Folding Chairs
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In the brief and specifications it does state that the church chairs must be 'Able to stack or fold neatly and compactly' so I have decided to research further into folding chairs paying attention to their functions and overall designs.
The most obvious reasons for using folding chairs are the benefits of space saving and easy transport. Whether they are metal folding chairs or wooden folding chairs, the convenience they offer makes them a popular choice. The only issue is how am I as a designer going to be able to actually design these chairs for a church environment, what design features could I include and how? This is something that I can think about at a later date but is important to always raise these types of questions.
Fold able chairs are types of seating that is easy to pack up and store. That means it won't present an obstacle when you are trying to mop the floor or set up decorations, and will not take up anywhere near as much space as chairs that cannot fold. So inevitably these types of chairs are best suited for the churches range of activities whether it being a wedding or a choir practice.
That space saving factor also translates into transportation as well. They are generally light in weight and easy to man-oeuvre by one person but one more of an advantage is that multiple chairs can be transported using a chair dolly, and this can be used by one person to carry a number of chairs.
So the bottom line is I have already established the advantages of folding chairs and really why the briefs and specifications state that a folding piece of furniture is imperative for the church environment.
In the brief and specifications it does state that the church chairs must be 'Able to stack or fold neatly and compactly' so I have decided to research further into folding chairs paying attention to their functions and overall designs.
The most obvious reasons for using folding chairs are the benefits of space saving and easy transport. Whether they are metal folding chairs or wooden folding chairs, the convenience they offer makes them a popular choice. The only issue is how am I as a designer going to be able to actually design these chairs for a church environment, what design features could I include and how? This is something that I can think about at a later date but is important to always raise these types of questions.
Fold able chairs are types of seating that is easy to pack up and store. That means it won't present an obstacle when you are trying to mop the floor or set up decorations, and will not take up anywhere near as much space as chairs that cannot fold. So inevitably these types of chairs are best suited for the churches range of activities whether it being a wedding or a choir practice.
That space saving factor also translates into transportation as well. They are generally light in weight and easy to man-oeuvre by one person but one more of an advantage is that multiple chairs can be transported using a chair dolly, and this can be used by one person to carry a number of chairs.
So the bottom line is I have already established the advantages of folding chairs and really why the briefs and specifications state that a folding piece of furniture is imperative for the church environment.
Primary Research & Product Analysis
Folding Wooden Dining Chair
This is an example of a standard collapsible chair that I have in my bedroom at home. (Bought from Argos)
I have decided that this product would be a good example for me to complete a product analysis, in the bid to help me with my designs and development. Whether or not I shall use the concept of a folding chair within my own design is something I will decide at a later date. But it is important to consider this as an option because it does state within the brief and specifications that fold able or stack able qualities are important aspects for the chair to have therefore, this will be a useful source for primary research.
Materials
This chair is made out of a Solid wood and I am presuming it is plywood but it does not specific this in the product information.
They have used this type of wood because it is light in weight and functions well whilst folding.
Manufacturing and Assembly
This would be mass produced in high volumes. Reasoning being is because it is a much faster process of manufacturing the product and also it means that each product will be exactly the same following the step by step process. When the consumer buys the product it only requires one person to self assembly the chair together.
Aesthetics and ergonomics
The design of this chair is very classic, smart and simple and would look good and be suitable for most environments for instance, the kitchen, in a office, or in the dining room. The Lacquered finish that has been applied on the wood makes it appear clean and fresh which is also a very attractive feature but also enables it to be clean easily. Overall the product is very easy to use and it does not require much intelligence so to speak to simply fold the chair in parts.
Ergonomically speaking the product does not really provide a great deal of comfort. Consequently, when I am using the chair I will often use to cushions to add extra comfort. However, the chair is relatively sturdy and seems safe as it is able to withhold my own body weight. But does it suit arrange of different users?
On the product information it does state the maximum weight that it can withstand is 3.2kg. The size of the chair is H83, W41, D52.5CM which seems to be the standard and average size for a generic household chair.
Working principles and Functions
On the side of the chair there is a groove that allows the chair to slide up and down freely and this enables the user to fold the chair easily if need be. The chair works well, it folds very easily relying on metal components and joints and it looks neat and can be stored easily without taking up huge amounts of space. It also seems as if it does not require and regular maintenance. Therefore, it certainly has been designed to fit its purpose in terms of functionality. However, how do target consumers react to it?
Here are some reviews that I have taken from the website. This information will help me to determine whether or not this chair is a good product meeting all of the requirements of a good design but also is a useful part of the product analysis.
