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| BIOMIMICRY DESIGN
, 'MOON SHELL CHAIR'
by
Claire Pryce
, Rhodec International
The inspiration for this design came from a 'moon shell'. I was taken by its simplicity of line and form and saw the potential of translating this into a chair design. For the design I further pared down the lines of the shell and translated it into a simple continuous curve; the ends of which end within the 'body' of the chair, much the same as that of the shell. The result is a simple balanced form with understated lines and pattern, that is both sculptural as well as functional. From the outset the chair was to be a rocker so as not to interrupt the continuous flow of the design. The chair is balanced down its center line so there is no excess weight moving forward or back. There would be some 'give' in the seat as it is not fixed - this would result in the backrest giving optimum lumbar support. The chair is manufactured of a molded maple 9 ply decorative plywood core with an ash and walnut veneer on the upper side and a white melamine or lacquered surface on the lower side. The upper veneer has a decorative inlay of contrasting veneer depicting the pattern on the exterior of the moon shell. This runs horizontally across the backrest; petering out as it goes down the reverse of the piece. Vertical inlay runs up the front of the piece accentuating the upward curve. |
| Claire Pryce Wins ACCESS Furniture Design Competion |
| ACHIEVEMENTS |
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| The inner face of the chair is laminated or lacquered to create a very sleek, highly reflective surface in contrast to the texture and pattern of the upper surface. This mimics the contrast between the rough outer surface of a shell and the silky smooth surface within.
This is an environmentally sound design as minimum materials are used to maximum effect. Not only does a little of the raw material go a long way, but during the manufacturing process plywood offers twice the yield of hardwood lumber: 90% as opposed to 30 - 40%. High yield minimizes material waste resulting in even more of the raw material being utilized. Sustainable timber and non-formaldehyde adhesive would be used. Alternative materials could also be used. These might include laminated cardboard, oriented strand board, particleboard, sorghum board, or even a molded resin or plastic. |
| Elaine Dominguez Wins Moen Competition Elaine won in both Fall and Summer catagories and also took home the overall grand prize. Good Job Elaine! |
| Rhodec Students on Christopher Lowell Show
Five students gave one lucky little boy a brand new bedroom. The group was mentored by Christopher Lowell himself and flew to Hollywood to be featured on his show. Excellent Job Students! |
| Mary Howington's First Commercial Project
Mary did a renovation to a local Chinese Restaurant. WOW, what a transformation! Great Job Mary! |
| Rhodec DIFFA Design Table Project
Six students had a blast in New York city with their incredible table design. The NY daily news even got in on the action and helped spread the news about our talented students. Well Done! |
| Elaine takes 2 wins in the International Design Guild/ASID Student Design Awards, 2004. Her designs are amazing, keep up the great work Elaine, you are sure to go far in this field! |
| Congratulations Claire!!! |
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