC certification is used as a transnational environmental policy. (FSC, n.d). FSC claims to have the highest standards for their certification scheme and is the only forest certification of ISEAL alliance, the global association for sustainability standards.
Requirements to be certified the the FSC include:
Wildlife habitat protection
Preservation of high value conservation forests
Annual forest management
Worker safety
Respect of Indigeounous peoples rights
Protection of waterway
Minimal use of pesticides.
There are 23 FSC certified forest in New Zealand and 14 retailers, including Bunnings and Mitre 10. I think it is important to use NZ grown wood to minimise carbon emissions when transporting it for manufacture of the pod. The number of FSC Certified species growing in NZ is HUGE!
Abies grandis (Giant Fir)
Abies nordmanniana (Caucasian Fir)
Abies religiosa (Sacred Fir)
Acacia mearnsii (Black Wattle)
Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood)
Alnus rubra var
Cedrus atlantica (Blue Atlas Cedar)
Cedrus deodara (Deodar Cedar)
Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese Cedar)
Cupressus lusitanica Mill (White Cedar)
Dacrydium cupressinum (Rimu, Red Pine)
Eucalyptus amygdalina Labill (Black Peppermint)
Eucalyptus cladocalyx (Sugar Gum)
Eucalyptus fastigata (Brown Barrel)
Eucalyptus fraxinoides (White Ash)
Eucalyptus grandis (Rose Gum)
Eucalyptus nitens (Shining Gum)
Eucalyptus obliqua (Messmate)
Eucalyptus ovata (Black Gum)
Eucalyptus pilularis (Blackbutt)
Eucalyptus regnans (Giant Gum)
Eucalyptus saligna (Sydney Blue Gum)
Eucalyptus spp
Juglans nigra (Eastern Black Walnut)
Larix decidua (European larch)
Larix kaempferi (Japanese Larch)
Manetti ex Carr
Nothofagus (Southern Beeches)
Nothofagus menziesii Oerst
Picea abies (Norway Spruce)
Picea sitchensis (Sitka Spruce)
Pinus attenuata (Knobcone Pine)
Pinus banksiana (Jack Pine)
Pinus caribaea (Caribbean Pine)
Pinus contorta Lodgepole Pine)
Pinus elliottii Slash Pine)
Pinus laricio
Pinus mugo (Mountain Pine)
Pinus muricata (Bishop Pine)
Pinus nigra (Black Pine)
Pinus palustris (Longleaf Pine)
Pinus patula (Patula Pine)
Pinus pinaster (Cluster Pine)
Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine)
Pinus radiata (Radiata Pine)
Pinus resinosa (Red Pine)
Pinus sylvestris (Scots Pine)
Pinus taeda (Loblolly Pine)
Populus alba (White Poplar)
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir)
Sequoia sempervirens (Redwood)
Syncarpia glomulifera (Turpentine)
Thuja plicata (Pacific Redcedar)
Tsuga heterophylla (Western Hemlock)
Of this list, I have chosen to use redwood for several reasons.
It is a lightweight wood. To compare this with Pine, a wood commonly used in construction, one cubic metre of Redwood weighs 450kg, vs one cubic metre of pine which weights 480kg (Inch Calculator, 2019). This is a 6.45% percent difference! The reduction in weight means that it has a smaller carbon footprint when transported.
Red wood has dimensional stability meaning that it won’t warp or shrink (Gillespie. S, n.d.)
It has a natural resistance to decay and insect attack (Gillespie. S, n.d.)
Redwood has a rich red colour which is a natural alternative to Karims use of colourful plastics.
I found a FSC certified redwood provider than grows redwood in New Zealand called The New Zealand Redwood Company, who claim to harvest less than the annual growth rate which is good in the realm of sustainability. They also state on their website:
“Rapid growth and longevity mean redwood stands can carry huge volumes of wood and are therefore ideal for carbon sequestration. Studies of tree survival in New Zealand redwood stands show that mortality is almost non-existent. Redwood is very wind-firm and the collapse of older stands that is seen in other commonly grown softwoods is rare in redwood stands. Redwood trees are also naturally fire resistant due to their thick fibrous bark. These characteristics mean that redwood growers have flexibility in when they can harvest their stands if they choose to harvest at all. The risk of liabilities arising as trees storing carbon burn or blow over is relatively small.
The ability to trade carbon credits means forest owners may see a return on their investment early in the rotation or without ever having to cut their trees down.” (The New Zealand Redwood Company, n.d.)
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