Below are three screen shots taken from the Argos website in the reviews section for this product.
Taking a look at this reviews and comments has been a useful part of my product analysis and it has made me realise that your the audience or users for any product are so important when designing. The overall rating that consumers have given this product is 4.4 stars. Some of the comments have been very interesting and most of the reviews mentioned things like 'easy to store', 'suitable for most occasions' and 'strong and good value' - these are very important ratings. So it is clear to me that generally the chair's design meets most users requirements.
In my own opinion I would say that this chair is relatively plain as a design and I would not really think that the design would fit well within the churches historical interiors and surroundings.. It does not really show any evidence of any religious features and would stand out.
Being a self-assembly product would not be suitable for the brief because if the church places an order for one hundred chairs that would mean someone or a group of people would need to spend a tremendous amount of time building the chairs ready for users. This could ultimately lead to more costs and also contributes to a huge amount of time taken to build them all. Would this costs be necessary ?
One good aspect of the chair is that fact that is seems relatively sturdy, the frame seems to support the chair and the user well which is a good element certainly. However, from the reviews on the website there were certain consumer who were not pleased with the safeness and the durability of the chair.
My product must be able to withstand regular use, and all shapes, sizes and weights of people. It is also light in weight which means it can be transported easily by one person and stacked away neatly which is perfect for the brief.
Other examples of Folding Chairs
These next photographs are other examples of folding chairs.
This chair is mainly made out of metal and the base of the seat looks as if it is plastic. The metal frame obviously helps to keep sturdy and with stand any weight but my opinion this chair would not really be suitable for the church. In the brief it does state that the chair needs to fit in with the surroundings of the church and sympathetic to the churches historical interior.
What I do like about this chair and what works well is the finish of the metal and plastic, it looks shiny and quite new but does it have to look new? Another factor is that it looks clean and that it would be easy to clean which is also an important point to consider when designing the chair.
This chair's design is very similar to the one above however it has used padding to add extra comfort. It is important to add comfort to these chairs because through my research I know that the congregation is on average aged between 55-74. I know that in the specifications it states that upholstery is not necessary but it would be nice to explore this area further to see if there is a smart material or certain design element that can support comfort. But not all chairs have padding to add comfort so this tells me that finding the right materials and
ergonomics
in terms of shapes can in fact support comfort.
Comparing the two chairs, I would say that the black chair is more pleasing in appearance yet I feel that this chair would look much more appropriate in a church because of it's colour. However, the design does not having anything religious factors about it, and surely these seats should? I know I did mentioned that I don't think that the chair needs to look old but this looks slightly dated as a design, I think that it is important to try and meet a balance between looking good and practical but also being able to fit in within the churches interior and overall themes.
Comparing the two chairs, I would say that the black chair is more pleasing in appearance yet I feel that this chair would look much more appropriate in a church because of it's colour. However, the design does not having anything religious factors about it, and surely these seats should? I know I did mentioned that I don't think that the chair needs to look old but this looks slightly dated as a design, I think that it is important to try and meet a balance between looking good and practical but also being able to fit in within the churches interior and overall themes.
I know that this chair design wise is completely inappropriate for a church environment because it looks more suitable for outside uses. However, I selected this picture because I feel that it was interesting to look at the way it folds together. The shape of the design is quite interesting as well and not metal has been used for the base so this suggests that wood is still quite a sturdy material to use. By looking at the way chairs fold or stack this is also going to help me to develop my designs.
I have also looked at camping chairs as part of my research. Although, these type of chairs design wise would not be suitable for the church it is interesting to see how they work and fold together. First of all the products are made out of polyester and steel for the frame and they can with stand a fair amount of weight. This material (polyester) is very comfortable and I have sat on one before. The shapes are also quite interesting to make note of, these chairs are in some sense different in terms of shapes and heights, but a low seat would not be suitable for the church and could pose a problem for older people within the congregation. My question is this type of material going to fit in with the church?
The way this chair folds is really simple but I am not sure if it works well for the church. You can not really stack these chairs so that would be a fault in terms of not meeting the brief and specifications. Although, they do fold compactly so perhaps a foldable chair which stacks whilst compact could be a good option to explore whilst developing my ideas?
The way this chair folds is really simple but I am not sure if it works well for the church. You can not really stack these chairs so that would be a fault in terms of not meeting the brief and specifications. Although, they do fold compactly so perhaps a foldable chair which stacks whilst compact could be a good option to explore whilst developing my ideas?